Change • Band • Joel & Nellen
Be the change you want to see in the world
I was a shy kid growing up, I didn’t know how to talk to strangers or groups of people. I was told I would never be able to change, and that I had to accept the fact that this is who I was. To make a long story short, I got tired of being told what I couldn’t do. I decided to change who I was: a shy introverted kid. I decided to push myself to speak and sing in public. I joined a drama group and a Christian choir, I sang my first solo in front of an audience counting 1300+ people, I was in a play with an audience of over 400+ people, together with a couple of my friends I started a band and we occasionally played at youth events counting 800+ people.
My former psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists all agree my transformation is a miracle!
Today, I am not just an author, but also an advocate of change. If I can change, anyone can change!
To inquire about my speaking availability, drop me a line.
My short lived music “career”
Armed with my microphone, I sang in numerous European countries at various events. While on holiday in Croatia, I formed a band and played at the local church. Back in The Netherlands we did one more gig, and then all band members split except for the pianist and I.
With a couple of my best friends, we formed a new band and changed the name from “On Fire” to “Vanguard”, the meaning of the new name came from the vanguard of an army—being the front line—defending from upcoming attacks. In the case of spiritual warfare, our vanguard has to stand strong.
After a couple of years, having adapted a flawed singing technique, my vocal cords became damaged—since I mainly sang high pitched alternative rock. I can still sing, but I prefer Elvis Presley songs as my voice can’t reach those high pitches anymore.
I quit the band in June, 2019, after leaving the church I attended my whole life, since numerous scandals and faulty doctrines had come to my attention.
Comeback
Since then, I’ve begun making music with my wife, Nellen Crosby, under our joint artist name Joel & Nellen. You can find our music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Google Music, YouTube, & more… To listen to our music, and follow us, click here.
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