Synderes
Synderes is an Orlando-based teen rock band comprised of five members, four of which are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their focus is to change the world, one song at a time, by performing positive music, strengthening others, and keeping priorities straight. Having a common interest in music, the five became friends in 2011, and by June 2012, the new sensation known as Synderes was created.
Amanda Hernandez, the youngest member of the group, is the lead vocalist. In a March 2014 interview with the Deseret News, she recalled first dreaming of becoming a singer as a sixth-grader while attending a theatrical performance at her school. She said, “I put my heart into learning how to sing. Since I could finally use my voice, I started pursuing it and it led up to what it is now.” When she was younger, complications from allergies left scarring in her throat and she was hardly able to speak.
The other members of the band are Anthony Hernandez (Amanda’s brother) – lead guitarist, Alec Lowe – drummer, Pierson Lowe – bassist, and Jasper Chong plays rhythm guitar. The band members say that they draw their musical influence from such bands as Evanescence, Flyleaf, Imagine Dragons and Muse.
Pierson Lowe started playing the guitar when he was in the sixth grade but by the time he was a freshman in high school, he switched his focus to playing the bass. An impromptu Battle of the Bands competition set his music career in motion. Recalling the experience, he told Deseret News, “I hopped on the guitar and played the lead solo to one of the songs. I had the crowd going and everyone was cheering. Half the people didn’t even know that I had the capability of doing so. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, what a great opportunity this could be for me in the future.’”
In 2014, the group began to expand their horizons as they had been given opportunities to perform outside of local Church functions to bigger events, including music festivals in Mexico, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. They were also finalizing a 60-city world tour, released a music video for their single “Enemy Inside,” and worked on the group’s first full album.
While the band members are devoted to their music, they keep their priorities straight by going to school and attending church and other youth church meetings. Amanda commented, “We hope to touch people’s hearts with our music and to help them grow to become stronger and to lead better lives. We want to inspire people to become stronger and to live better lives, and so we put our heart into it and that’s just kind of what keeps us going.”
The members of the band attribute their faith in God as the main source that helps them to keep their priorities in order while focusing on performing good music which they hope will help to strengthen others. About his faith, Pierson said:
I would say most definitely, it influences the band. It keeps all of us most definitely in line to have that kind of support around us 24/7. It makes it so easy just to say no and to really put that impression on other people. We’re trying to live a good lifestyle. We still go to Mutual and Church. We do our best to make that our No. 1 priority, as well, on top of the band and school and all our daily activities. God comes first. I know that if I fulfill his duties and put him first that there will be a greater outcome at the end, as far as what I want to fulfill in my life.
Amanda added, “It influences our standards, so we don’t cuss or anything in our music. It influences what we listen to for inspiration, and good morals bring good, inspirational music.”
As of March 2014, three of the band members are preparing to serve full-time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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