Unless you’re from Northern Ireland, you may not have heard of the band Bluetree. But that’s all about to change with their debut album Greater Things, recorded at U2’s favourite Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin.

This band’s music stands out from the crowd with distinctive anthemic tunes to inspire the soul. Hence the name, Bluetree – for you’d certainly notice a blue tree in a forest! Bluetree is a six-piece band with their roots firmly planted in the local church. They are loud, bold, energetic and passionate about God.

‘As Christians, Jesus Christ has called us to be salt, be light, in this world and really make a difference. So we want to go around and inspire kids to stand out whether that is in church or school,’ says the band’s vocalist Aaron Boyd. How many other bands can boast their own DJ? Nearly five years ago the boys first got together. Aaron Boyd (vocals, guitar) told Challenge about their music and why they are determined it will make that difference.

‘Northern Ireland is quite small. We don’t have much of a music scene. Everywhere we went it would be Bluetree who would lead worship and maybe another band to play and entertain people and then there’d be a DJ – a guy called Peter Kernoghan. It was like a travelling roadshow. Pete joined Aaron, Rick (guitar), Ian (keyboard &synthesis), Andy (bass) and Jonny (drums).

‘I don’t have a clue what I’m going to do with you,’ Aaron recalls saying to Pete, who he describes as ‘first and foremost a worshipper. He’s so passionate about what he’s doing.’ Pete brings his own blend of Belfast club culture to the band.

Bluetree’s lyrics come straight from personal experiences. ‘Songs have to be born out of experience,’ says Aaron. ‘If you’re living a life that eagerly runs after God and seeks him rather than your ministry – whatever you’re going through then songs will come. ‘All of our songs have a story behind them.’ The track God of this city explains the band’s ethos well. While on a ministry trip to Thailand in 2006, they were invited to play in an unlikely venue in a red light district – The Climax Bar.

‘Just, here we are singing about Jesus in the middle of this,’ says Aaron. ‘You’ve got a German guy who’s completely wrote off, with a prostitute on each arm and he is just like your Number One Fan! It was one of the most random experiences but it was a God thing, God was there.’ During the course of the set, the song God of this city was born. Echoes of that trip can be heard in their album.

You don’t have to share their faith to love their music. ‘I’ve got loads of my mates who don’t do the “churchy” thing,’ says Aaron. ‘They were the first people I went to and I chucked my album at them. They all came back and said it was brilliant. Half of them don’t even believe in God. But I feel if it stands up musically in the eyes of the world, it will stand up in the church. ‘For those who don’t have a faith, if they just listen to our album – just take it for what it is. Is this a good tune? Does it inspire me? Everyone’s on a journey. Our heart is that people listen to something and then realize that they have a life that is hidden in God, a God who eagerly pursues them every single day.’

The band has chosen to shun record labels to stay independent. With an active Internet presence on Bebo, MySpace, Facebook, Bebo plus www.bluetreeonline.co.uk, the band’s music is reaching out to fans and new ‘converts’ alike. When we spoke Aaron was off to Nashville to discuss the band’s representation in the States so somebody loves them over there too! ‘We have a record; we have a producer; we have a way that we do things,’ says Aaron, ‘and we’ve got great people that surround us. And we believe that God has got our back in all of this.’

The band has a Canadian tour scheduled for the autumn. They’ll be at the NEC Birmingham on 8th November for The Stand: Hope for Justice Concert plus individual church gigs and music workshops across the UK during 2008/9.