Pope Francis, musician? | Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr (http://bit.ly/1PCnnYK)
If it seems like the Pope has done everything while he’s been in America, that’s because he had–he’s greeted a 5 year-old girl who doesn’t want her parents to be deported; sainted Junipero Serra; and made John Boehner cry. But what he hasn’t been able to do yet is sing–which, apparently, is something he’s really interested in doing. Enter Wake Up!, the Pope’s new pop-rock album coming out November 27th.
According to Rolling Stone, WakeUp! comprises “sacred hymns and excerpts of his most moving speeches in multiple languages paired with uplifting musical accompaniment ranging from pop-rock to Gregorian chant.” You can give the title song a first listen here.
It’s a charming song, inasmuch as ’80s-style rock with an overlay of the Pope’s voice can be charming. And it’s not like music is foreign to the Catholic church–they invented some of the best forms of it! It will be interesting to see what the appetite is for an album like this, especially on the heels of Francis’s visit to the US. Holy music may have just gotten a lot more fun.