Christian Alt-Rock band Don’t Wake Aislin has come a long way from its beginnings in the churches of Dallas. In 2010, the quintet was honored with a multitude of awards from Myspace.com, including #1 Unsigned Rock Artist and #4 Overall Unsigned Artist across all genres. Their unique brand of rock has brought them much success in the DFW area and beyond, bringing them fans from all over the country. After meeting guitarist Brandon Brown through the MySpace social network, lead singer Deena Jakoub joined the band’s existing ranks, rounding off the group as frontwoman. A few years and several member changes later, Don’t Wake Aislin has created a name for itself in the local music scene, and a connected fan base as well.
The band travels extensively, and Jakoub laments that “maintaining relationships outside of the band” is one of the greatest challenges the group faces. “We have to put our ministry first, but we can’t expect people who aren’t involved in it to understand”. On the subject of the band’s challenges, guitarist Brown says “life just goes on for all people I guess, that’s been a challenge. We know we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing [but] it’s hard when people are being pulled in another direction.”
Still, it’s the band’s personal relationships with fans that give the group purpose. “It’s important to be approachable,” Jakoub says, and both she and Brown agree that it’s this approachability that reinforces fans’ trust and affection for them. “The music inspires the music, if that makes sense,” Brown explains. “For us, it’s truly about the relationships we have and the power music can have.”
The band uses the power of music and message as a means of spreading awareness about important social issues. They have joined forces with Eternal Threads, a charity organization dedicated to ending sex trafficking both in the U.S. and abroad, and currently offer red bracelets from the affiliated Red Thread Movement on their website in support, helping to serve former victims living in Nepal. “We don’t want to be one of those sanctimonious bands trying to get all political,” says Brown, “but these are people’s lives.”
Don’t Wake Aislin is a band who’s all about inspiring others to answer their life’s calling. “God has given us [all] a specific passion in life,” says Jakoub, and the band’s music and message reflect this belief. They compare their music to ministry, wherein they serve as a platform for spiritual healing and relationship building. Their goal is to create an atmosphere with fans that is open, accepting, and honest, as Jakoub explains: “On the road you meet a lot of people who are broken, and they feel comfortable [around us] because we don’t judge them.” When asked what she hopes people will take from the music, she says, simply, “I hope that they can find freedom”.