A colorfully lit stage waits for performers. A crowd of a hundred young people anxiously greet their entertainment.

Vadim Sushchik, bass player, ambles onstage. Although he towers at six-feet with the talent to play nearly six instruments; his infamous blue eyes and humility make him not nearly as intimidating in person.

Guitarist Ilia Klimchuk enters as confident as his name sounds. Tall, dark-haired and good looks with the stubbornness to match the cliché, in person, his humility compliments.

Audri Vargas appears and the crowd collectively senses the beauty and radiance of the caramel-complexioned seventeen-year-old with the powerful voice vocally ranging with talent much greater than her years.

Andre Sushchik may materialize behind the drums or in front of the stage. With the humor and energy of a newlywed and the charm of a salesman, he wins the audience with both his voice and his drumming.

The four of them have gone through significant changes over the past four years, playing together in the youth band that has led worship every weekend since the church's birth. Over time, the four would click, and begin to compose their own songs.

New Life's vision includes Raising Stars, which means that New Life focuses on discovering and expanding the gifts each person has, then training people to use those gifts to positively impact the world.

For now, Re:defined will focus on getting their name out, through the community and region, playing locally. "We want to travel, and train more musicians," Vadim Sushchik adds. The core for publicity is always God, bringing people closer to Jesus.

They also are experimenting with their own musical identity. Their inspirational roots were from Hillsong United, but have changed significantly. Describing the type of music seems to stump a few of the members. Today, they seem to have created their own genre of rock-pop rock with an eclectic distortion.

Their music is composed by their four individual styles. The creation of any song may include music with emotion, resembling a ballad, a distorted melody or a hard, pounding tempo. Sushchik says he likes to study the way each piece fits together, and one may find all of these characteristics in a single song.

"It's a mix of four different styles," Audri Vargas says. "When we come together, it makes Re:defined." Vargas also likes to create music that is life-applicable.

Not your typical garage band, Re:defined plays for a crowd every weekend. "You're never out of a job," Sushchik describes the differences between a church-based band and a different group. There is more responsibility, but they always have an audience.

Raising Stars is manifesting itself in Re:defined. The musicians agree they have significantly discovered and developed their musical abilities at New Life. "I had been singing in choir for years," Vargas says, "but New Life is where I realized I can actually go somewhere with it."

-JoAnna Halverson