Alex Bo
yé is no stranger to the entertainment and music industries. He has been performing for audiences worldwide for over 15 years, and has to his credit hits in over 15 countries, with over half a million CDs sold. According to his Mormon.org profile, Boyé states that he has been blessed to share the stage with such entertainers as: Bryan Adams, George Michael, Simon & Garfunkel, MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, N’SYNC, Jay-Z, The Backstreet Boys, Jordyn Sparks, Dancing with the Stars winner Derek Huff, Missy Elliott, Mary. J. Blige, David Archuleta, and the Smashing Pumpkins.
As an entertainer, Boyé has also performed on stage in such places as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and once had a cameo appearance on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. His astounding musical endowment has also been featured in several LDS movie soundtracks to include Charly, The Dance, Suits on the Loose, Church Ball, and Baptist at Our Barbecue.
Boyé continues to have wonderful experiences in the arts. In theatre, he has performed in Smokey Joe’s cafe at BYU, Big River at the Hale Centre Theatre, and played Frederick Douglass in Frank Wildhorn’s The Civil War. He also played Abinadab in the successful Lightstone Films production of David and Goliath, which has won a Dove Award and which is shown regularly on TBN, going out to millions of Christians worldwide. [2]
The Early Years
Boyé was born in 1970 in London, England. He grew up in the Tottenham Court neighborhood, an area of north London in the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated 6.6 miles (10.6 km) from Charing Cross. The area was described as somewhat of a rough neighborhood.
His parents are Nigerian. While pregnant, his mother went to London while his father remained in Nigeria. For the first few years of his life Boyé returned to Nigeria to live with his father, and his mother remained in London where she worked for the London underground cleaning tracks at night. Much of his youth, however, was spent in foster homes where he was raised by Caucasian parents.
Even as a youth he was musically inclined and enjoyed the Motown sounds of such artists as Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Kool and the Gang, Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, and Otis Redding.
The Church of Jesus Christ and Its Influence
At the young age of 16 years, Boyé worked at a McDonalds in London. It was there that he was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes referred to as The Mormon Church) by a manager. He was baptized soon thereafter without his mother’s knowledge. He later served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ in the England Bristol Mission. He was blessed with the opportunity to sing regularly while on his mission, and shortly after his mission, partly due to the encouragement that he had received from his Mission President, he chose to pursue a music career “so I could use my music to influence and inspire people for good.” [1] In 2009 he did just that when he raised money from the sales of his single Crazy for you to buy a house for a local refugee family.
He met his wife, Julie, in an LDS singles ward and the two were married for all time and eternity in the Salt Lake Utah Temple. Julie earns a living as a business manager. Together they have three children – Adanna, Zander, and India.
When asked why he is a Mormon, he replied:
I am Mormon, because I have finally found something that I believe in that has given me a vision of how I should live my life successfully, happily and in the most purposeful and fulfilling way. God can take ordinary people and put them in extraordinary situations, and can bless us all in ways we cannot comprehend. In order for that to happen, from my own experience I tell people that we need to let go of our E-G-Os (Edge God Out.) That seems to be the reason for almost every problem we face in day-to day living….. We cannot survive in this world without Gods influence in our lives. [1]
In the spring of 2013, the Church of Jesus Christ launched an “I’m A Mormon” campaign in Britain. Boyé participated in that campaign through means of a video that featured him.
His Professional Career
Boyé’s music has not always been gospel-oriented. His music career began as a member of a popular boy band in England.
In 1995, Alex formed and became the lead singer in the European Boy band Awesome, and he later signed a recording contract with Universal Records in 1996. Awesome released three singles off their first album, “Rumors,” which made Top-10 charts all across Europe. The band had hits in more than fifteen countries, selling over half a million CDs and performedalongside such groups as N’Sync, The Backstreet Boys, Missy Elliott, Bryan Adams, Mary. J. Blige, MC Lyte, The Smashing Pumpkins, and George Michael, to name a few. [2]
He left the band in 1999 to pursue a solo career. That proved to be an inefficacious move on his part. He lost everything to the record company – the apartment, the clothes, the phone, and the money. Notwithstanding his loss, Boyé pressed on, and in 2000 he released his first solo album, No Limits, a mixture of pop and R&B, which reached number 12 in the European charts.
Speaking of his early experiences in the music business he commented,
It really was a great experience. It got to the point where I had all the things I ever thought would make me happy. I had fun and money—but then it really went pear-shaped. Despite the fame, glory, and fortune, Alex felt emptiness in his life that none of these worldly accolades could sufficiently fill. I was climbing the ladder of success,” he explains, “but when I got to the top, I found myself leaning on the wrong side of the wall.” [2]
On my mission, the spirit was there when I sang. In the band it wasn’t ever like that, and even though I was now on my own, it still didn’t feel like I was where the Lord wanted me to be. One day I was reading the scriptures and it said to forsake this world and seek for something better and how the song of the righteous is a prayer unto Him. I realized I wanted to do music that was more uplifting—that could do something for someone. [2]
Boyé made the decision to move to Utah to begin a career in faith-centered music. His first gospel album The Love Goes On was released in 2001. In 2003 he released Testimony, also a contemporary Christian album. In 2005 he released Build the World, “an R&B collection of life changing lyrics with a gospel neo-soul flare.” [2]
Accepting the Book of Mormon Challenge
Boyé recalls that one Sunday in England while attending Sunday school in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Ward Mission Leader entered the room with a box full of copies of the Book of Mormon and handed each person a copy. Along with that came the challenge to give the copy of the Book of Mormon to someone that week, and then report back the following week as to whom the Book was given to.
He recounts that he was on tour that week doing a performance for a charity organization called The Prince’s Trust, an event where the accomplishments of inner-city kids are recognized. One day there was a loud knock on the door and the person knocking announced that Prince Charles wanted to meet everyone. As he ran downstairs with his band to stand “on ceremony” the thought occurred to him to go back upstairs to his room. Without knowing the reason why he should return to the room, he did so, and noticing the copy of the Book of Mormon given to him by his Ward Mission Leader, he stuck the book in his back pocket and headed back downstairs to take his place in line.
As Prince Charles approached his helicopter to leave, Boyé felt strongly inspired that he needed to give the copy of the Book of Mormon to Prince Charles. In order to get the attention of Prince Charles who had already passed him, he broke the rules of protocol by stepping out of line, waving his hands in the air, and calling out for Prince Charles. Realizing what he had done, he stepped back into line and hung his head in embarrassment.
When he looked up he noticed that Prince Charles was standing directly in front of him. He then said, “On behalf of my church I would like to give you a gift.” [3] Prince Charles accepted the Book of Mormon and responded to Boyé that he thought it would prove some interesting reading. Boyé then responded, “Yes it will. Perhaps you could read it in the helicopter on your way home.” [3] Prince Charles stated that he might do just that and then he departed.
Boyé later commented,
Who would have thought that someone like me, trying to promote my music, would be standing at the feet of royalty in England promoting my faith? The Lord uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Thanks to the challenge of my ward mission leader, I had the courage to stand up for my faith and give a royal gift to royalty. [3]
In the days following that auspicious moment in time, Boyé and his wife Julie have received numerous comments thanking him for his faith and courage to follow the promptings of the Spirit. One person wrote the following comment in response to Boyé’s article in the Deseret News about his giving a copy of the Book of Mormon to Prince Charles:
This story brought a huge smile to my face! This goes to show that when the spirit is behind us, what need we fear? If something is Father’s will then it can be accomplished — kings, presidents, or dictators aside. The key is humility and worthiness that Alex must have had for this all to have happened. I’m very proud of you, hon. You were humble enough to be in tune and go with the flow of the spirit to put self aside and do what was asked of you — who knows what wonderful repercussions will come from this? Way to go, Brother Alex! [4]
United States Citizenship and Beyond
On February 22, 2012, Boyé became a United States citizen in a ceremony at Rose Wagner Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the ceremony he was invited by the judge who was conducting to sing The Star-Spangled Banner.
So, what is next in line for Alex Boyé?
Alex is currently working on producing a movie with director Danor Gerald, an African-American member of the Church and a film graduate of Brigham Young University. Alex and Danor want to do something very unique, so they are working on the first Black urban LDS movie, which will feature “modern dancing, cool music, fast-moving entertainment, and a moving story with a strong message about the value of the Church through the eyes of Black members of the Church.” [2]
Boyé is also a member of the world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Alex Boye’ was born and raised in London, England. He joined the church at the age of 16. He later served an LDS Mission to England Bristol. Alex sang regularly on his mission, and from the encouragement of his Mission President, pursued a career in music when he got home.
Alex became the lead singer in the European Boy band “Awesome”, and signed a recording contract with Universal Records in 1996. The band had hits in over 15 countries, selling over half a million Cd’s and performed alongside such groups as N’SYNC, The Backstreet Boys, Missy Elliott, Bryan Adams, Mary. J.Blige, The smashing Pumpkins, and George Michael to name a few.
Alex simply refers to himself as the “Token Black Guy in Utah”. He loves to laugh, and says some of the highlights in his life have been giving a Book of Mormon to Prince Charles, recently joining the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and marrying his wonderful wife in the Salt Lake Temple
Additional Resources:
Alex Boyé’s Mormon.org Profile
Request a Free Copy of the Book of Mormon
Prince Charles and the Book of Mormon – Deseret News article by Alex Boyé
