New app links Christian song lyrics to scripture
When Kimberly Lannear launched her music technology startup, she debated whether to form the company as a nonprofit organization.
That's because even though Lannear has launched Nashville's latest buzzworthy music technology company, her motivation was more spiritual than monetary. Lannear's company is not your run-of-the-mill music technology firm.
Scripturally Sound is a smart phone app that pairs Christian music lyrics with bible passages. Lannear envisions the app servicing Christians who want to learn more about a worship song or turn lyrics into a scripture-focused devotional. And she is pitching Scripturally Sound as an aide to worship leaders and music directors at churches, who will be able to plan music for the Sunday service that meshes with a pastor's sermon based on the key bible passage.
Ultimately, Lannear formed her company as a for-profit venture and the young company is off to a promising start. Scripturally Sound was chosen as one of the start-ups to enter the most recent Project Music music technology incubator program run out of Nashville's Entrepreneur Center. Scripturally Sound was also one of the Nashville-based companies chosen for the iFundWomen crowdfunding platform that allows investors to spend money on women-owned businesses.
"I think knowing what you stand for is important," Lannear said. "If you put that banner to identify yourself as a Christian, then reading the bible is important and not using music as a substitute for that devotional time. It's a challenge I've dealt with as well. You can be scrambled for time to fit god in. We're all guilty of that, or have some desire as Christians to read the bible more in this age of distractions and digital distractions.
"So, Scripturally Sound would be that platform to disrupt technology in that regard."
Lannear, a Brooklyn native, singer and former worship leader who moved to Nashville because of her love of Christian music, said the app development is in its early stages.
"Right now, we're exploring the idea of allowing people to input songs they already have and allowing Scripturally Sound to catalog those songs based on genre, artist release date, the tempo and the bible passages that are related," Lannear said. "This way, it is easier for worship leaders to work efficiently and find songs to support a pastor's sermon.
"But we want to scale out to the Christian music listener who will understand the meaning of songs, they can input the song or search the search engine to find songs and download a lyric-inspired bible study."
Lannear said the primary customer in the early stage will be worship leaders at church. But, citing a recent study showing that 250 million listen to Christian music each year, she views the app as having value for a broader audience.
iFundWomen Nashville gets women startups off the ground
"Merging these two markets is an opportunity especially in Nashville where the Christian music business and Christian publishing business is here," she said. "I think Scripturally Sound will be a tool to mere these two markets."
Her goal is to raise a modest $10,000 through the iFundWomen campaign. Launched by a former Google executive, the crowdfunding platform is beginning regionalized campaigns to draw investors to women-owned businesses. Nashville is the first region chosen to participate thanks to a partnership forged by Mayor Megan Barry's office.
“The iFundWomen campaign offers a unique way for entrepreneurs like Kim to understand their customers' needs and market potential," said Heather McBee, program director for Project Music. "It also provides a vehicle to gain early traction.”
Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and nrau@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tnnaterau.