Page - 46 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 06/02

46 | Reinhard Kopanski www.jrfm.eu 2020, 6/2, 41–57 Case Studies Koenige & Priester Koenige & Priester is a band from the German city of Cologne with a changing line-up (six to eight musicians) that has produced three studio albums since its official founding in 2015. The leading members are the singers Florence Joy Enns (née Büttner), her husband, Thomas Enns, and his brother Jonathan Enns.18 In interviews the band’s members have stated that two verses from Revelation (1:5–6) are of personal importance to them and the source of the name “Koenige & Priester”.19 It remains unclear to which the German Bible translation the band ultimately refers to since the terms “Könige und Priester” can be found in various translations.20 In contrast to most German PCM bands, which tend to have strong evangel- ical roots, Koenige & Priester position themselves as non-denominational,21 a character expressed, for example, in the musicians’ involvement in the non-de- nominational B. A. S. E. Jugendgottesdienste, worship services attended by young people.22 Before the band formed, its leaders were already relatively well known within the realm of secular music. Florence Joy Enns won the second season of the German TV show Star Search in 2004, but she was also involved in popu- lar music with Christian content both before and after her victory.23 After win- ning the show, she celebrated Top 20 chart success in Germany with the secular single “Consequences of Love”.24 Thomas Enns and his brother Jonathan also achieved short-term media exposure, by participating in 2007 in the fourth sea- son of Deutschland sucht den Superstar, a spin-off of the British show Pop Idol.25 In an extensive interview with ERF Media, a leading broadcasting company for evangelical content in Germany, Thomas Enns describes how he found God and how both he and his wife rejected careers in secular music in favour of making Christian music. Furthermore, Enns emphasizes how important 18 Koenige & Priester GbR [no date]. 19 Walter 2017; Lippert 2018. 20 All scriptural citations are taken from translations endorsed by the German Bible Society (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft) in 2019. 21 Koenige & Priester GbR [no date]. 22 Gerth Medien 2015. 23 Feiert Jesus! Christmas (Various Artists, DE 2005, SCM Hänssler). 24 Hope (Florence Joy, DE 2004, Universal/Polydor); Koenige & Priester GbR [no date]. 25 Koenige & Priester GbR [no date].