During His Time As a Commercial Music Student, Josh Bird Performed with the Foo Fighters; Now as a BYU Alum, He Brings Rock Music to Asia
“I never expected to move back to the country where I served my mission and bring 90’s style rock music to Asia, but that seems to be what God wants for me,” said Josh Bird (’24), BYU commercial music alum.
Bird’s BYU story is far from conventional but his education in the School of Music paved the way for his career in commercial music and strengthened his testimony of the power God has in his life.
Bird came to BYU after serving a mission in Taiwan with plans to study international business. He was depressed to find that the program wasn’t a good fit for him so his wife encouraged him to pray for guidance. He felt prompted to switch majors and apply for the commercial music program. He said, “I felt like I was on the right path, but the future was still unclear.”
Bird had the impression to write a song in Chinese. He wrote a “grungy, funky, punky” song that felt true to himself and posted it online. He woke up the next day to find that his song had gone viral in Asia and that he had 8000 new followers on Instagram. “If that wasn’t a miracle from Heavenly Father then I don’t know what is,” he said. Now known worldwide as LieYing, Bird continues to make rock music in Chinese.
The name LieYing translates to "falcon" and is made up of the Chinese characters meaning "fierceness and strength" and "Accipitridae." He was given the name by an investigator during his mission. Six years later, that same investigator cheered him on from the front row of his show.
Bird had dreamed of being a rockstar his entire life, playing in bands from an early age. Those dreams began to come to fruition when experiential learning funds from the School of Music helped pay for his first tour to Asia. During his tour, he landed his biggest gig yet: opening for the Foo Fighters during the Taiwan leg of their international tour. Formed by Dave Grohl, former drummer for Nirvana, the Foo Fighters are known as a global icon for their 15 Grammy awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
Bird used his tour to build connections within the commercial music industry. It was because of his networking that he secured the opportunity to audition to open for the Foo Fighters. “I learned that networking fiercely is of the utmost importance,” he said. “What sets musicians apart is their team and their connections. My advice is to be a great friend and be interested in all of the people that you meet.”
For current commercial music students, Bird offers some specific advice: “Be passionate about the music you’re creating; find someone in your life who can be completely honest with you and that you can bounce ideas off of; and network fiercely.”
I learned that God’s plan for me is greater and more fulfilling than anything I can imagine.
Bird was chosen to open for two of the Foo Fighters’ shows, one in Taiwan and one in Niigata, Japan. He was told by an interviewer that he was chosen because his music connected Asian rock, punk and pop fans in a way similar to what Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers did for American fans. Grohl told Bird that he is “Asia’s Nirvana.”
Bird’s time performing with the Foo Fighters tested his faith and strengthened his testimony. After a show, Bird was invited to have dinner with the band. Grohl offered him sake, a traditional Asian alcoholic drink, and asked him to give a toast with the band. “This was one of the hardest moments of my life because I had to reject a drink from the Dave Grohl,” he said. Bird chose to stick to his values and refused the drink, explaining that he doesn’t drink alcohol. Grohl handed him a different drink instead and they had their toast with no further questions asked.
Bird credits his success to his Heavenly Father. After playing for the largest crowd he’d ever experienced, Bird decided to pray in his hotel room. He felt the distinct impression, “This success and influence you’re having in your career is coming from Me [God]. You need to treat it as such and use it as an opportunity to lift yourself up.”
Ron Saltmarsh, a BYU School of Music faculty member and one of Bird’s mentors, said, “Bird’s experiences show how an upstanding member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can thrive in the commercial rock-n-roll environment.”
“While at BYU, I learned that God’s plan for me is greater and more fulfilling than anything I can imagine,” Bird said. “God, as our Father in Heaven, knows about us and He will let us be successful if we involve Him in the process and dedicate our career to Him. At BYU I learned to be faithful, to ask God to help me realize my life’s purpose, and when He answers, to follow Him with all my heart.”
