Exclusive Interview with KRISTOPHER

KRISTOPHER is a musician and singer-songwriter. Kristopher Houck based in Orlando, Florida.

Independent artist and singer-songwriter Kristopher Houck recently released an original song called SWEAR TO GOD that delves into the inverted emotions of abusive relationships. The song addresses the loneliness of feeling different and wanting to change in order to win the love of others while maintaining an undercurrent of innocence. Since the pandemic’s end, Kristopher has released two new songs, the second of which, “Swear to God,” dramatizes the emotional struggles of sacrificing one’s personal truth for acceptance and love. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

KRISTOPHER: Absolutely! I was adopted into a very large family at a young age. I was raised in New York and went to a really great public school where I received my education. I was also raised religious. My family moved to Florida after my first year of high school and after graduating with my associates degree I got my BS in psychology at UCF, originally intending to be a therapist. I decided to officially pursue music after meeting another artist shortly after graduation who supported my first song and encouraged me to view music as a possibility I hadn’t considered for myself.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

KRISTOPHER: Both! My parents are both musical people and wanted all of us to at least be familiar enough to read music and maybe play an instrument. I was fortunate enough to be able to take piano, viola, and flute lessons at a music school called Hochstein in Rochester, New York. I was attending for almost 8 years while also receiving lessons from my orchestra and choir teachers in public school. All the other instruments I do know I was able to self-teach by building on what I had already learned.

3. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as ROCK?

KRISTOPHER: I think that the best musicians are the ones always picking up new ways of doing things and learning from others. But I still want to maintain my own individuality. I may make sad music but I’m not trying to copy Billie Eilish for example. But I can take inspiration from the things she does within her music and I think it’s healthy to find inspiration even with artists who create so differently to myself. I’m still growing but I feel confident enough in my own musical identity that’s more about the creation of a musical environment than a performative piece. The songs are soft and meant to be introspective.

4. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

KRISTOPHER: I believe that music is one of the most powerful tools we have to do almost anything. Music helps you learn, connect, communicate, feel, understand, heal, grow, explore, and is one of the most important indicators of deep human expression. I also believe that music is not inherently political but can and should absolutely be used to stimulate social change. My latest release ‘Swear to God’ explores abusive relationships and is metaphorically tied to religion and spirituality. Although the personal narrative of music is what originally appeals to me as a means for catharsis, using it as a social vehicle for the people who will listen to the perspectives I have is definitely a goal.

5. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

KRISTOPHER: This is also a great question. The short answer is yes, 100%. The fact I even get to create this music that allows me to navigate my own emotions is a blessing by itself. I also have the added benefit of sharing it with others who may be impacted by it even more than I was writing it! The music enables me to connect with others who may share their stories and open up to their emotions and that’s more fulfilling than I could have imagined. I will say that the music industry isn’t very kind to songwriters or independent musicians as far as making a living from what they do. I’m hoping that may change in the near future because creating music definitely requires a lot of physical time and energy not to mention the emotional toll it takes when artists open up personally in their music.

6. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

KRISTOPHER: The proudest I’ve ever been has been hearing the stories and affirmations from people listening to my music. It always makes me feel successful knowing that there are people out there enjoying what I have to give.

7. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

KRISTOPHER:

I know I’m not the best singer, but I feel that I do a pretty good job of creating atmosphere and conveying emotion with the music and lyrics. The lyrics in my later songs get progressively more nuanced in that there can be double, sometimes triple meanings for why I wrote what I wrote. I’m learning how to write “deeper” and express myself better in more creative ways. That being said, I know lyrics are not the best part of the music for many people so I also try to capture the feeling of desperation or anger or fear or hurt within the music as well. I would describe a lot of my sound as melancholy. Even the more upbeat music I’ve written still has a streak of sadness that’s not always explainable. The sound will change over time for sure. At the end of the day the music I write is always emotive.

8. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘KRISTOPHER’?

KRISTOPHER:

That’s a great question! My earliest musical influences I have memory of were all Broadway musicals. I also remember playing certain songs I found catchy on YouTube over and over again. The first artist whose music I really connected with was Ariana Grande. I grew up watching her on the TV show Victorious and always loved her voice, but as she started releasing music I connected way more and although our musical styles are quite different, I learn so much from everything she does with her art. I chose to go by ‘KRISTOPHER’ simply because I wanted to figure out who I was as an artist kind of ‘on the job’. Kristopher was actually the name given to me after I was adopted so it feels like an identity I can mold to feel the most comfortable around me. I’m going to change as I get older and I wanted my artist name to be simple, special, and identifying.

9. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

KRISTOPHER: My creative process starts with a feeling, usually about a situation or circumstance that I’m still having trouble wrapping my mind around or healing from. From that feeling I play around on guitar or piano until I find a chord progression I like that at least somewhat generates the emotional atmosphere I’m looking for. I may have a couple phrases or lines written about either the situation or how I feel that I then try to work into a hook, chorus, or opening line. From that point it really depends on the flow of creation. Sometimes I can play through the chords and get verses and the chorus written in half an hour, other times I’m trying to be a little less predictable in the song structure or the lyrics I come up with aren’t resonating as much with me. I may come up with some basic version of an instrumental and from that point I’ll work with some other incredibly talented producers and musicians to bring the music to its final form. Nate Khors is an incredibly talented artist and producer who I’ve worked on the majority of my first album with and I can send him a demo with a couple descriptive sentences about the direction of the song and the desired atmosphere and he comes up with an incredible accompaniment that we both tweak from there

10. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

KRISTOPHER: I was diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder as a teenager. I can say that these two issues have been the most difficult things I’ve ever had to endure, and I would say I’ve endured some pretty awful stuff. The amount of will, identity, and hope that depression steals from you is honestly really scary. Opening up about it is less terrifying than experiencing it and it’s for that reason I write music to express myself because music was one of the biggest things that saved me when I was a kid. Music and hope.

11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

KRISTOPHER: I ignore it mostly but sometimes I like to have fun. It doesn’t really phase me getting hate from people I don’t know. PLENTY of people on the internet think that some of the most objectively talented artists in the world aren’t talented. I won’t be most people’s cup of tea and that’s fine by me. It is fun to respond positively to hate sometimes because usually those people are so surprised and taken aback. I tend to find out they’re in a negative mood from some circumstance. It’s important to give grace sometimes.

12. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

KRISTOPHER: Not at all. For those interested I definitely put the stories out there (or try to). I want people to be able to interpret them personally. I want my music to be accessible.