Chris J_musician

The Music business is something I think every musician and artist should be a little educated in. I hear all the time that it’s a tough business and I’m sure it is but I try not to get so worked up in that kind of thing because it’s easy to forget about the passion and the love for music when you’re fully consumed with that. – @chris_liverman

Listen to the Interview
Episode #332 : A.V.A Live Radio Behind The Music with Jacqueline Jax : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2016/06/15/episode-332-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax

Jacqueline Jax logo photoGETTING TO KNOW CHRIS J
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio

Music business…
is something I think every musician and artist should be a little educated in. I hear all the time that it’s a tough business and I’m sure it is but I try not to get so worked up in that kind of thing because it’s easy to forget about the passion and the love for music when you’re fully consumed with that.

The pros I’ve experienced would be…
all the love I gotten and of course with a lot of love comes a lot of hate. Hurdles and pitfalls I’ve experienced so far would be finding a producer and a studio near me. I know people that have at home studios but I think with that you have to be careful because not everyone knows what they are doing. When I look for a producer, I want someone who can add something different to what I’ve already done, not someone who just takes a payment and doesn’t really do any work or challenges me. I’ve had to learn how to do things on my own without some of the equipment that’s professionally used.

Social media…
I actually love social media. As I’ve matured over the years, I’ve learned how to properly do social media. It’s different when you are in High School and you’re dealing with haters and bullies and you feel like you have to retaliate all the time on social media when you really don’t have too. I’m glad I got that under control because I don’t think that would be very appropriate and good for my career.

Singles vs an album…
I think they both are necessary in the business. I think the singles give people something to expect from the overall album. In my opinion, the single is going to make people want to buy the whole album. For me, putting singles out help people figure out what I’m about as an artist. I usually use instagram or twitter to sort of raise an awareness of my music but I’m open to other ways as well.

I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
Adele. I’m a big Adele fan, not only for her music but I think Adele is very wise. I love just listening to an interview from her because her take on music and life in just incredible. One thing that stuck with me that she said was when she decided to take a break for a while. She felt like she got too big and that scared her a little bit so she decided to go and focus on other things like building a family and being a mother. I respect her for this because we live in age where everyone wants to be relevant and feel like if they aren’t doing crazy things and constantly being put in the spot light in the media then they aren’t a star. I think everyone needs to take a page from her book because she took a break and didn’t care one bit about her fame and still came back and broke records.

Music Trends…
I definitely think that there is too much emphasis on being current and trendy. Everyone should look and feel good about themselves but I think everyone should take in consideration, having a balance. Looking good is only one piece to the puzzle that creates an artist. It also depends on their particular sound; you don’t expect a rocker to dress like a hip hop artist. I think just staying true to who you are musically should direct you in your other choices.

I am most afraid of…
failure in a way like many people. I come from a small town so there’s a lot riding on my shoulders with this in a way. I’ve always dreamed big and I’ve always put 100% into whatever I’m doing. Just all of that pressure is on me. A lot of people want to break into this industry and all for different reasons. I want to make sure my heart and intentions are pure. I’m not in this to compete with anyone or to tear anyone else down; I just want to make and share my music and achieve my own personal goals for success.

My own personal definition of success is…
achieving my own personal goals that I’ve set out to do. A success story that I’m proud of is my first solo performance my senior year in high school. Chorus was a really big thing for me and getting my chance to shine in front of everyone was sweet. Coming from a small town, they sort of choose the same people to sing and do things all the time, so people were shocked when I opened my mouth to sing and I actually sounded good. It’s significant to me because it made me a little more comfortable performing.

My overall goal for my life & career is…
I actually have a lot of goals for my life and career. I definitely want to keep pursuing a career in music but I’m also working a book and I’m interested in journalism and broadcasting. The book is teen drama book that I’m very excited about, it’s going to mention some songs I’ve written in there and the story is very similar to mine as well, so I think people will enjoy it.

3 Ways that I challenge myself…

1) I challenge myself lyrically to be real and write and sing from that true place of emotion that moves me towards my goal to become a stronger songwriter.

2) I challenge myself everyday to work to better produce my music; I think it’s always a good skill to have. I didn’t have access to something’s I needed to actually make my music so I had to do some research and learn how to do things for myself.

3) I challenge myself mentally to continue to dream and pursue my dreams despite those who don’t agree with my decisions and those who think I’ll never be anything but a local artist. I constantly encourage myself and remind myself that I can do anything I put my mind too.

My story is probably similar to many other people…
I got my start in church, singing and directing the choir and I sort of wanted to branch out because I didn’t like feeling like I was being placed in a box. There was only so much that I could and that they would actually let me do and I knew there was so much more in me. I was also involved in chorus in High school so I have a little bit of classical training. I never really felt like I had a voice to really express my opinions and how I felt. Music gives me a since of independence and freedom because I can put whatever I’m feeling or whatever I want to say in my song.

Ain’t it Funny…
The song is really about those relationships to where the person may not have been the best thing or best looking thing in the world but you still stuck with them and stood by them. It’s one of those things where no one else was really interested in the guy/girl but you. Magically when they get with you they sort of glow up and become better as far as who they are and how they look and everything starts going to their head and they forget about what you’ve done for them and you period. They think they can get with anybody and their ego has gotten bigger. People start noticing them and you become yesterdays news but all those people leave and forget him/her and they remember who was really there for them.

I fell in love in high school and got my heartbroken…
I was depressed for months. I couldn’t even enjoy my last year fully because I was so deeply stuck and involved in this toxic relationship. This is really what pushed me at the time to start writing because in a weird way it was therapeutic for me. I could express what I was feeling at the time through song. “Ain’t it Funny,” wasn’t the first song I wrote but it was the first I put out. This song sums of all the crazy and dramatic events that happened during that time.

Chris J indie music
I think people can see my heart and feel my emotion…
I think people can expect a relatable story. Everybody wants love or has fell in love before, and sometimes that isn’t always a fairytale. I want people to feel like they were actually there. If they’ve been through it before, that’s even better. I’m grateful to even say I’m working towards an album. Each song is piece of a great story that I think will really sink in with everyone. So I’m really hoping people get a since of who I am. I consider myself to be very broad so I think everyone will find something on the album for them.

I am from Hertford, North Carolina…
but I live in Elizabeth City on the campus of Elizabeth City State University. There are a lot of people trying to break into the hip hop scene. There are a lot of aspiring rappers and then there are some singers too. I would say there’s a good number of Christian/Gospel groups out there which is always nice. A lot of musicians too but they do a lot of church events. One thing I love to do is of course hang out with my friends. My friends play a big part in the support system I have especially with pursuing this kind of career. I also love to watch reality TV. I find certain shows interesting; anything on Bravo TV and Love and Hip Hop is a guilty pleasure.
Website:
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/chrisj5
Snapchat/Twitter: @chris_liverman
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsTzgUUORVz0I7o5TvFB6nQ
Google:  https://plus.google.com/108805090283316021680