Singer\Songwriter Christian Smith has just released his new single 'Aurora'
The rising star from Cambridge has already supported such legends as Tony Wright (Terrorvision) and The Proclaimers.
We sat down with him for. a quick chat!
Hi Christian, thanks for chatting with us today!
Can you remember what performance or artist you saw that made you want to be a performer?
I actually can’t, there’s been so many different artists (and even genres) over the years that have had a massive influence on me knowing that I wanted to be involved in music. I always loved watching different artists/bands, many live DVD’s, from Green Day’s Bullet in a Bible to R.E.M’s Perfect Square Live and everything in between. I’ve always loved the frontman charisma!
Who would you say is your biggest inspiration musically? It’s close, between Springsteen and Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem). Similar artists in a lot of respects, but of course The Boss is a much higher profile.
How often do you write music?
As often as I can! It comes in waves if I’m honest, I keep a notes page in my phone where I jot lyric ideas and then when I have a spare afternoon, I’ll sit down with an acoustic guitar and try to thrash something out and make the page of words all fit together somehow! Although, it can be months with nothing and then a flurry of multiple songs within a few weeks. It really does vary!
If you could learn a new instrument what would it be?
Piano! I think there’s something so special about stripped back rock tracks played with just a piano! I’ve dabbled but never actually had the time to learn it properly. I definitely thinks it takes a certain calibre to be able to pull it off.
What one song do you wish you’d written?
That’s such a big question! There’s so many huge songs which are great for so many different reasons! I think Don’t Look Back In Anger by Oasis is certainly up there with songs I feel are some of the greatest ever written! Such an iconic song, and I bet the royalty payment isn’t bad either! However there are so many other massive songs that are equally in the same category!
If you could duet with one person - dead or alive - who would it be and what song would you want to do?
These are some massive questions! If I had to choose just one, I’d probably say playing Jesus of Suburbia live with Green Day (if we’re saying one person then Billie Joe Armstrong) would be huge. Imagine that 9 1/2 minutes! It’d certainly be something to remember!
If you could pick someone to be your musical mentor who would you pick?
Probably Springsteen, he’s pretty much done it all, and from the ground up, going from working class Singer/Songwriter to worldwide status is pretty mad! That’d be a good story to get an insight on!
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?
Just keep going! I can’t remember who said it, but someone once said to me if you keep going you might make it (whatever making it means now), if you stop you definitely won’t and as simple as that sounds, it’s so easy to forget sometimes!
Thanks for chatting to us today, I'm glad you liked our massive questions!
Find Christian online:
Check out the video for Aurora below: