Having already made a strong impact on the scene with a flurry of impressive releases of late, Memphis-based artist Steven Christopher is back to his vibrant best once again with the breezy new single 'Do U Right'.
Honing more of that warm and shimmering R&B aesthetic he is known for, 'Do U Right' makes for a wonderfully rich and inviting listen. With his captivating vocals spread across a sweeping production throughout, he is certainly looking to pull on our heartstrings with this one.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
That’s a really good question. I realised recently that just about every song I love and that caught my ear as a kid had guitar. So, I’d have to say guitar was the first instrument I fell in love with.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I was up to my ears in r&b and some gospel here and there. As a kid, you’re kind of a slave to the radio until you’re old enough to buy your own music.. In Memphis, K-97 was a big station and it played r&b and hip-hop all day long.
My step-dad introduced me to ZZ Top and Brian McKnight though. My dad is a very cool guy and brought CDs from artist’s I’d never heard of. Those two were wild cards for me but opened my world musically.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Usher’s “My Way”. I went and bought a big belt buckle and everything.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Can I give a few?
“Hrs In Silence” by Drake and 21 Savage. Put it on repeat.
“No Ordinary Love” by Sade; a perfect song.
“Baby Be Mine” by Michael Jackson. Maybe one of the best disco records ever made.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Honestly, most of my songs are written in the shower. I thought it was weird until I heard the water does something to your brain that sparks creativity. I’m also inspired while just living life. I’ll be driving and an idea will come. Or I’m at the beach in the Bahamas and have to step away because an idea came to me.
When you think about creativity you think of a free-flowing exchange. Although I can; sitting and writing doesn’t feel like that.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I listen to a lot of Future. His understanding of melody is unmatched. I’ve been listening to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin more. The sequencing and musicality of Beyonce’s “Renaissance” and Michael Jackson’s catalogue is a blueprint I constantly go back to.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Opening for the Weeknd would be insane.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
There’s nothing more rewarding than someone singing back a lyric you wrote. Or a friend hitting me up to say “Yo, I can’t get this chorus out of my head. Can you send me the song?” Haha, it’s like Jedi magic and definitely the best feeling in the world.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Maybe time? Everything feels so finite and like it has to happen within a certain amount of time. It’s hard on me as an artist but I’m figuring that part out.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Keep going. Whatever your goal is, keep running at it. Whether it’s to learn an instrument or to play stadiums, you’ll get there. The ones that lose are the ones that quit.
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Steven Christopher's new single 'Do U Right' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.