Eye On Pop: What inspired you to start making music and who were some of your early influences?
Evan Cristo: My family inspires me to start playing instruments. Both of parents have a musical background and my Dad had a bunch of instruments in the garage. I took the drums around 3 years old and stayed with it. I started writing raps when I was 9 and started recording at 17 on my dad’s Tascam digital recorder.
My early influences were Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, BB King, and hip hop like Outkast, Wu Tang and the Hieroglyphics.
Eye On Pop: Can you describe your creative process when writing a new song? Do you start with lyrics, a melody or something else?
Evan Cristo: I just show up. Whatever comes first I follow that flow. Sometimes it’s chords, sometimes groove, sometimes I recorded a voice note or wrote down a lyric idea that I want to develop. I’m always creating and cool stuff usually hits when I’m not trying to write so I capture it. Once I get in the studio I just stay present and stay out of the way.
Eye On Pop: How do you stay motivated and inspired in a constantly changing music industry?
Evan Cristo: I don’t focus on the industry until I have to directly. I focus on making the best possible music and being the best possible musician. I love hearing things I create even if they are bad songs. That drives me more than anything. I don’t take industry dealings personally I just do what I have to do in that regard in order to continue making a living by making music.
Eye On Pop: What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your music and why are they important to you?
Evan Cristo: I want to spread a sense of one-ness. I want people to unite not only with people like them and different from them, but also with the highest version of them self. I want to empower people to think for themselves and love without limits.
Eye On Pop: Are there any specific challenges you've faced as an artist and how have you overcome them?
Evan Cristo: I definitely have insecure moments as a singer songwriter. Since I have drums and my career in music to fall back on , there have been moments that I didn’t believe in my own ability to be successful as an artist. It got to a point that I realized it was the only way I was going to be able to say exactly what I wanted to say and the only way I would be able to live in full authenticity.
Eye On Pop: Collaborating with other artists can bring unique perspectives. Can you share an experience of a memorable collaboration?
Evan Cristo: I work with a band called Quetzal and that process is so inspiring to me because they are deeply rooted in community. There is always a bigger purpose to the music. Not only does that come through the music itself but what we do with it.
Eye On Pop: How do you differentiate yourself in a saturated music market? What makes your sound unique?
Evan Cristo: I am an African-American that grew up playing music of the entire African diaspora. While my creative base is RnB and Hip-Hop, i pull from West African, afro Brazilian, Afro Cuban, Indigenous American music and just about anything from around the world I am inspired by. Many of these styles I have spent enough time playing to be able commune with the traditional players of these styles who have done it for generations. For example I understand Brazilian swing in a way most American musicians don’t because I spent time playing Brazilian music with Brazilian people in my pre-teen/ teenage years. I understand the nuisances and cultural context that mold these different styles into what they are.
Eye On Pop: What has been the most significant moment in your music career so far, and why does it stand out to you?
Evan Cristo: Performing Carnegie Hall was significant. It was significant mostly because while I knew that it was a big deal in my mind, in my heart it felt normal because of the work I had done up to that point. It took really sitting in the moment and taking it in to embrace just how fortunate I was to be in that position.
Eye On Pop: As an artist, how do you engage with your fans and what role do they play in your music journey?
Evan Cristo: I like to engage in dialogue. I don’t believe I have answers and I love to gain perspective from any type of person, especially people I disagree with. I am a habitual devils advocate! So I like bringing fans in on the conversation and allowing my idea of the world to be flexible
Eye On Pop: Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future, both personally and musically? Are there any new projects or directions you’re excited about?
Evan Cristo: I am currently working on a full length album. I want to perform live a lot more. Imm enjoying building with my band because I want the show to be a living thing. I want to treat my songs like Jazz standards so that as long as the band knows the form of the song, we can make it into whatever it needs to be that day. The audience will never hear the same song done the same way.