We were lucky to catch up with Christian Clark recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Christian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. In fact I’ve tried doing “anything else.” I’ve had my fair share of “regular” jobs, but I simply couldn’t do them long term. They didn’t feed my soul, and they drained any time and energy I had to put into making music. It’s a shame society determines someone’s value based on how much money they make. Every time I’ve tried living by someone else’s playbook, I’ve wanted to tear it up and burn it for warmth. The closer I get to making music full-time, the happier I become.

Christian, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As far as writing songs, I started as a kid, even making mediocre productions of some acoustic singles on an iPhone 4, self-releasing my first single at age 14. Ever since then, I’ve known that’s what I want to do; write, record, produce, perform, and collaborate.

So, that’s what I’m doing currently. I”m writing, performing where I can, building connections, recording and releasing music for myself, and even producing and mixing for others’ releases.
My style generally gravitates towards the acoustic alternative pop realm, but I experiment in many styles since I grew up listening to a myriad of genres.

Despite having a bachelor’s degree in classical vocal performance, contemporary music is where I think I shine.
I earned a full-tuition scholarship from Berklee College of Music in 2020 for Songwriting, with a focus in Production, and graduated in 2021.

In March of 2022, I finally made the move with my wife to Nashville, TN, to begin my career as a singer-songwriter, performer, producer, and collaborator.

I’m a vulnerable songwriter who believes that it’s important for everyone to share their stories. We all have the same need for connection, validation, and acceptance. I use music to show that it’s okay to share your pain and tell your stories. Using my own struggles with mental health, depression, and anxiety, to tell stories and bring people together; to give people validation; to show everyone that it’s okay to be in touch with your feelings.

If you could see that everyone in the world has demons, you might be less afraid to share and confront yours. So, I use music to lead by example in staying in tune with my emotions; to confront and cope with pain, in hopes to give others an experience of similar peace and vicarious catharsis.

I pride myself on being prolific, with many releases on all platforms to date. I’m a strong vocalist, with a unique songwriting style, and the production chops to back it up, which I keep honing to this day.

What I’m most proud of is always what I’m working on currently. As of late, this includes my two most recent releases, my EP of 4 songs titled “Imperfectionist” which released this March, and my single “Dry Cleaners” from last August.
I am already working on more, and I’m shooting for another release around April or May.

I’ve struggled with and still struggle with figuring out what the “right” steps are for me to take, and where to take them. I’m also not the most social person, I’m a bit shy even.

And I’ve struggled to get people to listen to my work, all while trying to wear so many hats at once. From production to recording, to marketing and promotion, to release planning, to management, to social engagement… It’s tough, and my releases have sometimes suffered because of it. I struggle to gain followers because I’m not good at being social, and I’m sometimes too shy to reach out to people if I don’t know how to draw them in, and usually just let the music speak for itself.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Some people have a hard time understanding why people like myself would choose a career in music. It’s famously unstable and unpredictable, and no one really wants to live like that. But I create because I have to. It’s what I’m meant to do. If that means I make less money than most for a while, so be it. As an artist, I create because I must, and I couldn’t stop even if I tried.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Art is arguably the most important part of life. Everyone consumes art, music especially. Yet, for some reason, some people don’t see much value in it. (Part of that has streaming services to thank, for making music virtually free for consumers.) For some, music is simply an accessory; a curtain to accentuate your window. But for others, it can spark joy, bring people together, and so much more. I think that the best thing someone can do for an artist or creative is to simply acknowledge their value and their place in the world, and treat it as such. We need to be honest with ourselves about just how much art affects us. So, we need to support small artists by realizing art’s true value. It can bring us to tears, help us through tough times, grant us epiphanies about who we are.. There’s little music can’t do for us. (So insert obligatory JFK quote about what we can do for music.)

Contact Info:

• Website: christianclarkmusic.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/cjclarkmusic
• Facebook: facebook.com/cjclarkmusic
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cjclarkmusic
• Other: All of my links and socials can be found here: linktr.ee/cjclarkmusic