We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cheston Green a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cheston thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

When I was a child, my father would give these dissertations about maturity. And every single one ended with “be a leader! Don’t be on the bandwagon!”

As I grew up, my independence grew! I would always be comfortable in my skin and being who I am authentically. My mom even tells stories about me not wanting her to walk me into school on my first day.

As a creative, I’ve had to do things alone. I had to make decisions to push beyond how I felt to complete the assignment God gave me! I had to be ok with not sounding like the rest or people’s favorite! I have to not care how crazy I may feel to do what I have envisioned. I had been seeing myself perform an original song like a rock star. Throwing my locs, head banging, jumping with the mic stand. I practiced this for 3 weeks. The day of the performance, I was about to chicken out until I remembered how much I wanted to have fun doing this. Needless to say, the crowd went wild and I received so many compliments for my stage presence in that moment! Be ok with being different!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a singer/songwriter from the DMV by way of Creedmoor, NC! I started singing at age 4 with my cousins. We would perform at church whenever my grandfather would have a concert and call us up. We had one go-to song “It’s Time” by the Winans.

From there, the stage has been my heaven on earth. From the school chorus to church and outdoor events, I’ve been on stages for 33 years.

In the last 10 years, I began recording original music. I released my first single June 2016 and my first EP February 2023, both titled #Identity. This body of work is a homage to 90s gospel! I tried to create sounds that were reminiscent of Bebe & Cece Winans, Commissioned and a few others. I brought in the concept of having a remix and including interludes between the songs.

When you listen to my music, my hope is that you experience the life changing power of Jesus by hearing what He did in my life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As a Christian, I always want to lead people to Jesus. However, it’s my call and responsibility to bring awareness to mental health in church and the black community. I have battled depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and ADHD. When I’m done on this side of life, I want listeners to know that they aren’t alone and have help!

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

“The Business of Urban Music by James Walker” saved me a lot of money and headaches. It taught me the nuts and bolts of the business! Every creative should have this in their toolbox!

Contact Info:

• Website: Chestonthegreen.com
• Instagram: @chestonthegrren
• Facebook: @chestonthegreen
• Twitter: @chestonthegreen
• Youtube: @chestonthegreen

Image Credits
Philippe Celestin James Powell