Christine Devine Interview

Christine Devine:LA Woman that Rocks!

Christine Devine is a well-known, respected and deeply loved member of our modern American tapestry, appearing in households nightly on Los Angeles’ Fox 11 News. This 16 Emmy Award winning news anchor has been recognized for her impactful contribution to underserved and unseen children.

Devine’s news segment, Wednesday’s Child, helps children in foster care find permanent homes by providing television exposure that was simply not provided previously. She also holds space for those who do not get immediately adopted by giving them a “Dream Day” to fulfill their fantasies and keep them anchored in hope that their family will come.

Devine’s sacred work with foster children developed into a deeper mission the day she met a child with a dream to become a rap artist. Seeing a spark within him, she took him under her wing, helped him develop his craft, and introduced him to influential members of the hip hop community. When his career took flight, she began to apply the same methodology to develop other young music artists, backup singers, aspiring models and music video producers.

Christine has emceed the She Rocks Awards twice and continues to inspire young artists to follow their dreams in the performing arts. She is known for emceeing music charity events across Los Angeles with her husband, Hollywood actor and rock musician Sean McNabb. You can find Christine Devine on the 5 o’clock and 10 o’clock news on Fox 11, Los Angeles.

RNR: How did you get involved with producing music videos?

Devine: I fell into the music world through my foster care segment Wednesday’s Child. I would actually sneak off to the music studio when Sean would be out on tour, and I would be in the studio all day. He wouldn’t know where I was, and finally he would get a hold of me and ask me where I was. I would say, “I am at a music studio” and he would be like, “You are at a music studio? Let me get this straight, YOU are at a music studio?”

So, I had to come clean and tell him everything. I had a really great team that all came together, we called it like a “God moment,” then one thing led to another.

RNR: Lotis Jackson is one of the artists that you developed. How did you start working with him?

Devine: Lotis came on board as a backup dancer to one of my other artists, Nexus, because I played him my CD once when he was working at the gym I go to. He came on as a backup singer and then we started producing his own music. Lotis was not in foster care but he had a story like my family: a story of incarceration. He has spoken at juvenile halls and has mentored others. We try to do some story lines that can be inspiring as well.

RNR: What is your advice to young, aspiring artists?

Devine: It is hard to make money in the arts. There are a lot of talented and creative people out there, so it is hard to break through and make an income. While you are out there living the dream, what is the backup plan to pay for the roof over your head? It is fun to paint all day, but if you can’t put food on the table, then that’s a problem. I try and talk to my young artists about the balance. Let the universe see the art while you are also being responsible. I tell them to surround themselves with people at events who are doing what they want to do because you can learn and grow, and you never know who you might meet along the way.

RNR: How do you see social media helping young artists, and how do you see social media working against them?

Devine: I was talking to Courtney Benson, Nelly’s manager, about this not too long ago about the pros and cons of social media and he said the pro is you can market yourself, brand yourself and tell your story. The con is you are so exposed there is no mystery left. You are out there all the time, there is no mystery for the fan. A lot of people put really bad stuff out there, the quality of their photos is really bad. I had to train some of my

people about the quality and content they are putting out there. Sometimes we would be out there on the red carpet and I would say, “where is your photo? How is anyone going to know you were there?” I would tell them, any event that we do, I need to see that you were there. I need to see your photos.

RNR: How did you meet your husband Sean McNabb?

Devine: I was going out on a Tuesday night looking like the news lady and I went to a little place that turns into a rock spot at night. Sean came into jam and when we saw each other it was like “whoa!” I could tell he wanted to meet me. We ended up talking all night till five in the morning. I went home and then he called me the next day and we had lunch that day, then he literally called me everyday since then.

RNR: That is a rock n’ roll fairytale! I heard a story that on one of your first dates he took you to a Steel Panther concert.

Devine: I was not a rock n’ roll chick. I am into top 40’s and hip hop, so this was foreign territory for me. Sean thought it would be fun to take me to this Steel Panther concert. It is every stereotype of the hair metal era. In my mind I am thinking he is still living the rock n’ roll life. I actually told him I don’t think I can do his world and I was ready to breakup with him (laughs). But then he told me that it is not his world, it is just a show. It was a great show, but not being from that world and not knowing Sean that well at the time, it was not for me. I am the news lady, and we are not going there. Looking back, he got quite a chuckle from that.

RNR: How did you and Sean start Emceeing together?

Devine: We kind of do our own thing. I have always done events because, as an anchor, I am always stuck in the studio. Emceeing takes you to new communities and you meet the people that are making a difference in those communities. Sean

10 Rock N Roll Industries Magazine

Photo Ramon C Ward Jr pictured with husband Sean McNabb

kind of followed my lead now he is doing his own thing, he is on the board of the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. I can see our worlds colliding in so many different ways.

RNR: You produce music videos, you have placed over 500 children in permanent homes through Wednesday’s Child, you develop artists, and you are also a fashionista. You were at LA Fashion Week with Sary Carrillo, one of the people that you mentor. It was touching to see him give you a shout-out on social media that you mentor him. Tell us about that?

Devine: Sary was on our Wednesday’s Child program with his siblings and this was when he was 10 years old. Sary and his siblings were adopted by different families. A couple years ago, he found me on Instagram and he asked me if he could come to stuff. I said, “Okay, come along.” We went to a fashion show that I was asked to speak at. He was helping me carry stuff in. I looked at him and said, “Well you are kind of tall, you can do this,” so we started pushing him and his first show was New York Fashion Week.

RNR: We all need to take some time to love ourselves. How do you find the time to take care of yourself?

Devine: I try to do an hour a day of just me-time to rejuvenate. You have to be the best you first before you can be the best for other people. Since I work nights, I try to make my husband a gourmet breakfast since I can’t cook him dinner.

RNR: What do you love best about the She Rocks Awards? What stood out this year?

Devine: This year was my second time hosting She Rocks Awards. I love it because its all about women artists, and I love seeing the women honored and recognized. One of the female artists that I met this year said she never received an award before. I was like, “really? WOW,” so we need more of that. My husband is always at NAMM either performing or at one of the booths. So, it is my way to get to go to NAMM and be a part of it and do what I do and also empower women.

RNR: What advice would you give young women wanting to pursue their careers in music and entertainment?

Devine: I would say you have to study your craft. Surround yourself with people who know what they are doing. Everything we do has had some kind of mistake, one mistake after another. You iron out the bugs as you go. I see why people work with the same teams and artists because you know what they are going to bring and not bring.

You are going to have errors along the way, every project has had some kind of bump, but keep going.

RNR: Where do you see women playing a role in the future of music?

Devine: I think we are in the era where there is so much demand for inclusivity and equality. We are seeing a lot more of a demand for that. I try and do that at my station with projects I am involved with and the stories I cover. The future is ahead of us.

Raquel Figlo