christian french

With a newly released EP, Christian French is taking the music scene by storm! We talked to the rising singer about how the EP came about, what he’s learned throughout the process and more!

words by VANESSA SALLES photo by MICKEY MARS

Tell us about your ‘good things take time’ EP! How long was the EP in the works and what was the writing/recording process like?

‘good things take time’ is about the trial and error of figuring life out - finding what works best for you and what doesn’t, then learning from it and bettering yourself for the future. As I was writing these songs, the phrase “good things take time” kept coming to me - keeping me sane when I wasn’t writing the best music that I thought I could and was getting frustrated with myself. This mindset has saved me from being swallowed by failure and has helped me move past it and continue to grow.

It’s crazy because a lot of these songs have been done for over a year now and they’re just now seeing the light of day. I wrote 5 of these songs in one month with the same amazing friends and collaborators - we were on a roll together. the last two (“paper thin” and “wake up”) have their own stories. “paper thin” was written in May of 2019 and has gone through so many different versions to get to where it finally is, and “wake up” wasn’t even supposed to be on the EP - I made that song with my roommate about a month ago and was just too excited to wait to release it. It was actually perfect because it fit so well with the theme of the EP, and now the track list is 7 songs instead of the original 6.

Is there a track off the EP that you resonate with the most? What’s the story behind it?

I would have to say “good things take time” is my favorite track - it was the theme behind this whole EP and will continue to be a theme in my life forever. I keep going through these transitional phases of my life where my beliefs and desires change, and with that comes a lot of growing pain. “good things take time” always reminds me to just put my head down and do the work the best I can and things will work out.

Sonically, how would you describe the overall vibe of the EP?

I think the EP is very bonafide and soulful - it’s just me expressing what I’m going through at the time and relaying it with the most emotion that I possibly can. I think people can tell when things are genuine, and that’s something that I think my fans appreciate about my music.

How would you describe your creative process? Does it differ with each project?

Definitely! Three years ago, I really had no clue how a song was put together - I would just write acoustically with a piano in front of me and would have a producer build a song around the demo I made. Now, I’m very much involved with the production of my music and am there for every step of the way to get the details exactly how I want them. I’ve started learning guitar this year and have written SO much on it, but it really is just when inspiration hits. Sometimes that’s in a session working with another producer, sometimes it’s by my

self while I’m playing the guitar or piano, and other times inspiration hits at 4am while I’m laying in bed.

With the EP exploring themes like love, heartbreak and self-growth, what do you hope that listeners take away from ‘good things take time’?

I want fans to feel all of the feelings, honestly. I feel like different songs bring up different emotions, and it’s important to feel all of them, not only the good ones. I do enjoy putting optimistic twists in my music though - because I feel like that’s something that’s missing in music. Having positive thoughts and conversations with yourself are so important and no one really teaches you how to do that.

Which artist(s) are on your dream collab list?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, John Mayer and Dominic Fike - each of these artists makes music that sounds like nothing else, and I really admire the sound selection each artist has. Being in the room with any of these artists would be a total dream and I feel like I would learn some priceless knowledge from them.

What would you say has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned this year?

I’ve learned that if you keep working on your craft, you will find your voice. Don’t just sit and wait for the perfect scenario to happen for you to start your career, because perfect scenarios are so rare. If you’re persistent with working with your best intentions every day, good things will come. I also can’t express how important this is: DO NOT BE AFRAID TO FAIL. If you’re really pushing your own boundaries, you will always be trying new things and failing, but failing facilitates growth and evolves you as both an artist and a human. Failing is important.

With a growing social following, what’s the best way for fans to get your attention online? It’s always really cool to hear how my music has impacted their own lives. Hearing their personal interpretations of what my lyrics mean to them is one of the coolest things that a musician can experience, and I always try to make time to respond to those. It has definitely become harder to go through all my DM’s every day, but I try to stay consistent with it. I always try to make the time for my fans to feel heard.

Any special message to fans?

I feel like I’m a brand new person every year, and it might sound cliché but this is really just the beginning for me. I feel like I’m really just starting to dive into what my potential as a musician is, and there’s no telling where it could go. It feels really cool to have such a connected fan base that is there for the whole growing process. Thank you guys for creating my highest highs and being there for my lowest lows these past few years.