Today we’d like to introduce you to Ross Christopher
Hi Ross, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hello (again)! It seems like just yesterday that you were interviewing me. But a lot has happened since that interview back in 2021!
My name is Ross Christopher. I’m a cinematic, orchestral songwriter, composer, and producer. I started playing the violin at age 3 and played in several youth symphonies and orchestras throughout high school. I went to college on a violin scholarship, where I began writing music, producing albums, and touring the country. By my senior year I was touring 150+ dates per year. My band mates and I drew a 6 hour radius around campus and scheduled our classes so that we could hook up the trailer and head out to play shows, pack up when the venues closed around 1-2A, drive back to campus, rinse and repeat. It was a lot, but it was super fun and I learned a lot.
Just like any industry, being a songwriter is all about building relationships. Over the years I was able to tour 2,000+ shows, share stages and festivals with the likes of Sleeping at Last, RAC, Jars of Clay, Andrew Belle, Colony House, Guster, The Wallflowers, Robert Randolph, The Black Crowes, Kishi Bashi, Sucre; record, and produce some amazing bands/artists and make new friends along the way.
Just before the pandemic, I wrote and recorded my first instrumental album, Antagonist. Prior to that, I had released a number of singer/songwriter albums, but felt more and more inspired to compose instrumentally – creatively relying on the instruments to do the vivid storytelling in place of lyrics. Within a few weeks of it’s release, I was approached and signed by a boutique record label (Heart Dance Records) that specialized in instrumental music.
Since the last interview in 2021, I’ve released 21 new projects (solo albums/EPs, collaborative projects, and film scores). It’s been such a rewarding whirlwind!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! You’d be hard pressed to find a working musician that would describe it as smooth. From rising cost-of-living to new and emerging technologies, to virtually no one owning a CD player anymore and all recorded music being available for free via your favorite streaming platform, everything has changed and continues to change. It’s certainly required more creativity, nuance, and diversification, but anything worth doing is worth the effort and transformation.
It just so happened that me focusing on composing instrumental music was gaining traction at the same time as the pandemic started. No one was touring, and I’d just unearthed a passion for making music that wasn’t as reliant on touring. My instrumental music lends itself nicely to soundtracks and is also available to license with Music Bed (film, tv, advertising, etc.)
I’d always loved the power and performance of film scores and soundtracks, and it’s been amazing to focus on this sliver of the music industry for the past few years.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Collaboration has always been one of my favorite elements of songwriting and composing. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with artists and bands I’d only ever dreamed of. One particular collaboration that stands out was composing the score to the upcoming Madley Brothers film, KIN. They reached out to me a while ago and pitched the film score opportunity. The Madley Brothers are based out of the UK, so we only ever met through Zoom. But over the course of a couple weeks, we storyboarded the vibe of the film and I got to work. It was completely humbling to have the trust of these directors, to take their film and create the soundtrack – conveying the emotional depth, mood(s), and plot through music. It’s currently in the film festival circuit and I can’t wait until it’s available for everyone to enjoy.
I have another collaborative album coming out in a couple of months with Canadian songwriter and pianist, Eddy Ruyter. Eddy tours with Shawn Mendes and is a total pro and super easy to work with. Our new album is titled, NEUE and comes out in April. This is our third collaboration together.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Take a chance on something new and try to find inspiration in everything. My family absolutely loves to travel and I’ve always made a habit of scribbling down as much inspiration as I can find. I like to storyboard each city we visit and create field recordings that I can take back into my studio to incorporate those moments into my songwriting. On January 24th I released Passports, Vol. 1, which is my first full-length album entirely inspired from travel. For Passports, Vol. 1, I incorporated the scenes and cultures and atmospheres and inspiration from Croatia, Portugal, France, Chile, Italy, and Peru. It’s available on all streaming platforms.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rosschristopher.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosschristopher/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosschristophermusic
- Twitter: https://x.com/rosschristopher
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT18yPRnADFdJjnUIBmrFzQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/44jyylTQIB8qkPlQUHI614?si=GYcpEFKnQ-ioRXIPTBK7Ug
