New Yorker Walter Christopher is a new name to most UK and European soul fans though inveterate seekers of quality soul will be aware that WALTER already has two albums under his belt. The boy from Harlem is now set to issue his third long player, ‘It’s All About Love Vol 2’ and long before release – one track, ‘There You Go Again’ made the Starpoint Top 20 songs of 2010 chart.Stateside, the lead single – ‘So Amazing’ (no, not the LUTHER VANDROSS song) has won a place on countless radio station playlists. Clearly MR. C is destined for big things, so we needed to know more. We caught WALTER at his Harlem home and began by asking for a brief personal run down…..
My name is Walter Christopher. I was born in North Carolina but relocated to Harlem, N.Y. as a child. As a child I liked to play basketball and eventually did gymnastics. I also studied some martial arts.
Tell us a little about your music background … why did you get involved in music in the first place… who were the artists who influenced and inspired you……
My interest in music was originally sparked as a child listening to my mother’s vinyl records. She played artists like ARETHA FRANKLIN, AL GREEN, GLADYS KNIGHT, THE SPINNERS, and THE TEMPTATIONS just to name a few. I also watched a lot of the TV show ‘Soul Train’. As a teenager I sang in the church choir and that experience really fanned the flame of my desire to be a performer.
How did you get started in the business?
I began by playing the local neighbourhood New York clubs and I was blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the city’s finest musicians. It’s a good grounding in those clubs. Through hard work, perseverance, and networking other opportunities arose… for instance I started to do lots of radio and TV commercials before moving on to work with some major artists.
You’ve already released two albums … tell us little bit about them….
My first two albums are entitled ‘It’s All About Love Vol.1’ and ‘Can’t Wait’. I produced the first album with some of my friends. It was a good learning experience and was the first time I handled a project from start to finish. One single from the album – ‘L.O.V.E.’ – received some airplay in N.Y. For the CD ‘Can’t Wait’ I teamed up with AVH entertainment and got the opportunity to work with producer RHEMARIO WEBBER. We recorded some great songs. The title track was very well received. It did well in the clubs and was programmed for “in flight music” on several airlines. Another song on the CD – ‘Yesterday’ was featured on a TV documentary ‘Back In Da Hood’ , a film about gang violence in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Now the new album – why did you choose to call it ‘It’s All About Love Volume 2’…
I originally wanted to call the album ‘WALTGOTSOUL’ , but after all the songs were completed the title ‘It’s All About Love’ felt right and it defined the mood of the project. Naturally, it’s the second one with that name – hence ‘Volume 2’!
What was your motivation in creating an album devoted to romance… did any particular artists influence you … I’m thinking that LUTHER VANDROSS has a song called ‘So Amazing’ and you’re ‘So Amazing’ is one of the key cuts.
I want to express love and romance in an uncomplicated form. Two people meet, then two people court, then two people fall in love and two people flourish. I was inspired by great artists like , EARTH WIND AND FIRE, MICHAEL JACKSON, STEVIE WONDER, LUTHER VANDROSS and HOWARD HEWETT, and many others. I sing about love…. that’s what I do.
Presumably you see yourself as a serious soul balladeer – just how difficult is it for an artist like that – like you in fact – to get work, to secure a deal and get radio play and exposure
I don’t consciously think too hard about that. I simply believe if you put out quality work, plan, persevere, and have a knowledgeable, hard working, dedicated team and God’s favour everything is attainable.
Where does Walter Christopher see himself in five years time?
In five years I envision more successful albums, and many more supporters. I would like to traverse the globe promoting my music. I look forward to more musical growth and maturity.
WALTER CHRISTOPHER’S ‘IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE VOLUME 2’ IS AVAILABLE For DOWNLOAD RIGHT DOWN… THE ALBUM WILL BE PHYSICALLY RELEASED IN EUROPE AT THE END OF MARCH
find out more by going to
http://breakingartists.co.uk/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=127
