Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Chris Mann

Chris Mann is making some serious “NOISE” with his latest record. It marks the next chapter in his already impressive career and represents an artist resurrecting himself on his own terms. Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Chris about his career, the new record, and why it’s so special.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Chris: Music has always been my passion. I used to lock myself in the bathroom to sing pop songs and always wondered how I would get to a bigger stage from Wichita, Kansas, where I was growing up.

My grandfather was a singer, and, one Christmas, I found a stack of his records at his house; I thought they were Frank Sinatra recordings, but they were actually his demos from when he was a teenager. He had gone from Kansas to L.A. to try to make it into pictures as well. It felt like it was the passing of a torch. In that moment, I realized music was something in my blood, and something I really cared about doing. From a very young age, I started practicing professionally with that one goal in mind.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Chris: I’ve been doing this for a long time so I have a lot of influences. [laughs] I’ve had a lot of ups and downs— a lot of high highs and low lows. Definitely my fans, family, and friends have been huge influences. They were there when I was up, celebrating those really big moments like singing for the Obamas, and the low moments like when I lost a record deal and felt like I was starting over. My support system has been really important to me.

Musically, I love a lot of different types of people: Sinatra with his swagger, Bublé, and also the Justin Timberlakes, the John Legends, and the India.Aries— those soulful singers/vocalists. All those people have been really influential to me.

PC: What would you say has been the biggest lesson that you’ve learned being a part of this industry?
Chris: It’s so much harder than you can even imagine. You need the grit and wherewithal to resurrect yourself. I can’t underline that enough if you’re looking to do this. You have to expect that you’re going to fail a hundred times and then you get one victory. You have to be able to get through that. My first record deal was in 2008 with Sony. It was a pop record that I wrote, but then it never actually happened; everyone got fired and I got dropped. It never came out. I fell back into my classical training and started working in L.A. I started singing with David Foster and doing the Josh Groban-y stuff, which I love doing. That’s when I got on The Voice, and then for the last six years, I’ve been singing that repertoire all over the world. Though that wasn’t what I set out to do initially, I’ve had a great career doing it.

This past year, I reflected on what I love about music like you asked in the first question, and that’s pop music. I knew if I was going to make another record, I wanted to do something that wasn’t what people expected of me at this point. It’s something that I haven’t really gotten to do, which is what I originally wanted to do in the first place. The urban productions, pop hooks, vintage horns, the falsetto vocals, doing things that my voice naturally does and are a part of who I am. For over a year and a half, I wrote and recorded this record that I’m super excited about and super proud of, so for me, this is my resurrection. This is who I am right now instead of doing something safe and expected.

PC: “Gentleman” is the first single off your new record. Tell us about that track and the selection process?
Chris: It was the first song I wrote on this record. When that happened, I knew this was what I wanted to do because it set the tone for the whole record. Lyrically, conceptually, I went into the session with that title in mind and I was thinking, “I’m not a kid. I’m married and I have a one-and-a-half-year-old son. I love this phase of my life. I like being grown and sexy,” which is more or less what I said. We all like doing grown things and being in control of our lives. It’s about being in your 30s— I really like this part of my life. After I wrote the song, the Me Too movement came along, so if there was ever a time to celebrate being a gentleman, it’s right now.

PC: Your previous albums have topped the Billboard charts. Did that add or bring any additional pressure for NOISE?
Chris: Of course! You clearly want to have the success you’ve had, but I, personally, don’t feel pressure. I do hope for those results, but for me, there’s a different set of goals that I have for this record that I didn’t think were possible for my previous ones. It’s more in the pop lane, so and there’s a lot more opportunity, I think, for these songs. It’s almost like a whole clean slate for me to set new goals with this record.

PC: What was it like working with one of your idols, India.Arie?
Chris: We’ve actually known each other for a long time, but when I first met her, I was completely star-struck. I’ve been such a big fan of hers for so long. We met in Los Angeles years ago. From the beginning, she took me under her wing and she’s been a super generous friend and artist. She shared the stage with me and invited me to collaborate, so I’ve always felt very fortunate. You need people like that in your life no matter what you do, I will say, there are definitely artists in this business who won’t help you, but she’s one who will. That speaks a lot to her character, and I hope that I can do that for someone else someday.

I sent her a number of songs and hoped she would want to get on one. Of course, I was like, “Well, maybe she will, but I’m not going to hold my breath.” When she heard “Honestly”, a song I had written, she literally recorded it in 48 hours and sent it back— it was unheard of! She dropped everything she was doing and just did it. The song took a whole new life. It’s always been a beautiful, haunting song, but with her on it, it’s just magic. Working with her, especially since she’s one of my idols, couldn’t have been any better.

PC: If you had to choose one song that best encompasses the record, what would it be and why?
Chris: When you listen to “Gentleman”, you just feel good. I want to have more of that. With that being said, the title track, “NOISE”, is one that says everything that this record stands for. There’s so much going on in the world right now that is frustrating. I went into a session and I knew I couldn’t write a love song that day because it seemed too trivial. I had some personal things that I was dealing with and this song became therapeutic. You want to scream out loud and make noise. Join the protest and movement of whatever it is that you believe in and encourage people to embrace their opinions and to not shut up for someone else. That’s what I felt and, in a way, that’s what this record signifies for me. I’m not going to be quiet or make music that someone else might think I should at this point because I want to say something else. I’m going to use this opportunity to say what I want. So, I guess that would embody what the record is for me.

PC: How different has the creative process been on this record compared to previous ones that you’ve done?
Chris: Well, it’s been a lot longer. I wrote “Gentleman” in 2017, so over a year and a half ago. The sound I wanted kept evolving. I wanted it to be more modern, but it also had to be genuine and authentic to me. I didn’t want it to be poppy like a kid, so finding the balance was actually really fun; I loved that part of the production process. I would say, if anything, it took a lot longer because every single sound and second has been mulled over by me and my producers so that it’s perfect.

PC: You’ve had a lot of incredible milestones in your career. When you look back, is there one that sticks out to you?
Chris: Playing the Phantom was a huge milestone for me. Being cast by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh was crazy. That is a role that I always wanted to play as an actor—I love acting. I will also never forget singing in front of President Obama. It was a surreal moment and I remember thinking that. I got to share the stage with Diana Ross, Demi Lovato, and Conan. That was a highlight for sure.

PC: As we look ahead to 2019, what does the rest of the year hold for you?
Chris: Well, one thing that has changed, because of the way the music industry is changing, is that NOISE is a record for which I’m releasing one single per month. So, I’ve changed the release structure: “Gentleman” is out, then “NOISE” comes out next, and my third in May. The third single will be the India.Arie duet. I wanted to do that because I wanted each of these songs to sit with fans, and I wanted to be able to fully engage with them through the whole process instead of just dumping the whole record all at once. So, it will be one record; one single at a time. That will basically take up my year.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Chris: Well, my wife is a huge Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, so I end up getting sucked into that. I would say that would have to be the ultimate guilty pleasure.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Chris: The Devil Wears Prada

PC: Favorite book?
Chris: I’m not a huge reader, but I just read Crazy Rich Asians, which I thought was hilarious.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Chris: I mean, my Phantom fans would disown me if I didn’t say The Phantom of the Opera.

PC: Is there a band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Chris: Well, Fleetwood Mac is hands down my favorite band ever. I think the amount of country music I listen to would probably shock people. That’s my favorite genre and I wish that I could be a giant cowboy-hat-wearing country artist. That would be awesome.

PC: First album you bought?
Chris: Nirvana’s Nevermind

PC: First concert you ever attended?
Chris: It was probably Britney Spears at the Kansas State fair in 1997. [laughs]

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Chris: I would probably say Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours because of the band’s history, plus the songs are incredible. They still hold up today. If it was the only record I listened to for the rest of my life, I would be fine.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Chris: The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles

To keep up with Chris, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up “NOISE” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or stream it on Spotify.

Photo Credit: Jesse Giddings