The soothing voice and candied melodies of Christopher Owens offer glimpses of his pessimistic sentiment while sprinkling a comforting dose of hope
With bands from across the globe like Alvvays, The Bilinda Butchers and Sleep Party People performing in different live music venues in Hong Kong, the city definitely has a thriving music scene for music fans of all kinds. Having recently played in Hong Kong, we interviewed Christopher Owens to find our more about his works and his new band Curls.
Interview with Christopher Owens
His solo albums Lysandre, A New Testament and Chrissybaby Forever – with hit singles like Heroine (Got Nothing on You), Out of Bed (Lazy Head) and Here We Go Again – are a seamless blend of sensibility and fresh nuance with uplifting insights; while Vante, his new band Curls’ latest release, is an earnest and transfiguring record that gives you a feeling of fuzziness.
Hi Chris. Thanks for chatting with us. Let’s jump straight in and talk about how things have progressed through your solo albums. Do you see an evolution in your music?
Yeah, I do see an evolution… I found out that I prefer to work in a group. I found out that it is better to give than to receive.
Can you tell us a bit more about the song Another Loser Fuck Up? The way I interpret it is that it’s depressing on the outside but cheerful on the inside, or vice versa…?
It’s all around depressing really, I was very depressed when I wrote it, but that shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s a song about feeling like the music industry doesn’t understand or appreciate me… But acknowledging that I do believe in what I’m doing, and that this is all that really matters. And maybe taking a little pleasure to rub this in the face of others.
Your songs dive into various aspects of love, how does being in love influence the music you create?
Being in love is intoxicating. To be it feels positive though, I guess because ultimately I feel the need to announce it and ignite it in others… I can’t really say the same for straight up negativity or darkness.
Instead of talking about being disenchanted with life, you’re upfront about your newfound optimism, especially after you’ve chosen the route of sobriety. It seems uncommon for musicians to extrapolate happiness, so how did this idea become central to your records?
I don’t know, I don’t think about these things. To be honest, I feel that I’ve had a theme in common from the first song until now: Yes – life is hard and it hurts sometimes, but I’m looking for love and understanding. I want to help you too.
Congratulations on your new band Curls, where do you see this heading?
I hope we will soon announce a concert on the dark side of the moon.
Is there an album that you’re currently a fan of?
I’ve been listening to a lot of The Weavers.
Are there things you look forward to while touring in Asia?
I will sit back and observe. I hope to have a good time traveling with my friend Brett Walker.
Keep up-to-date with Christopher Owens.
