Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Colegrove.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Born in 1994, I was raised around a musical family on both sides. I started off with drumming on pots and pans to Madonna tracks on my mother’s living room stereo. I loved listening to pop music when I was younger, jumping around and singing to all the songs from Ricky Martin to the Dave Matthews band.
In Elementary school, I sang in the church choir and started to become more involved in music. I stopped singing half way through middle school until I got my first guitar just before Freshman year of high school. It was an Applause Acoustic-Electric guitar which still had the plastic backing. I think it was the child brand of Ovation Guitars. The action was high, the strings were far from new, but I was holding my first ever guitar.
I took right to YouTube to learn a few chords and songs. As time went on, guitarists like Andy McKee, Don Ross and Michael Hedges made me want to look at the guitar from a different approach experimenting with different open tunings and ways of playing. I learned to tell stories through my lyrics from some of my favorite songwriters like Jack Johnson, Jason Isbell and Glen Hansard,
Through my later years of high school, I started an 8 piece band with some of my best friends called the Wise Fools. That was my first feeling of what it was like to play in a band and start playing shows outside of school. It was my first set of times where I interacted with an unfamiliar audience.
After the Wise fools broke up, I joined a group with my Mandolin player, Gus and his Sister, Georgia called Pokey Little Room which had a very pop-folk feel to it.
Through college, I played music a lot less for nearly 2 years. After an open Mic where I debuted a couple of songs I wrote, I decided to pick music back up where I started writing and gigging a lot more, sharing my passion with others. I was able to work on my guitar technique through private lessons that I could finally afford and work on my vocal control with the UMass Boston Chamber Choir
Fast forward to now, where I play in a newly formed duo by the name of Intra Element. I am joined by my longtime friend Jillian Barrows who was interviewed by this very fine publication recently about her music as well.
Music is something I encourage everyone to get into whether it’s just going to concerts, dancing to it, or singing your heart out in the shower. Get out. Enjoy it. Love it.
Please tell us about your art.
I make music for myself first then for other people. It is an outlet, a stress reviler and is the gift that keeps on giving. It is something that I love to present to other people. I want them to laugh, cry and enjoy what I have created while also providing myself a way of putting my thoughts to words. I write about loss, love, nature, strangers, “what-if’s” and more. I want to have my audience see what I can through crafting something I can call my own.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
Go out and play every chance you get. Play for your family, your pet, in a back yard. Organize a songwriter’s showcase in your own home. Connect with the community. Boston’s music community is very welcoming and supportive.
Life as an artist is tough and the amount of respect I have for people who can do music full time is infinite. I love music, but I work a regular 8-5 day job to make ends meet.
Cities like Boston that bring in big name acts should open their venues up to the locals more. Have more local opening acts and organize more artist showcases.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
For my personal music page, I have a Facebook, YouTube and Instagram that I update with content.
You can find those below at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christiancolegrovemusic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZNtFSzRA8zQfltHj5UsPXA?view_as=subscriber
Instagram: @colegroovy
For my Duo, Intra Element, you can find us below:
Twitter: @IntraElementBand
Instagram: @Intra_Element_Band
Youtube: Intra Element Band
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCstX0RMBVcZdarb5_F5wWqg?view_as=subscriber
Facebook: Intra Element Band
https://www.facebook.com/IntraElementBand/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCstX0RMBVcZdarb5_F5wWqg?view_as=subscriber
- Email: Intraelementband@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Intra_Element_Band @Colegroovy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntraElementBand/ ; https://www.facebook.com/christiancolegrovemusic/
- Twitter: @IntraElementBand
- Other: ChristianColegroveMusic@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Lauren Holahan Photography, YaYa Matthews, Sarah Neal.
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