Spotlight: Christian Kuria
☆ By Jennalynn Fung ☆
Photo By Jennalynn Fung
FROM GUITAR COVERS ON YOUTUBE TO TOURING NATIONALLY - alternative R&B artist Christian Kuria has come a long way and it doesn’t look like his journey to prominence will be slowing down any time soon.
Kuria, who grew up in the SF Bay Area, made his debut onto the music scene with an “R&B Guitar Jam” posted on YouTube four years ago. While thousands of musicians post covers on YouTube every year, Kuria’s talent shone through like a diamond in the rough; people from all over the world praised his uniquely refreshing instrumental covers. With cool, satin-like vocals and skills on the guitar, it comes as no surprise that Kuria’s original songs have gained traction with R&B fans everywhere.
“When you make something that a large group of people like, and then they tell you that your music ‘really moved them,’ you feel the imposter syndrome somewhat,” says Christian Kuria, a Vallejo native. Kuria is describing how he felt when people first started raving about his music. “It’s just crazy to hear, especially when you do it all independently!” Kuria laughs lightly. “I mean, my music is usually something that I just put together in my bedroom.”
It’s easy to imagine how bewildered anyone would be when you’re given such high praise for your brainchild, especially when it comes from other pioneering artists. However, when you listen to any one of Kuria’s tracks, it immediately becomes clear why his fanbase is growing so quickly in California and all over the world. Kuria’s music has even been covered by Jeremy Passion, an R&B singer best known for his song “Lemonade - Ukulele Version” which has 48 million streams on Spotify. This past year in 2019, Kuria’s music was reached in 79 countries and streamed over one million times. At the time of publication, his most popular song, “Too Good,” hit a million streams.
Last year, Kuria went on a national tour with well known musician and singer Cautious Clay, describing this experience as a huge sign that he was on the right path. “In the beginning, I just wanted to perform in front of people and doing venues was something I had always envisioned. When I was on tour, it showed me how far I’ve come and that people outside and within the industry are taking a liking to what I’m doing. It’s extremely validating.” He recalls his fondest memories from the tour, and talks about how San Diego had energy he would never forget. “Going on tour also surprised me by how different every crowd is, you really can sense the spirit of the city. People wanted to hear my music and were interested in hearing my songs in a live context, even though I was playing for a crowd that was there for Cautious. I learned the potential of my music in the context of a live show.”
Kuria was the opening act at Cautious Clay’s show in Brooklyn, New York in December of 2019, which I was fortunate enough to attend. It had been a ridiculously rainy and windy night and everyone who came to the show was soaked. I remember thinking to myself in a drenched coat: “was taking the L-train worth all of this trouble?” The moment Kuria strummed his guitar, though, I knew that I had found my next favorite artist. Based on the way the rest of the crowd swayed to the music, I’m confident that I’m not the only one.
His first EP, Yearlong, is full of songs that make you feel like you’re relaxing on the beach or in your car as the sunset sets over the horizon. His music has this seamless superpower to fit in to whatever you are doing, whether that be a picnic on the grass with friends, studying for an exam, or writing an article about one of your favorite musicians (haha). The smooth vocals and charming guitar riffs blend in with the background. Hours later, you find yourself humming the entire song, chorus and all. Kuria’s tone is gentle and greets every listener compassionately, like seeing an old friend for the first time in a long one.
Kuria has always had a profound and intimate connection to music. While his parents and relatives sing and play the piano, his involvement at church also fueled his artistic flair. “Gospel music and other styles of church music surrounded me. I was involved in band in middle school, playing the clarinet. But the clarinet doesn’t really count,” Kuria says with a chuckle. “However, I didn’t discover my love for music until twelve, which was around the same time my parents bought me my first guitar. From that point on, the path just opened up naturally. I began to put together my own lyrics and melodies, but it wasn’t until high school that I thought about putting together an EP.”
“My involvement was really gradual,” Kuria states, reflecting on his beginnings in music. “But in 2018, I decided I wanted to dedicate more time to this project, and essentially put out one song every month, which turned into every two months. It’s actually why the EP ended up being called ‘Yearlong.’ Every level of progression pushed me to do the next thing. This January, I put out a cohesive project [Borderline], and I hope I can continue to do so in the future.”
Like his music, Kuria’s interests and favorite artists transcend labels and boundaries. Some of his biggest music inspirations are indie-artists, like Bob Dylan and John Mayer, who(m) he holds in the highest esteem for their abilities in crafting both beautiful sounding and lyrically significant tracks. Additionally, Kuria looks up to immensely influential artists, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole.
When it comes to writing and producing his own songs, Kuria has most of his ideas come to him while he’s driving. “I’ll be listening to a song, or even driving in silence, and a melody will come to my head and I’ll record it,” he explains. But most of the little ideas that come to him behind the wheel never become songs unless Kuria is confident that he can do the sound justice. When he does finish the song though, he brings it to his co-producer Jack Dine, who “engineers it and makes it sound really good.”
With high praise coming from both casual listeners and esteemed musicians, it seems like any artistic decision that Christian Kuria makes in his upcoming releases will be regarded highly. However, Kuria’s journey first began in uncertainty. “I was at a place in my life where everyone around me was moving forward in the same direction, and it felt like I was blazing a trail through the unknown which was very scary. The thing that made that decision difficult is that you’re the minority in that decision and just trying to stay true to who and where you are.”
It’s Kuria’s fidelity and commitment to honesty that has enabled his music to strike a chord with so many people around the world. Through experience, Kuria has learned that the best things come from him following his own intuition. “Ultimately, no one knows what I can do in my heart better than me. At the end of the day, if I’m not staying true to myself, what is the point in making the music?” It’s clear that authenticity is what connects his listeners to his songs. “Music certainly is an industry, but the only way I can be successful is if I’m connecting with myself.”
Kuria’s advice for budding artists and musicians is that the struggle will pay off. Brimming with confidence, he says: “Music is worth it, it will be there for you. It has definitely done that for me.”
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