We had the good fortune of connecting with Christopher Xue and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christopher, what principle do you value most?
It’s so important to be true-to-self. I think many people nowadays twist and bend their personalities in order to maintain a certain appearance publicly or virtually on social media.

Musicians are especially prone to this. We have to constantly be networking and promoting ourselves to the point that our personalities can become distasteful and fake without even noticing.

On the creative side, being true-to-self means making authentic choices that serve your own vision, and not the vision of the masses. Here, artists can become pretentious and fake if they try too hard to imitate other art without putting their own perspective on it. Make music because you love it, not because you’re trying to go viral or write a hit.

Being true-to-self has always shaped my style and my taste in music. I don’t care if artists are cutesy and twee; thrashy and noisy; or even dramatic and theatrical. If I sense that they are truly expressing themselves without layering on anything extra, I’m all for it! We need to hear more of these authentic voices in the music scene.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My big project is The Cherries. The Cherries is supposed to be an indie pop band. When I released my first album, I didn’t want to use my own name because I wanted to be able to add other people to the project in the future. I just didn’t know anyone at the time to collaborate with.

Out of necessity, and now out of habit, I actually write, play, and produce all of the parts on my songs. I use a combination of live instruments (guitar, piano, bass, violin) and digital samples that I produce in my bedroom. This method has led me to develop a very specific sound that I’ve grown very fond of, and I hope the world will be fond of too.

Making music this way has taught me that every single aspect of my art is entirely my responsibility. All of the shortcomings in my songs can only be blamed on myself, and that has made me a better writer and producer. On the other hand, any successes and positives in my music feel especially fulfilling.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For me, a good time means eating all sorts of good food. There’s too many to mention all of my favorite restaurants, but recently I’ve been obsessed with Sababa Falafel Shop in Garden Grove, Mr. BBQ in Fullerton, and Angel’s Tijuana Tacos.

I also love hiking and going to museums. On special occasions, I love to go to see the symphony at the LA Phil or Segerstrom!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Eva Luna Smith and the band Fine Folk have changed my life more than any group in terms of creativity, mentorship, and friendship. Writing music can be extremely difficult even when you’re in the company of talented people. You need to be writing and playing with those who are not only skilled at what they do, but are a good hang too.

I think Fine Folk has the best of both worlds. They are constantly challenging me to practice my instrument, write better songs, and to love and support all the wonderful musicians around me. Ever since starting my musical journey, I have been looking for a group of musicians like this. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have found them.

Instagram: @christopherxue

Youtube: Christopher Xue

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5SYf95oflf8fF3uYe2v4ZU?si=_hmwJVI8R7-4lWSox3Qxmg

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-cherries/1526570767

Image Credits
Image #2 is credited to citrusfruitsnaps

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