Friday Fives: Chris Akinyemi
By LinLori | Leave A Comment

Chris Akinyemi may be classified as Pop/Soul/Hip-Hop, but he doesn’t let the usual genre limitations apply when it comes to writing and creating music. Chris’s music, with his smooth voice and incredibly catchy beats behind the tracks, is sure to put a smile on your face. The lyrics are skillfully written – true to life and yet full of hope and life. His track “Radio” was an absolute surprise for me and has quickly become a household favorite. Lucky for you and me, Chris was gracious enough to answer a couple of questions for this week’s Friday Fives.

1. You started playing music at the age of 6. What has made music a lifelong pursuit for you?

Music started off as a hobby for me. When I was 6 I played the snare drum for my school band and it was something that came relatively easy to me. Music became a lifelong pursuit for me because it gave me passion. It took me out of the most depressing situations in my life so its pretty much therapy!

2. Where in New Jersey did you grow up – and has that had an effect on your music in some way?

Newark, The Oranges, Elizabeth… Northern New Jersey, to make the list shorter. My parents are Nigerian, so my mother took me back to Nigeria with her when I was 7 years old, which was an eye opener for me. It made me appreciate life more and the opportunities that I have in the states. All of these experiences have broadened my appreciation for many types of music and made me more conscious as an artist.

3. How do you, personally, define your style and direction?

Hmm that’s a good question. I don’t really go for a certain sound because I think it hinders creativity. So instead I like to fuse them all into one. It’s a mixture of Singer-songwriter, pop, soul, alternative, world and hip-hop. It’s a fusion; I’m a music lover and I like to experiment with all genres.

4. You taught yourself how to play guitar and piano – what drew you to those two instruments?

Guitar was an instrument that I’d always wanted to play as a child but I never took lessons. I started playing the electric guitar and then moved to acoustic guitar because I loved the natural and soulful sound that it has. The piano was something that came along with it, it’s a very useful tool in my songwriting.

5. Do you have one or a group of folks you would consider your biggest influences, creatively speaking?

John Mayer, Seal, Jimi Hendrix, Kanye West, Akon and Jay Z etc… But Most Importantly John Mayer because he influenced me as a musician and as a person.

For more about Chris and his music, check out his MySpace page or find him on Facebook!