In just three years, Christian French has more than validated his decision to deviate from his plan to study pre-med at Indiana University to pursue a career in music. With the release of the music video for his latest single “time of our lives,” French is ready to push that goal even further in 2020. Kicking off the year on a high note, French shared the adventure fueled video for the track to serve as a gentle reminder to be bold enough to pull yourself out of comfortable habits and explore the road less traveled. The subject matter of the song has obvious relevance to French’s own life and showcases the easy-going, positive pop that fans know him for.

French has managed to cultivate quite a following over the years, collecting over 100 million total streams and earning touring slots alongside artists like Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler. He has more new music expected to drop later this year, with an EP in the works to follow up his 2019 release, bright side of the moon. Later this month, he is heading out on the ‘bright side of the moon tour part 2’ for a string of headlining tour dates.

We caught up with Christian French to discuss his new video, what he’s listening to right now, and what is coming next for the rising alternative pop artist. Check out the full interview below.

 

Your new song “time of our lives” just dropped, what does that song mean to you?

The inspiration behind “time of our lives” comes from both my experience and from what I’ve seen my friends and others experience. It’s really easy to get comfortable and slip into these cycles of doing the same things every day, where you start to lose your excitement and drive to keep experiencing new things. The longer I spend in these cycles, the harder it is to get out of and the worse I feel.

This song is meant to inspire breaking out of these cycles and taking back control of your life – having intention with everything you do and finding an opportunity for growth in every situation. Oftentimes, we have tunnel vision to an end goal and we’re so focused on getting there that we don’t enjoy the ride along the way.

I need to constantly remind myself to “look up” while I’m working towards the artist and the person I want to be. If I’m always hard on myself, always working, and don’t enjoy my life along the way, then what’s the point? Being aware of the endless beauty and opportunity that life has to offer is one of the hardest but most rewarding things to keep in mind.

How hands on were you with the production of the video? Can you talk a bit about your experience on set?

I trusted my video directors a lot, yet I was hands-on in terms of voicing my opinion about certain things that I knew I wanted. My experience on set went very well, even though it was a long day. My managers and I met the directors at 4:30 A.M. to catch the sunrise in the middle of the desert and shot ALL DAY until sunset. Regardless of the duration, it was an amazing experience and I am very pleased with the way it all turned out.

 

 

Do you have any other upcoming projects that you can talk about?

Music should be coming consistently for the next few months. By summer, we hope to have another EP out, and then will be releasing more music before the year is done.

Along with that I’m getting to tour throughout the year, do college shows, and play some festivals that I’m REALLY excited about this summer. In my opinion, festivals are one of the most exciting things about music and it feels so cool to be on the other side of things and be performing at them now.

You’re going on tour at the end of February, what are you most looking forward to about getting on the road?

I am really looking forward to performing in some new cities and meeting some of my fans. One of the most rewarding parts about going on tour is being able to see my fans in different parts of the country and connecting with them face to face.

How do you prepare for tour?

Tour preparation consists of a lot of rehearsals/practice. Practicing being on stage and performing in front of people is one of the most important factors in putting on a captivating show. Aside from rehearsals, I am trying to stay in good shape and eat well so that when we hit the road, I am in tip-top form.

Have you ever been to a concert that changed your perspective on your own live performances?

When I was on tour with Quinn XCII, I watched his performance almost every single night and took mental notes on how he directed the stage – he has one of the best stage presences I’ve ever seen and I learned SO MUCH from watching him.

Last fall was your first time headlining a tour, what do you think is going to be different about this string of tour dates now that you have had that experience?

Now that my crew and I have one run under our belts, I’m anticipating that this next run will be even smoother. Obviously, there will always be issues that we’ll figure out on the road but now that we have been conditioned, I am expecting nothing but success.

The main goal of this tour and for all tours to come is to just have as much fun as possible with it. I want my shows to be a place where everyone can let go of whatever is weighing them down and for that night, I want their life to be pure excitement and joy. My music covers a wide range of emotions, and I feel that seeing each song live brings a whole different level of connection to what each song means. I think it’s really cool that each fan has their own way of interpreting the lyrics and feelings from each song into their own lives and there’s nothing I love more than talking with them about it before and after shows.

What has been the most exciting moment of your career so far and how do you define success?

I really can’t pick one, but I would say the most life and career-altering moment was when Chelsea Cutler texted me and asked me to go on tour with her. I was still a junior in college, and was planning on being in Indiana for another year before going out to LA to pursue music full time. But instead, I dropped out a few weeks later and moved to LA to prepare for tour. This took me from doing music part-time to full-time and made it the focal point of my life.

I would define success as something that’s inside. Finding happiness and love within myself is my ultimate goal, and to accept and love myself exactly as I am, no matter what is going on around me. At the end of the day, all you have is yourself and it’s all up to you to react positively to any situation. You can make life heaven or hell depending on your attitude & the way you react.

What artists and songs are you listening to the most at the moment?

Lately I have been listening to some 070 Shake, Jack Harlow, Mac Miller, Emotional Oranges, and many more. My taste varies often, so some days I listen to completely different stuff.

 

 

See CHRISTIAN FRENCH on Tour:

**Buy Tickets HERE

2/27 — Santa Barbara, CA — SOhO Music Club

2/29 — Santa Ana, CA — Constellation Room

3/1 — San Diego, CA — Casbah

3/4 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Greek Station

3/6 — Denver, CO — Larimer Lounge

3/9 — Minneapolis, MN — 7th Street Entry

3/11 — Madison, WI — High Noon Saloon

3/12 — St. Louis, MO — The Ready Room

3/15 — Grand Rapids, MI — The Stache

3/17 — Columbus, OH — The Basement

3/18 — Washington, D.C. — DC9 Nightclub

3/19 — Raleigh, NC — Kings

3/21 — Orlando, FL — The Abbey

3/24 — Austin, TX — The Parish