Chris Mardini belongs to the rare breed of artists born to give voice to our most complex emotions. 

At just 19-years-old, the New York City-raised singer/songwriter has mastered the art of merging intense self-reflection with poetic social commentary—a dynamic made all the more potent by his innate talent for crafting spellbinding melodies. 

A near-lifelong musician who took up guitar at age 10 and got his start playing Beatles covers at iconic venues like The Bitter End, Mardini sets his soul-baring songwriting to a singular collision of elements: the brooding urgency of classic alt-rock, kinetic rhythms of underground hip-hop, and impassioned vocal work of timeless singer/songwriters like Jeff Buckley.

In the making of his debut album, Mardini joined forces with Grammy Award-winning producer Marc Swersky and recorded at New Jersey’s Sound on Sound Studios with a lineup of veteran musicians, infusing each track with the same volatile energy of his mosh-heavy live set. 

Viscerally charged but intricately detailed, the album’s galvanizing alt-rock fuses perfectly with Mardini’s exploration of alienation and insecurity, self-sabotage and social pressure. “I feel like I owe it to myself and to the people listening to be as genuine as possible in my music,” he says. “Being cheap with the lyrics or writing something that’s just filler is taking the easy way out, so I make sure to put real meaning into every line and melody.”

FOLLOW CHRIS

https://www.facebook.com/thechrismardini

https://www.instagram.com/thechrismardini/

https://twitter.com/thechrismardini

All throughout his debut, Mardini showcases the sophisticated musicianship he first began honing as a kid growing up in the West Village. “I’ve been singing my whole life, and when I was a kid my dad got me this cheap guitar and I fell in love with playing right away,” he says. Mardini discovered a love of seminal rock bands like Led Zeppelin as a child and later became obsessed with Nirvana, one of the most formative influences on his songwriting. 

As he forged his musical identity, Mardini also drew a great deal of inspiration from his immediate surroundings. “In New York City you have a lot more access to music compared to a lot of other places,” he says. “I grew up seeing street performers in the subways all the time and would always stop to see what they were about—there’s just so much happening right when you walk out the front door. 

Plus there’s that freedom to explore on your own, and I think having that feeling of independence from a very young age definitely influenced me as an artist, as well.” More recently, Mardini has found that his wanderings around Manhattan and Brooklyn have helped to generate countless song ideas. “When I’m riding the subway or biking around the city, it gives me that time to myself to just think about everything going on in my life, and a lot of songs end up coming from that,” he notes. 

After cutting his teeth playing covers at local spots like Arlene’s Grocery—and occasionally venturing down to Asbury Park to perform at the legendary Wonder Bar—Mardini started writing and self-producing his own material in his bedroom, partly as a means of emotional release. “When I first got into songwriting, a lot of my lyrics were about the relationship I’d been in for most of high school,” he recalls. “It gave me a way to understand and process things I was going through or wanted to change, either in myself or in the world around me.” 

Tell us about the genesis of your project. How did you get to where you are now?

Hey guys! Thanks for having me. This album’s been a long time coming. I feel like I’ve been in the process of creating it my entire life, in a non-weird way. I mean, it’s a culmination and a concoction of all the sounds and events I’ve been influenced by my whole life. I was lucky enough to have plenty of subject matter to use once I started writing my own songs.

What do you think art and music should communicate?

I always feel like art, in general, should represent the artist or a thought of the artist. That being said, there’s no telling who or what the artist may be, not to mention what they’d be thinking at any point. I think it’s in the artist’s hands to express themselves through communication with fans. Although it can be hard to dictate people’s perceptions of art through this communication, art should authentically represent a creator.

Who were your top 3 artists last year?

King Krule, Kanye West, Jimi Hendrix.

What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?

I try to think about or put myself through difficult situations – I tend to be my most creative self in the face of adversity. Often, I’ll just listen to a vast array of music in a short amount of time. I think of it as absorbing.

What are your 2022 projects and goals?

More music! More content! Ha-ha. Seriously though, I’m going to go hard this year. Hoping to play lots of shows in both NYC and St. Louis (and potentially many more cities) throughout the whole year. I’ve been decking out this “studio” I’ve been renting in St. Louis. It’s coming along so well; I’m so pumped to give everyone a look.

What was it like to be a young creative in NYC?

I certainly didn’t feel alone! I’ve had and still have lots of creative friends. I think it actually encouraged me to pursue my own creative passion. Plus, music is very embedded into the city’s culture. To know that some of my biggest influences grew up in the same place I did is pretty inspiring.

What is it like to be a young artist in NYC and St. Louis now?

It’s great! I mean, I get to put on kick-ass shows for my friends and fans, which is probably my favorite thing to do in the world. It’s also so dope playing at some of these historic NYC venues. There are also a ton of other young artists in the city – NYC and art go hand in hand.

Tell us about your latest release, “Pockets,” and how it came about?

Ok, so this song was initially one of the first songs I had recorded as a demo on my own, and it actually came out really well. I changed my O.G. lyrics a little, added more guitars and live drums, etc. The process was a lot of fun. I’m super excited for it to drop.

What would you want to change in the music and entertainment industry?

I’d give more economic power to the artist. All we hear nowadays is how little artists are actually making in the industry. The labels and streaming platforms run the show and have all the power. Artists nowadays need to bend to the will of these companies to get ahead in the industry. I just think that’s messed up.

How does a song come together for you?

A lot of times, I’ll replay a specific melody in my head, thinking, “damn, that’s not even a song yet!” And I’ll get really excited to create. Other times, I’ll just be fiddling with my guitar or keyboard, and I’ll be lucky enough to find a chord progression or a melody that resonates with me. But before I ever start writing, I try to develop a theme of what the song means to me. One of the hardest things for me is disciplining myself to keep writing and creating when life’s going well. Like I can’t always rely on the state of my headspace to dictate the rate at which songs are written.

Would you say there’s been a theme to your recent material?

Yeah, I think it’s been very reflective and on the darker side, at least lyrically. Which, I’m not opposed to!

Did you have any specific inspiration or sonic guide for your recent releases?

Man, I never really had a sonic guide, in particular, for the album as a whole. The songs combine all of my influences and inspirations with a twist. So it’d be hard to pinpoint one or two albums in particular. Still, I really enjoy it when people say my music is reminiscent of Nirvana.

What is the achievement or moment in your career you are proudest of and why?

I was really proud when I…

What do you think an artist should sing about nowadays? Whatever feels right to them! But it should be something authentic. Do you have any regrets?

Honestly, not many. I mean, I bet there are decisions I could’ve made in the past that would have benefitted me now. But nothing that has cursed my life or made me hate myself for it.

What is some piece of advice you would give to yourself right now?

Don’t do anything half-ass. If you’re going to do something, you better do it with both cheeks.