Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
Chris Florio is a composer, producer, and musician from Ipswich, Massachusetts who has created over 40 compositions for orchestra, multimedia collaborations and released 12 albums on Passion Records. Originally only doing music in his free time while maintaining jobs, he has since shifted into making music professionally and released an album in collaboration with some talented musician associates titled The Bridge and the Waterfall. These musicians include Kenwood Dennard on drums, Wes Wirth on bass, Rob Flax on violin and Chris on guitar with them all doing vocals. Singer Aliel also does vocals.
The single from the album, “Twinkle,” marks a first for Chris. While the musicians across the album are longtime associates of his, this is his first time working with Aliel. But, she got on the same page as everyone quickly and her vocals blended effortlessly with their instrumentation. This collaborative method is the basis for all the music Chris makes. “I'll book a studio for three or four days straight. For this project, we just enjoyed improvising together the first two days. Then, we built and honed in on what came of that in the next few days and that became the seven song album. The final outcome was playing and recording in front of a live audience.” he said.
The song “Twinkle” captures the technical prowess and emotional resonance Chris tries to bring to all his music. It begins with a striped back acoustic guitar before barreling into a bombastic electric guitar solo by the time it ends. There’s even a bit of spontaneity reflected as singer Aliel began to add her own ideas to the song in real time which Chris embraced.
Creative expression is a through line in his work and he enjoys how different approaches to music can generate new results. For Chris, there is common ground amongst all music and composing is an effortless process. Each part comes together as the ideas flow from his mind to the page seamlessly. “Composing is intuitive for me. I just hold the pencil and let it come out. You do all the work before you write the music." he said.
However, composing can come with challenges as Chris discussed having to adjust for multiple reasons often. The instrument he has in mind for a composition may not be able to be played so he has to rewrite it for a different one. But, due to his breadth of knowledge, this gives him a chance to put his abilities to the test and present something new that the audience enjoys.
"I don't set out to make people feel something specific. I know I feel something when I make it but I'm happy as long as they feel something and that is useful to them when they hear it." he said. Now over four decades into his career, Chris has seen his music and the music in the world change across the years. Maintaining an open perspective is something that he and his colleagues have embraced. He is glad to see how new ideas are being brought to music and he also looks back on his work positively. "The music I wrote when I was younger was valid for then and it still holds up. The music from the past isn't better or worse. You have different experiences and it all comes into the music." he said.
Chris and his bandmates are looking forward to their upcoming live performances including their album release event on Sunday, November 1 at 1PM ET at The Cutting Room in New York City.
“Twinkle” from the album The Bridge and the Waterfall is available on streaming services now. You can see more of Chris Florio’s love for composing by following him on these platforms.
Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook
The Starlight PR Team thanks Chris Florio for taking the time to speak with us.
Go check out “Twinkle” and stream it now!
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Artist Spotlight: Rondo Gold
Join us as Rondo Gold takes us behind the curtain of their artistry, legacy, and future plans.
HipHopNow: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Rondo Gold: There are so many amazing artists alive and those who have passed on that I could sit here all day and choose great artistic influences. However, My Top 5 Musical influences are Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, Usher, and Tupac. All of these Great artists have and had an Amazing Work Ethic to go along with their undeniable Talent.
HipHopNow: When did you first realize you wanted to be a musician?
Rondo Gold: Well, I started freelance singing and freestyling with my brothers and cousins when I was around 13/14 years old. That led me to actually go to school for music for a short time. This helped me get better with basic music theory, songwriting, and performing. But I basically knew I wanted to do this professionally around 16 years old.
HipHopNow: How do you stay motivated and inspired in your daily life?
Rondo Gold: Honestly, I try to jot down my dreams and goals in my dream journal daily. Also, I have a vision board. I work out, and I meditate; I watch my diet and go on occasional fasts. And I can’t forget to listen to and study great artists, then and now; that is a must. Then I create some good music to top it all off.
HipHopNow: How do you define happiness and fulfillment in your life and career?
Rondo Gold: Happiness and Fulfillment come from spending time with my family and friends, eating some good Food, playing basketball/ working out/ Singing and dancing, Meditating as much as possible, and helping others/giving back whenever I can.
HipHopNow: Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics and melodies?
Rondo Gold: 1st of all, I’m a music head, so I can listen to a simple chord progression from an old song and become inspired lol; it can literally be that easy, and then it’s off to the races once the creativity kicks in. Many times I just hum abstract riffs and runs, and they come together, and before I know it, I have a dope hook or a full song.
HipHopNow: What’s your approach to creating a unique sound?
Rondo Gold: I am a versatile artist, and my fans/ supporters will see that; as time goes on, I can’t be boxed in. I use my versatile and vocal characteristics to shape my own sound with elements of playful/ charismatic all the way to deep/ emotional and real.
HipHopNow: What’s the significance of your album art, and how do you choose it?
Rondo Gold: Overall, I look for the theme that I’m going for, and for this particular single, “Impossible,” I kept it simple, romantic, but also thought-provoking for people to envision the idea and possibly an impossible Love.
HipHopNow: Are there any upcoming projects or releases you’re excited about?
Rondo Gold: Yes, I have some more magic coming soon. I’ve been taking my time to perfect a few of them, but I feel and think Quality over Quantity when it comes to my art. So yeah, stay tuned and get ready to be captivated by some good Music.
HipHopNow: How do you handle criticism and feedback on your music?
Rondo Gold: I actually don’t mind it as much as I used to; I’m more positive when it comes to feedback and constructive criticism these days. I see it as a chance to hear from the audience and Golden Dreamers on how they feel about my music. This, in turn, allows me to grow and improve in my artistry overall.
HipHopNow: How do you continue to improve your musical skills and knowledge?
Rondo Gold: Well, I always pride myself on knowing that I don’t know everything and that there is always so much more to learn. I just started back taking vocal lessons and plan on learning guitar and piano. Also, by listening back to my old music, I can already see my growth in vocal range, songwriting/subject matter, and overall confidence. It’s all about growth to me; that’s what I believe it means to be GOLDEN!
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