Chris Babson

The first thing you notice about Chris Babson is contradiction—his musical stylings are eclectic enough to confuse and to comfort. Whether you experience him live or listen to a recording you will inevitably be struck by his powerful synthesis of poetry and pop. Raised in Oregon, Chris was a hip-hop junkie for many years—many of his tracks reflect this influence both in their composition and production. Chris’ musical interests expanded while attending college outside of San Francisco, where his obsession with philosophy ultimately led him to begin writing lyrical poetry. Music has become the foundation of his mental and physical health, and it shows: listening to his songs you are struck by the pain of expression, the desire for understanding, and the dedication to moving forward even in light of pessimism. Chris sings and writes because he has to, because it sustains him.

Listening to just one of Chris’ songs is never enough to appreciate his artistic vision—his works become particularly sensible as a comprehensive unit, in relation to one another. What a folky, acoustic lick expresses in one song is complemented and contrasted by more rhythmic or bluesy instrumentation on another. His lyrics take on important issues of the human condition, but do so lightheartedly and within the framework of a more mainstream sound. His songs are catchy but important. His music is folky in the guise of pop: simple and complex, soulful and reserved, mature and innocent all at the same time. It is this fusion that makes Chris different from the rest.

Growing up in an amazing family environment in Portland, Chris appreciated art from an early age. He only began to value music as truly essential when he started singing at the age of 20 in an a cappella group at Stanford University (The Stanford Mendicants). Although involved in many films and dramatic productions in college, songwriting became his priority the second he began at the start of his senior year. The first song Chris ever wrote is also the title track from his debut EP “Perfectly,” which was released in June of 2005 just after his graduation.

Currently, Chris is holed up in his apartment in Portland, Oregon. He’s writing songs, working a job on the side to support himself, and hoping for the opportunity to be an entertainer and an inspiration through his music.