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I guarantee you've never seen anything quite like Alpha Chris's video for "Patron." Note how the Southern California singer positions himself in between two shipping containers next to a freeway and proceeds to freak out, jumping and punching the air while crooning the sticky hook. It's an effective, slightly-off clip, recontextualizing R&B within a faceless suburban netherworld. I can't describe what gets me about it other than that it's as "2014" as anything I've seen.I had to know more so I hit up Chris, who kindly sent me a new track to premiere. Dude keeps it off-kilter on the grippingly intimate "My Command," his immaculate falsetto seemingly right next to you, almost too close for comfort. Don't expect him to stick around though—with a voice like this Alpha Chris is on his way to bigger and better things. Follow him on twitter and check out our interview below.
Alpha Chris: I started out in the church. When I was young, probably around 9 or 10, I spent a lot of time around all of the church musicians, studying how they played and how they communicated with each other. Those guys really had a huge impact on me and inspired me to start creating music at a very young age. In elementary school I played the drums, keyboard, violin and trumpet. It was tough for me to focus on one instrument because I always loved the sound of each one and how they all had their own individual addition to the structure and composition of a song.What inspires you right now?
Right now I'm inspired by a lot of 70's and 90's R&B. Everything from the old R.Kelly records to Stevie Wonder. I'm really big on chords and the color of sound. The way those guys make everything blend together is incredible and I love to add those elements in my music.What did you listen to as a kid?
As a kid I listened to a lot of R&B, thanks to my mom and my grandfather who has a huge record collection. He had everything from Earth Wind & Fire to The Gap Band. I really soaked a lot of that stuff up and it just ended up becoming a part of who I am as an artist.What's your #1 R&B track for seduction?As of right now, I would have to say "IV Play" by The-Dream, there's just something about that record. The way the tonality of his voice just flows over those drums and chords, it's just too smooth. To me, that song is a guaranteed panty dropper.What's the ideal setting for listening to "My command"
I would have to say the best place to listen to "My Command" is at home. I made that song specifically for those females who sit in their room on their computers dissing guys on twitter and talking about how guys aren't romantic anymore. And for those guys that sit at home on Instagram looking at pictures of girls saying to themselves, "Damn, what do I have to do to get with a girl like her!?"
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Noisey: Tell me about your background. How long have you been making music?
Alpha Chris: I started out in the church. When I was young, probably around 9 or 10, I spent a lot of time around all of the church musicians, studying how they played and how they communicated with each other. Those guys really had a huge impact on me and inspired me to start creating music at a very young age. In elementary school I played the drums, keyboard, violin and trumpet. It was tough for me to focus on one instrument because I always loved the sound of each one and how they all had their own individual addition to the structure and composition of a song.What inspires you right now?
Right now I'm inspired by a lot of 70's and 90's R&B. Everything from the old R.Kelly records to Stevie Wonder. I'm really big on chords and the color of sound. The way those guys make everything blend together is incredible and I love to add those elements in my music.What did you listen to as a kid?
As a kid I listened to a lot of R&B, thanks to my mom and my grandfather who has a huge record collection. He had everything from Earth Wind & Fire to The Gap Band. I really soaked a lot of that stuff up and it just ended up becoming a part of who I am as an artist.What's your #1 R&B track for seduction?As of right now, I would have to say "IV Play" by The-Dream, there's just something about that record. The way the tonality of his voice just flows over those drums and chords, it's just too smooth. To me, that song is a guaranteed panty dropper.What's the ideal setting for listening to "My command"
I would have to say the best place to listen to "My Command" is at home. I made that song specifically for those females who sit in their room on their computers dissing guys on twitter and talking about how guys aren't romantic anymore. And for those guys that sit at home on Instagram looking at pictures of girls saying to themselves, "Damn, what do I have to do to get with a girl like her!?"