Interview with Christian Sparacio. New Music "About Time" and "I Melt With You"

By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Friday, April 23, 2021

Christian Sparacio is a singer-songwriter hailing from Marlboro, New Jersey. Since first releasing music on SoundCloud back in 2017, Sparacio has released ten new singles, playing shows to support the tunes. The two latest singles include an original, “About Time”, and a cover of the Modern English hit “I Melt With You”. I got to speak with Christian about his songwriting, producing a music video, and the talented musicians who worked on these tracks with him!

Who did you work with on your newest song “About Time”?

For About Time I worked with Rob Chiarappa at The Barbershop Studios in Hopatcong, NJ! Rob is a mad scientist producer with a crazy ear for pulling the potential out of a stripped down song like “About Time” and making it a production masterpiece. 

When did you write this song? 

I wrote “About Time” about 2 years ago between sessions of watching the movie About Time. About halfway through I got super inspired and wrote it, then about a month before recording I wrote the bridge section which was a cool testament to letting songs grow on the back burner. 

Did you approach this song differently from past releases?

I approached this song a bit differently because it was the first that I went all out on a music video for, and also had a way more experimental experience producing it. I sort of let my eclectic production taste speak in. this one and I am super happy with it. 

Who did you work with for the video? How did you find them?

I worked with Chantel Erin and Peter Dolshun on the video. I found Chantel via an Instagram ad for her production company, and met Peter through Chantel. We all quickly became friends and our creative processes meshed super well. Then we enlisted Clotilda Demauro as an actor through backstage.com and she, too, quickly became a friend. 

Who did you work with for the Modern English cover?

For the “Melt with You” cover, I stayed in the family and worked with Rob's brother Mike Chiarappa at DIMM Studios in Freehold, NJ! We wanted a more live sounding track, and I knew the simpler set up at DIMM and Mike's ear for feel would be perfect.  

What made you choose that song in particular to cover?

Well, I actually grappled and experimented with covers for a few months before settling on this one after my friend Jimmy suggested it. He put it perfectly when saying that the original song has heartfelt lyrics disguised by an upbeat 80's rock arrangement. This was my opportunity to match the music to the lyrics and deliver an authentic reimagination to pack a punch to the feels. I am super proud of this one. 

You can keep up with Christian Sparacio on his website.

Interview with Chris Raia (Multimedia Artist)

All artwork property of Chris Raia. See more of Chris’s work at christopher.raia.art and christopher-raia-art.com.

By Nicolas Palermo | Posted Friday, December 21, 2018

Chris Raia is a visual artist from Freehold, NJ. By working in different mediums, Chris doesn’t allow himself to get boxed into one specific style. The subject matter of his work has a wide range as well. Taking influence from his favorite animators, he creates anything from still life charcoal drawings to abstract paintings. I spoke to Chris to learn more about his techniques and artistic influences.

The medium you choose to work with varies from one piece to the next (charcoal, watercolor, graphite, etc.). Do you have a favorite? How do you decide which medium you are going to use for the project at hand?

When it comes to a favorite, I’ve definitely been bouncing around, but ever since I  touched Watercolors a couple of years ago I’ve been hooked. I love how it naturally makes marks that are organic and gestural. When it comes to choosing a media, it often feels impulsive. I, of course, try to think about materiality and what using a certain medium over another may suggest, but sometimes being overly analytical can inhibit me from making art at all.

Do your portrait illustrations and paintings come from real life or your imagination?

Both. I think that to be able to draw from your head, you first have to draw from life so that you can build a vocabulary of visual information. It’s important to know the rules before you can effectively break them in your own work. If I don’t know what to draw then just I study what’s around me.

Another thing that stood out to me about your artwork is that you don’t stick to one particular style. It ranges from minimalist doodles to more complex and experimental oil paintings. Is it a conscious decision to create work that ranges in style from piece to piece or does it just turn out that way depending on your mood/mental state/emotions?

I think I bounce around a lot because I am somewhat indecisive and just want to learn everything. I think artists feel a pressure to quickly develop a brand that is easy to package and sell to an audience. Not to say that I won’t eventually have a more singular practice, but I think that artists owe it to themselves to take their time with finding their voice.

Who are some artists that you are influenced by? Do you attempt to drop hints of their work into your own art?

There’s a billion haha, but right now, I have been focusing on a lot of animators. Max Fleischer, Lillian Friedman Astor, Don Hertzfeldt, Pat McHale, Kazuo Oga, Satoshi Kon,  and Alexander Gellner to name a few favorites. I don’t think I intentionally drop hints of them in my work, but I think they always seep through. It’s actually most exciting when people tell me that my work reminds them of an artist that I’ve never even heard of. It’s always great to discover artists who care about the same ideas that I do.

Where can we find your artwork and follow you online?

I am on instagram at christopher.raia.art and my website is christopher-raia-art.com!