Breakthrough artist Christina Lyon hails from Redondo Beach, CA, and is here to make a serious impact on the music industry we're exposed to today. How is she planning on doing this? Well, give one listen to the soundings of Christina and you'll quickly realize the eclecticism embedded within her style. She gives flare and spunk, but with some of our old favorite melodies--melodies that allow one to reflect and reminisce. Already opening for artists such as Etta James, Christina Lyon is on track to paving a permanent spot for herself within the Retro/Soul music community.
A velvety rhythm combined with a consistent drum is what starts off Christina Lyon's track, "I'll Be There". There are some heavy jazz integrations with "I'll Be There", which allows for that calm and collected ambiance to be projected onto listeners. Christina Lyon takes "I'll Be There" to fully showcase her vocal range, which we have to note is very wide and full of substance. Christina focuses on using lighter brass instruments to keep up the jazzy/bluesy appeal. With its repetitive lines and eccentric combination of soundings, "I'll Be There" can come off as quite multi-faceted, appeasing to many listening tastes. We're glad that Christina Lyon stepped out of her comfort zone with this track because the end product resulted in an outflow of flavors and stylings that appear exclusive and unique to her music. We're hoping for more of Christina Lyon's classic, modern and retro-soul sound in the near future.
Listen to "I'll Be There" here.
Hi, Christina Lyon! How exciting is it that "I'll Be There" has finally debuted?! Looking back on the creative process, how are you feeling now that this track is out for all listeners to experience? Hey! It's super exciting! It feels amazing to have this track out in the world. When I wrote the song, I was at a bit of a low point in my life and I found sanctuary at the keys. I wrote the lyrics from the perspective of my piano and the relief I felt from being able to pour my emotions into it. In that regard, it's a bit of a love song about the affection I have for that outlet. To have it out for listeners to hear is incredible. It's also a reminder to everyone to reach out to your loved ones. Life is temporary, and nothing is guaranteed. You never know what someone might be going through and just showing up and being there makes all the difference. The intended message in "I'll Be There" was quite easy to follow along to, which we felt really allowed for that strengthened artist-to-listener connection right from the start. For readers who haven't yet listened to "I'll Be There", can you share with them what they can expect to get from "I'll Be There"? Thank you! It's definitely a vulnerable and honest message straight from my heart to the listener, and it holds a lot of value to me. I hope that when people listen to the song, they feel the connection with not only me as the artist but with themselves. Writing "I'll Be There" was an exploration into my soul, and it provided an introspective opportunity for me to explore a lot of emotions. When you listen to the song, you'll quickly realize the lyrics are about friendship, love and kindred spirits. But it's much more than that. It's not always easy to find self-worth, especially as a new artist. I found a lot of loneliness comes with chasing big dreams. People constantly doubt you and turn you down, and it's painful. "I'll Be There" is a reminder to show up for yourself, to be there for yourself and your passion, and to push past negative self-talk and doubt. When that happens, you really grow as a human. And at the very least, it's a vibe to sing along to. Light some candles, put the track on, vibe out and let the soul expedition begin. Opening up for one of your biggest influences, Etta James, must've been incredibly mesmerizing. How did you feel when this opportunity arose itself, and overall with the way the performance went? It was a surreal experience, and probably one of the most memorable moments in my life. I was 15 and the singer in a band at the former Fender Museum's Kids Rock Free program in Corona, my hometown. That program was amazing, it gave kids and teens music lessons for free and the leader of the program, Lee Zimmer, assembled bands from the students. He recruited me to audition while giving guitar lessons to my dad, and I had never actually sang for anyone other than myself. My first show with the band was at a corn maze on Holloween. So... to then open for Etta James and Bo Diddley was just a trip because they are music legends, and Etta James is like, Superwoman to me. At the time I was just so nervous about messing up that I don't think it resonated with me just how remarkable it was. And I was a little star-struck, too. It was only over the years since then that I look back and think about what an impact that moment had on me. I knew then and there that music was my passion, and I wanted to pursue it with the vigor and passion of my hero on stage. Still, I was young and pretty shy about singing at the time, so I kept my back to the audience because of that. After the show, Bo Diddley told me "with a voice like that, never turn your back to an audience." It was a defining moment in my life, and I always hear his voice saying that before every performance. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Christina Lyon! We look forward to what kind of work you'll release next! In the meantime, what kind of steps are you planning on taking to cultivate your artistry even further? My pleasure! Thanks for including me, I'm a big fan of BuzzMusic so it's awesome to be featured. :) Right now, I'm working on my live set and building awareness about my music. Every day, I spend time with my piano or guitar, and that keeps me in a constant state of creation and inspiration. But let's be real, most of the songs come from a walk or shower, or just as I fall asleep, so I never know when the magic will strike! In the meantime, I'm rising above the noise of opinions and doubt to fully embrace the soul goddess within.