Chris Wallace’s irresistibly upbeat “Remember When (Push Rewind)”, which exploded onto the scene last summer and has continued to turn up on the radio and beyond, is a little bit “Slow” by Kylie Minogue (especially in the video), a little bit Robyn, but also refreshing and new. This guy is on fire, with iTunes naming his debut solo album Push Rewind the best breakthrough pop album of last year.
Thinking back to the beginning, Chris fondly remembers his first gig. “It was a house party…and since the music was so loud, and there may or may not have been drinking going on [he winks], it got busted. My first recollection of my first show was me running out of the house with a guitar in my hand,” he chuckles.
Formerly the frontman of White Tie Affair, Wallace appreciates the freedom now that he’s on his own. “Being solo allows you to take a lot more risks, and just do what your gut tells you to do.”
As for the big single “Remember When”, the inspiration for the lyrics came from a real relationship in Wallace’s life around the time his career started taking off. “We came to a crossroads in our relationship,” he describes. “All these crazy things started happening in my life…I wrote “Remember When” about, ‘What if we had made a different choice and worked a little harder at it?’ It’s a sad song, but it’s still a celebration – we had great times together and I don’t regret anything.”
This positive outlook bleeds into his whole life. “A lot of my songs are about heartbreak, but also about celebrating life…like, ‘Life hands you lemons, make some lemon meringue pie!’” he quips. And Wallace is continuously, and constantly, being inspired. “I love melody; there’s always kind of a song going on in my head, always, even currently!” he observes. “A lot of my songs are melody-driven. I’ll just be like humming something, and I’ll be like, ‘Look at that! I just wrote it!’” he laughs. “And then I usually write lyrics to it.”
When asked about whom he’d love to work with in the future, Chris doesn’t waste any time. “I’d love to write a song with Pink – I really like her voice, and how she manages to get such real lyrics out [there].” A writer for other musicians in the business, in addition to shepherding his own burgeoning career, Chris also loves surfing and biking (he is the proud owner of a Harley Davidson).
Rock on, dude!
—DH
Follow Chris on Twitter and Instagram: @ChrisWallace101
Facebook: facebook.com/chriswallacemusic
Official Website: www.chriswallacemusic.com
Vote for Remember When (Push Rewind) Official Music Video on VH1 Top 20 Countdown: http://tiny.cc/mg1rs