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Interview: Christina Singer for Magenta

How did you meet Rob Reed? What were you doing before joining Magenta? How did you meet Rob?

Through a mutual musical acquaintance

Rob and I were in a band called ‘COLD’ which we left to form ‘Trippa’

Why the name Magenta?

Don’t really know!!! (You would have to ask Rob)

What singers influenced you at a young age? Were you classically trained in voice? What do you listen to now? What singers influenced you?

Kate Bush, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox and Ella Fitzgerald.

No, I have never received formal voice training. I started to sing from a very young age. My sister, Francesca has a great voice too & we used to harmonise naturally. We formed our first punk band called ‘French Lettuce!’ when I was just 14!

Ranging from the ‘Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ to ‘Diane Krall’. A bit of everything depending on the mood! I love songs with great melodies and well-crafted lyrics

Please do not get mad, your beautiful voice is starting to draw comparisons to Annie Haslam (Renaissance) and Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac), (among others). Of course your voice is your own, but are you influenced or have a familiarity with these `legendary modern singers?’

Yes I have listened to and have been influenced by singers such as Stevie Nicks (not so much Annie Haslam, until recently) although I have never attempted to sound like anyone. How I sing is what comes out when I open my mouth! But I am very flattered to be compared with these great female vocalists.

You mentioned in your biography on the Magenta web site- about being fans of The Jam, Garbage, and of course- Red Hot Chili Peppers. Excellent bands but not progressive music per se. Do you listen to anything progressive or in Magenta’s genre? And in a few short sentences, please explain what you like about the Red Hot Chili Peppers?

I would be lying if I said that I did listen to a lot of Prog, although since being in Magenta I have been re-educated to a certain extent in the ways of Prog!

The guys in the band do lend me contents of their CD collections, so I am given some homework to do!

I love the energy of the ‘Chilli Peppers,’ I come from a punk background originally and still love bands who kick arse on stage. The Chilli’s do manage to combine good melodies with catchy riffs.

The classic question. What would you listen to if you were stranded on a desert island (With a CD player and batteries), and you could have any ten albums, what would you choose and why?

Carina Round - The Disconnection

Ella Fitzgerald - Sings The Cole Porter Songbook

Garbage - Garbage

Kate Bush - The Kick Inside

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours

Blue Nile – Hats

Nirvana – Greatest Hits

Bjork – Homogenous

Annie Lennox – Diva

Patti Smith - Horses

What is your favorite book? Movie? Food? Hobbies/interests outside music?

Book:

I really enjoyed ‘The Horse Whisperer’ but recently read a novel by Conn Iggulden ‘Emperor, The Gates Of Rome’ a novel about Julius Caesar, wonderfully written!

Film:

I love going to the cinema, and have so many favourite films for so many different reasons its hard to choose. One film that made an impact upon me was ‘The Fisher King’ with Robin Williams, very powerful images, a very emotional film.

Food:

Pasta (not good for the hips, but who cares!)

Magenta started out as just a recording band, but you folks are getting a reputation as a stunning live band. Do you prefer performing live to recording?

I love both aspects of being in a band. I ultimately live to perform, its what I work towards. It’s a real high and you get to be who you really want to be when you are up there. Even better is when a band grows in stature and eventually headlines, then audiences actually make the effort to turn up and pay to see you do something you love.

In the studio is where you get to perfect (or as near as you can) your craft. You have the luxury of doing it until you get it right. Where as live, you’ve only got one shot!

You are writing the lyrics to the next single? How do you go through this creation process? Do the lyrics come first or does the music? With a single, is there a conscious effort to explore a more commercial direction and get more airplay?

Rob usually comes up with the music initially, with the atmosphere of the music dictating the lyrical content. Rob and I have been writing together now for many years and this formula seems to work well for us. The idea behind the singles (there is a new one out in September hopefully,) was to create a more commercial sound whilst also allowing the band to diversify.

How is it working with Keyboardist/composer and founder of Magenta- Rob Reed? He seems very passionate about music? Any thoughts? Stories?

You are so right, Rob is very passionate about music, it sounds corny but he actually cares about what he is doing. For someone who is as committed and passionate about his craft, he is surprisingly easy to work with.

In saying that, he can be very dogmatic about what he wants and I have left a session many a time feeling like I’ve run a marathon! But he is usually right (God why did I admit that!!) and he ends up getting a performance out of you.

There are stories I could tell you about working with Rob (we can discuss fees at a later date!!).

Are there any plans to put out a DVD concert? Your site has hinted to a live album. Any details? Where was the gig?

Yes to both and soon, the live album is taken from various gigs, I must admit I don’t know which ones; you would have to ask the Maestro!

On the April 24th, 2005 you will be debuting in the United States- playing at the ROSfest 2005 festival at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Any thoughts?

Without a doubt, we are all very excited and honoured to have been asked to play ROSfest. As a live band we have still only performed up to date, about 14 gigs, and so feel very flattered to have been invited. We have been very lucky so far and have played at some great venues already.

What’s next for Magenta & Christina, new albums, side-projects?

Funny you should ask that! We are currently working on a new album ‘Home’ which will hopefully be out May 2005. I am, at this moment in time in discussions with Rob about possibly doing a solo album, watch this space!

You have an open forum. Do you have any words to the Prog fans out there? Or to young inspiring singers?

I would just like to thank all Magenta fans out there for their support and appreciation of what will hopefully be a band that, like a fine wine, matures into a mouth-watering masterpiece, to be savoured at leisure!

For young aspiring singers out there, never give up, work hard and remember singing is a gift it’s good for the soul and is something to be enjoyed.