From his beginnings as an actor on the New York stage to singing in concert and recordings, Actor and singer Adrian Christian has always used his platform to uplift and transform audiences through his work. As an actor, he came to public attention in Off-Broadway’s With Me But Not My Wife, followed by the hit comedy Boys, before embarking on his move to Los Angeles and making waves in music. Show business taught him early to play by his own rules. He first sang in clubs at age 15.
In Hollywood, he broke through in Christian music, prompting a tour across the United States, in support of his first EP, A Song For You - while at the same time - sending a message that yes, God loves us all, including gay people. Adrian came full circle as a pop singer when his most creative work followed with the release of his Christmas single Midnight Will Be Clear and his surprising holiday take on R&B singer Monica’s classic song, Angel Of Mine.
Adrian Christian has gained a substantial loyal following and has become a vital media influencer. His most recent acting turn in the short film for A Song For You garnered him renewed attention with eleven film festival nominations and three wins - including Best Actor for Christian.
His philanthropic efforts are devoted to causes he believes in. In 2019, he embarked on a mission to restore homes in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, and currently, he’s focused on supporting breast cancer research with the release of his next release, Her Spirit LIVS On - The Olivia Newton-John Tribute EP. This year we’ll also see Adrian hosting a webcast news show entitled, The Conversation with Adrian Christian, covering the human side of our most current affairs.
Alan Mercer: Adrian, I am so excited you will be hosting a webcast very soon! How did that come about? You are perfect for that.
Adrian Christian: Yes, Alan, thanks! It’s called “The Conversation!” I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, but I wanted the right reason to do it and the right vehicle. It’s based on a conversation I had with Maria Gentile, who has her own weekly interview show. We got together in New York and talked about this after she had me on her last show of 2023. She wanted a prayer for 2024 and thought I was the one to do it. Her belief in me spoke to me. So, after that show it helped me realize what it is I do. It’s a privilege to sing and act and entertain people, but also, it’s why I think the songs I record and the stories I tell can elevate people. That’s how it came about.
AM: Where can we watch it?
AC: “The Conversation” is streaming on YouTube and Facebook.
AM: How will you make your show stand out?
AC: We see a lot of talking heads on TV. We are oversaturated with people and their opinions. They seem to be talking at their audience. I want to have a conversation about how we are coping with the political fatigue we have been assaulted with by the media. I’m interested in how we are going to get through this together. Unless we come together, we will not resolve anything.
AM: That is absolutely the truth.
AC: People can call out people all they want, but the point is, what do you want your life to look like? How do you want to see this country moving forward? If we keep attacking and judging each other, putting each other down and calling each other names, we are not going to get anywhere. The country will implode on itself. We have got to take care of ourselves and others.
AM: You are a natural leader.
AC: Even as an entertainer, my work has always been about service. Leaders come and go, but we’ll always have each other.
AM: When did you realize that you in fact were meant to be a spiritual leader?
AC: I wrote my first song when I was a child. I didn’t know where those words came from… I felt so close to God in church when I was 7 and I felt that presence. I didn’t understand it, but I knew it felt right. It never made any sense that God wouldn’t love me because I was gay. Before long, I realized that it was people who were labeling people, not God. I am here to bring one thing forward and that is love.
AM: It is clear to me that you are self-motivated.
AC: Out of necessity. I realize since living in Hollywood that most people here have a similar story. They were a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. They also didn’t fit in. I was hanging by a thread for a long time, and then in 2015 when gay marriage became legal, for some reason people started wanting to work with me.
AM: You seem to have found a strong niche for your recording career.
AC: I think so. In order for it to have happened, I had to become a producer in order to be an artist. I like creating art.
AM:I love your rendition of “Angel Of Mine” by Monica. And after your version of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town,” that’s the only version I can listen to!
AC:Oh my God, thank you! My producer Kevin and I came up with this sweeping version of “Angel Of Mine” and it’s one of my favorite recordings next to “A Song For You.” And I think my ‘Santa’ is sexier! (Laughs) A more adult Christmas by the fireplace. Music worked out well for me and I’m happy with my life. The fame machine comes and goes.
AM: That must be insignificant. Fame is too fleeting.
AC: I think people who are meant to gravitate to my work will do that.
AM: The fame that you and I knew as kids doesn’t exist anymore.
AC: It’s much more disposable now. My interest is in creating something that people can connect with. I believe the video podcast is another way of making that connection. It’s as when I wrote and performed in two off-Broadway plays back when I was in New York. I wanted to tell stories that I felt weren’t being told, and that gay people are about more than sex. There is so much more diversity today. I wanted the same opportunities that everyone else had.
AM:Is it true you then went on to do some TV and film?
AC:In bits, yes. I had a line in a movie with Susan Sarandon and John Turturro which got me my SAG card. My scene was with Christopher Walken. My manager got me a Forensic Files episode. I also played a gambler in a Guiding Light, things like that. And I continue to study here in Hollywood.
AM:Who inspires you?
AC:Hmm… so many people. The scene has opened considerably. I’m moved by the classics. Joan Crawford, believe it or not. Self-motivated artists. Your work inspires me.
AM: Thank you. I sure do appreciate that.
AC: The jeweler down the street who makes his own things. Musically, I’m appreciating Steely Dan. People with vision. I love the legacy of Olivia Newton-John.
AM: Tell me about your tribute to Olivia Newton-John.
AC: Sudi Rick Karatas, who wrote my Christmas song, ‘Midnight Will Be Clear,’ is also a huge Olivia fan, and he wrote ‘Her Spirit LIVS On’ which was released on the anniversary of her passing. In the lyrics are many of Olivia’s song titles and it’s a beautiful way of honoring what she meant to the fans, including me. The profits all go to her cancer research charity who do a lot of work with plant medicine. They have been doing good work there for the last 20 years. Their work helped Olivia live a lot longer than she would have without it.
AM: And you’re in the recording studio now?
AC:Yes, we’re recording the follow-up which will be an Olivia Newton-John EP. Sudi wrote two more songs and there are my versions of some of her biggest hits. I can hardly wait.
