Chris Rupp has been a tireless vocal machine since winning Season 4 of NBC’s The Sing Off back in 2013 with Home Free.
His first a cappella solo CD (Rise) has touched hearts around the world; he’s gone onto to create 10 different albums, some with his band, 7th Ave. AND he’s worked with Kenny Rogers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Nick Lachey, Shawn Stockman, Jewel, Patrick Stump, and many others.
Chris’s creative and vocally astute videos have really impressed us here at Singdaptive – and we’re so pleased that he’s shared tips, insights and ideas with us!
A favorite quote that inspires you
I actually used to create a daily thinking calendar of my thoughts for my fans. One of my favorites from those was “If you keep believing in yourself, eventually everyone else will have to as well”
An object that inspires you
Whenever I look over at my microphone setup in my studio, I’m always reminded that I have incredible and unlimited opportunities in front of me, I just need to sometimes get off my butt and take advantage of it. It’s good inspiration!
For those of us interested in gear – what are you using?
A Lynx Hilo A/D D/A converter; Project Studio 8 Event monitor; Manley Reference Mic; Lyx Pro vri-10 sound absorber panel; Presonus Central Station; pcl-810 power conditioner; Presonus Studio 192; Samson s-com pus stereo compressor limiter – and below, out of sight, is a Manley core reference channel strip.
A vocal artist who inspires you?
This answer changes weekly as I come across new singers! I’ve really been loving Julia Michaels lately…her songwriting impresses the heck out of me, and she’s doing a fantastic job collaborating with anyone and everyone right now.
What is it about their singing that inspires you?
I dig her laid back coffee house quality to her voice, and how she uses it to great effect. She’s good at putting a little bit of fry in without damaging her sound or her cords.
A recent video you’ve created and what excites you about it.
I usually love all of my videos for different reasons but my latest release (Don’t Give Up On Me) is extra special as I was able to dedicate it to healthcare workers around the world. It’s a longish story but the short of it is I had footage from an original idea for a video last summer that fell through, so I had been looking for the right fit for it ever since, and then all the pieces fell in place with our recent circumstances and boom, a great video was born!
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in terms of vocal health and/or technique?
The importance of regular warmup/practice. Doing your scales with all of the different syllables and in different patterns consistently has been the biggest game changer for me over the years, and I can always notice when I stop doing it vs. when I’m on the regular.
What’s your relationship with social media – what works for you?
It’s very love/hate. Trying to play the social media game 24/7 is exhausting and will quickly lead to burnout, so I tend to just focus on being myself and doing as much or as little as I like, and let the cards fall where they may.
Any social media “fails” or “successes”?
I haven’t said anything TOO stupid yet thankfully. It’s a tough line sometimes between trying to stay neutral to not offend anyone, but also feeling like sometimes you need to speak your mind more forcefully – especially with the state of US politics right now.
What are you currently working on in terms of your voice/music-career?
Trying to create some avenues for people to find me, through educational videos and more focused critique reaction videos. I’m in the process of developing those ideas right now to launch in the next month or two!
What was your first gig/performance?
I remember my first ever paid gig was at 16 years old, when my mom (also a musician) hired me to sing at a wedding. I even have a picture from it!
What did you learn from that gig/performance?
That this wasn’t as intimidating as it may have seemed from the outside, and that it was something I COULD do.
What performance would you single out as being a “turning point” & why?
It’s so hard to pick just one – obviously everything from the TV show was huge, but outside of that I remember one magical moment Home Free had in a Christmas show years ago. We were singing a lovely 5 part ballad when our snow machine kicked in and blew the circuit breakers so all of the light and sound went out. We immediately stepped to the edge of the stage in the dark and kept singing off-mic…you could hear a pin drop and we got a thunderous applause at the end. It just goes to show that sometimes the worst mistakes can actually lead to incredible success.
What were one or two critical steps you took to reach larger audiences with your music?
This isn’t the exact question, but indirectly getting connected with Patreon was huge for both myself and Home Free. Allowing our fans to support us directly allowed us to make MORE videos, thus connecting us to MORE fans, etc.
What are some of your career dreams/goals?
Everything! Every time I think I have a 5 year plan it never turns out remotely as I thought, which is amazing. One dream I have right now is developing what I do into a full-fledged production studio, serving not just my projects, but helping other artists and clients turn their dreams into reality as well. We’ll see!
You can find out more about Chris Rupp at https://chrisruppofficial.com/ also see his patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/ChrisRupp
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Chris Rupp is a singer, songwriter, pianist, Founder of Home Free and 7th Ave. He has been performing music his entire life, having been born into a very musical family. His first paying gig was at 16 for a wedding, and since then he has turned his love of music into a full-time touring career with Home Free, followed by a successful solo career since leaving the band. He also spends his time teaching privately, as well as recording, jingle-writing, filling in for various bands, and dancing. See www.chrisruppofficial.com
