Share this Post
Raleigh local Christina Munsey is making waves in the music scene.
Prepared to be “burned”—in the best way possible. After taking a leap from singing vocal features on techno tracks to penning slow and raw Americana ballads, Raleigh alt-country artist Christina Munsey is gaining attention for her raw, melodic music on an international level. From her song “Give Me a Minute” being featured on Netflix’s Love is Blind (!) to her local spotlight on 94.7 QDR, the Raleighite is gathering thousands of listeners—despite not even having a full album out yet.
Now, the “girl singing her feelings” is dropping a brand-new Americana-meets-pop single “take them all” April 19 that’s sure to have you crooning. Raleigh Magazine caught up with the up-and-coming artist ahead of the release to chat her inspirations, living in NC and having no plan B.
Did you always know you wanted to be a musician?
Belting at the top of my lungs in a tutu to a Carrie Underwood song that was playing on a worn-out Disney princess CD player was a pretty sure sign that I knew what I wanted to be from an early age. I have had fleeting thoughts—more like what-if’s—of contemplating certain career paths, and I think earlier on it may have been hard for my parents to come to terms with me walking into a less stable career. Overall, though, I never truly had a plan B. If you have a plan B, you’re likely to fall back on it. … My dad always told me, ‘If you do a job you love, you never work a day in your life.’
What artists serve as your biggest inspo?
There are countless early memories of hearing Fleetwood Mac playing around the house. Watching Lindsey Buckingham annihilate the guitar during performances inspired me to pick it up in the first place. I was—and still am—so enamored by all the elements in their music. I’ve also been fascinated by the work of Noah Cyrus. Her approach to bringing a subtle pop twist on country and folk is genius. She has been a huge inspiration for my most recent song and the ones to come.
You’ve experimented with a lot of genres, where do you see yourself fitting in?
A lot of my earlier music was experimental, as I was trying to feel my way through where I felt I fit musically. Creating electronic music was definitely very exhilarating and fun, but my new song, ‘take them all,’ hits home. I feel the most grounded in the singer-songwriter genre, and I feel that it lends itself to creating a deeper emotional connection with people. Something about warm organic-sounding drums, raw lyrics and a somewhat flawed guitar makes the music feel human. I don’t think I’ll revert back to EDM-style music anytime soon, but I’ve flirted with the idea of making an alias project for fun. Sometimes making that type of music can feel more mindless and gives me a little mental break from my other work.
What was it like hearing your own song on Love Is Blind?!
I remember talking to one of my close friends several years ago and saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be crazy if my song was in a show like Love is Blind or The Ultimatum?’ I had never really thought that something like that was possible for me. I was sitting at a drive-thru when I saw a comment from someone on my Instagram post saying that they had Shazam-ed my song on Love is Blind and added it to their playlist. In my head, I was thinking, ‘Ha, you got the wrong girl!’ I drove back home, proceeded to run inside, jumped on my bed and started going through every episode of the show. I screamed when I heard it for the first time. It was such a surreal experience. I had put that song on the back-burner for quite some time and never planned on releasing it because it felt too raw and vulnerable, but the amount of messages I’ve received from people saying how they felt understood and found healing through my song—there truly is no better feeling. I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the opportunity.
What’s your favorite part about living in NC?
Nothing beats good ’ole Southern food—sweet tea, homemade biscuits and brisket. I’m quite the foodie so of course that’s where my mind goes first when thinking about my favorite part about living in North Carolina. Also, the convenience of driving a few hours east or west to the mountains and beach is incredibly nice, although I haven’t truly taken advantage of that as much as I should.
*Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Related Articles
Share this Post