Christopher is not only a celebrated musician in his home country of Denmark and in Asia, he has also established himself as an actor with his leading role in the Netflix hit ‘A Beautiful Life’. He wrote the songs for the film and breathed life into the role of Elliott with his performance. Currently he's touring Europe and visited the Kaufleuten in Zurich for a sold-out concert. Before the show, he spoke about his double life as a musician and actor, being a father and his great love for live shows.
Indiespect: The movie «A Beautiful Life» was released two years ago and you attracted a whole new audience with it. But you released your first record already eleven years earlier. How did your path as a musician lead you to being an actor?
Christopher: It was the director of the movie who came to me and asked me if I would consider doing it. Immediately I said yes. Then we started figuring out what the film was going to be about. I started writing some songs and it all came together. When it finally got greenlit by Netflix, it was like: all right, here we go. I went hardcore on the acting classes. After that, everything went really quick. In total it was a two- or three-year process. From when it got greenlit until it came out, it took about a year. It changed everything because it went number one.
The script was written and came together the same time as the I wrote the album.
Indiespect: Were the songs written based on a script or vice-versa?
Christopher: That happened simultaneously. I was writing the songs and sent them to the script writer Stefan. He took the lyrics and built some of the scenes around that. The script was written and came together the same time as the I wrote the album.
Christopher is not only a musician but also a leading actor in the meantime.
Indiespect: Did you have any doubts before making the movie to mix the musical career you have worked on for years with playing a character in a film that is linked to it quite closely?
Christopher: No, it was very, very easy. I needed serious thinking on that, but I had seen some of the director Mehdi's [Mehdi Avaz] earlier stuff and I've always wanted to act. This felt like a great opportunity. Like a once in a million chance. He had such big ambitions, and he was a fan of mine. He said: we got to go with Netflix. And I thought: yeah, sure. When it happened, I was like: Holy shit, this could be a really big thing.
The character I play, Elliott, we don't have a lot in common, but because it was a music film, I had the music to lean on.
Indiespect: The songs for «A Beautiful Life» are Christopher songs but you were playing a character in that movie and singing the songs as Elliott with his back story. How different are these songs to you personally, compared to the ones that you’ve written completely for yourself as a real person?
Christopher: Since I didn't have any acting tools, I did use a lot of my own personality. I mean, I wrote those songs. The character I play, Elliott, we don't have a lot in common, but because it was a music film, I had the music to lean on. That was my support. I never really felt like I was too out of my depth. I was in deep waters, but because I had so many music scenes where I was singing and performing, I felt at home as well.
A romantic film for every music lover.
Indiespect: Is there a sequel planned?
Christopher: We did talk about it, but it didn't feel natural to me to do a repetition of what we already did. Also, because I take the acting seriously. I opened the door to that world, but now I want to focus on my artist career. We went on this tour, because the world opened to us after this movie came out. So, I wanted to write that next album. And I have two kids at home as well. There was a lot on my plate, I was just taking 12 months at the time.
I have a superwoman of a wife back at home carrying most of the heavy lifting. She makes it possible for me to do what I love, which is touring.
Indiespect: I assume, with growing success it’s getting harder to maintain the work-life-balance that you already wished to achieve in your earlier years. How do you handle the pressure that comes along with getting bigger and having a family?
Christopher: Actually, I was supposed to be in Zurich four months ago, and we postponed the whole tour because I just needed a break. I needed those four months with my family. We were coming straight off the back of a ten-month tour. I'm in a better place now, for sure. But it is still hard. It's for everyone who's trying to have a family and a career at the same time. There are some sacrifices to be made and it's constant compromises. Luckily for me, I have a superwoman of a wife back at home carrying most of the heavy lifting. She makes it possible for me to do what I love, which is touring. And running around acting like a pop star.
Christopher during his sold-out show at Kaufleuten Zurich.
Indiespect: Is your love for touring still the same?
Christopher: Oh, for sure. I love touring and I've always loved being on stage. That was one of the biggest reasons to be a musician. I love the writing process as well, but many parts of it get boring to me. The finalizing and the finishing of an album where it's like: take that snare two DB down – and what do you think about this mix? You know, the very detailed stuff. I have zero interest in that. I love the writing and that hour in the studio where it comes to life. Then it comes out of the speakers and you're like: oh my god, I can picture this live. That's the feeling I'm chasing. That's the only thing that comes even close to being on stage and seeing the words come out of people's mouth and seeing those smiley faces clapping and singing along. We were talking about this last night with the guys. We were in Milan and went to San Siro where we saw Milan play a game. You see all these different cultures, different people. Eat different food. You get on stage every night and people are happy to see you and you're happy to be there. Nothing beats that. That's just the sweet life.
You get on stage every night and people are happy to see you and you're happy to be there. Nothing beats that. That's just the sweet life.
Indiespect: On your socials you were looking for local artists to share the stage. A cool idea. Did that work for Zurich as well and do you have the time to meet these artists in advance?
Christopher: Oh, yeah. We’ll bring in the voice of Zurich on stage tonight. I'm very curious as well. The guy who's joining me on stage tonight, is coming for soundcheck. Then we run it through. It was a magical experience in Spain. I'm sure it's going to be awesome tonight as well. There's something about the fact – and I truly mean that – that every city has its own style, its own voice and its own look. To bring that to stage is just great. It's all about creating those moments, that thing that you will look back at and be like: oh, that was a cool moment for that song, because that guy or that girl joined.
Christopher performs «Led Me To You» with local artist Remo Forrer (Eurovision Song Contest participant for Switzerland in Liverpool 2023)
Indiespect: You played your first show in Zurich at Exil back in 2020. It was shortly before the pandemic really hit. How do you remember this show and the European tour in general?
Christopher: I remember sitting on the bus with the guys and looking at the numbers being like: oh, 450 infected in Switzerland. This might be a serious thing. Then we got back from the tour and the whole world shut down. But that was an incredible experience. It was one of my first European tours. I remember it was like 250, maybe 300 people. Coming from such a place of gratitude that people even want to come and see us and sing along. That was wild. And now, to be to be back and play a triples size capacity venue is insane.
The fan culture is very dedicated, very loyal. Once a fan, always a fan
Indiespect: With your song «CPH Girls» you had a streaming hit in China which opened that huge market for you. For your Asian fans you must be an exotic pop star like K Pop stars are for us Europeans. How does that feel for you? And what’s the main difference to other audiences?
Christopher: It's a little bit more hysterical and they put you on a pedestal. If you are a pop star, you're a pop star. It's almost this obtainable thing. The fan culture is very dedicated, very loyal. Once a fan, always a fan. I mean, I love being out there. Seoul is one of my favourite cities in the world, and we play some big shows out there, in China as well. It is just very different. Here people are way cooler about it, more chill. They come, have a great experience and that's that. They don't build their life around it. And that's how it feels sometimes with the Asian fans. Like it's the most important thing in the world.
The background story on how Christopher made his way to Asia.
Indiespect: How is it for you to switch between both worlds?
Christopher: I love the contrast. We did shows with thousands and thousands of people, both in Denmark and Asia and then we play smaller venues again. You do big arenas and are going back and forth from that. Both things are awesome.
It was a super rewarding experience, because it's so frustrating while learning it.
Indiespect: One time you had to learn some Mandarin within 48 hours. May you tell me about that?
Christopher: Oh, man, I just went through it again. It's super frustrating for the first 24 hours, because nothing sticks. It's just sounds, you know? But yeah, I learned that thing within 48 hours and managed to pull it off. It was a super rewarding experience, because it's so frustrating while learning it. I can tell you a little bit of Mandarin. Let me see if I can remember. I just did this presentation in Mandarin a few weeks ago. It was like:
Indiespect: For your next European tour, you could consider to learn a song in the language of each country, not just having an artist from that city up on stage with you.
Christopher: That might be doable in German. I don't know about Swiss. In different countries it would take some practice. But that would be sick.
Indiespect: Thank you very much for your time!
Christopher: Thank you. Great questions.