The time is now for former White Tie Affair frontman Chris Wallace as he gets set to release his debut solo album Push Rewind this Summer. Just give one listen to lead single “Remember When (Push Rewind)” and you’ll quickly realize the singer is poised for super stardom with his explosive energy, infectious hooks, and raw emotion.
It’s the type of song that you want to blast in your car and scream your head-off to while cruising with friends — and that’s just how Wallace likes it. After all, this small town boy is guilty of doing the same while raised on a steady diet Queen and Freddie Mercury. You hear the influence, the blend of genres, the hard-hitting beats and you’re instantly hooked.
We had the pleasure of catching up with Chris Wallace as he embarks on this new chapter of his career. He dishes on musical influences, the power of positivity, infectious hooks, and his long-time celebrity crush. Read the full interview with Chris below and be sure to check out the Push Rewind album preview and behind-the-scenes videos at the end. His single, “Remember When (Push Rewind)” officially hits iTunes on June 12th.
TRT: We like to start our interviews off with the same question … when did you first fall in love with music?
CW: I’ve been in love with music for as long as I can remember, but my first memory of really falling in love with music was when I got a cd player. I didn’t have any cds, so my Dad gave me Queen- ‘A Night at the Opera’ to listen to. I had never heard anything like it. Pretty much from that day on, I was hooked.
TRT: You were the frontman for White Tie Affair who gained notoriety in the MySpace era with singles “Allow Me to Introduce Myself… Mr. Right” and “Candle.” Shared the stage with major artists on The Warped Tour and even toured with Lady Gaga. That’s a lot to walk away from. What spurred your decision to go solo?
CW: When the white tie affair broke up, it just felt like the right time to do my own thing…And since I had written most of the music, my solo project isn’t really much of a departure. It’s still pop based, but now I feel like I’ve finally figured out how to add my personality and raw energy into the songs.
TRT: New solo cut “Remember When (Push Rewind)” has a pretty infectious hook with a killer dance beat. Disguised deep within that beat are some pretty personal lyrics as the song talks about losing love to pursue a career. Do you fear those words getting lost in all the fist-pumping?
CW: “Remember When” definitely is a song about losing love to pursue a career. It’s also about the fantasy of going back and trying again. I’m such a positive person and I really wanted to give it an optomisic undertone, so the hard hitting beats and melody represent the celebration of looking back on great times we shared.
TRT: Based off of what we’ve heard so far, it sounds like you’re still blending a mix of genres – pop, dance, rock, etc. Who are some of the artists (past or present) that influence you? Inspire you to push harder?
CW: I fell in love with Queen and prince at a really young age. The melodies and songwriting were just sooo catchy and amazing. Freddie Mercury and Prince have such a incredible way of putting their personality on every one of their songs. And somehow through listening to their music. I feel like I know them. That connection is what I strive for the most when writing my songs.
TRT: As you venture into this solo career, what’s the one thing you want listeners to take away from your music?
CW: I want you to get to know me through my songs… and I really just wanna make music that just grabs you… just as it grabs me when I’m writing it.
TRT: Soapbox: Tell us anything… tour secrets, celebrity crushes, what it was the craziest thing you saw backstage during the Lady Gaga tour…etc.
CW: The backstage scene on the Laga Gaga tour was surprisingly tame. Just lots of whiskey drinking before shows…nothing out of the ordinary. Ooo my celebrity crush has been Mila Kunis for so long… I would love to meet her. She’s so beautiful and seems like such a fun person. Although it might be hard not to call her Meg from Family Guy lol.
Find Chris Wallace at his official site, on Twitter @ChrisWallace101, or “like” him on Facebook.
[…] Chris Wallace, ex-frontman for The White Tie Affair turned solo star, has released the official music video for catchy new single, “Remember When (Push Rewind).” You may recall we fell in love with “Remember When (Push Rewind)” a few weeks back when we had the opportunity to interview Mr. Wallace. The song is insanely infectious with it’s hard hitting beat and relatable lyrics. […]