Stephen Christian | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Stephen Christian Arnold |
Born | July 28, 1980 Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States |
Genres | Acoustic rock, Alternative rock, Ambient, Baroque pop, Pop-punk |
Occupations | Songwriter, Musician, Author |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano |
Years active | 1999–present |
Labels | Universal Republic Tooth and Nail Wood Water |
Associated acts | Anberlin Anchor & Braille SaGoh 24/7 |
Stephen Christian (born July 28, 1980) is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin and his side-project Anchor & Braille. He and his bandmates started Anberlin in 2002, after the demise of their previous group, known as SaGoh 24/7. Christian is a counter-tenor and has a powerful, elegant vocal style and wide vocal range. He is also one of the main songwriters of the band, along with Joseph Milligan.
Anberlin has released five albums, Blueprints for the Black Market, Never Take Friendship Personal, Cities, and New Surrender. Their fifth studio album, Dark is the Way, Light is a Place was released on September 7, 2010. Anberlin has also released a compilation album, Lost Songs, and Christian also has an acoustic solo project under the name of Anchor & Braille, whose debut album Felt produced by Aaron Marsh of Copeland released on August 4, 2009 after being completed in 2008. He is also the founder of Wood Water Records which is also the home of Anchor & Braille. Christian wrote a book, The Orphaned Anything's, which was released online in spring of 2008.
Contents |
Personal life
Stephen Christian was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[1] Christian attended Winter Haven High School along with fellow bandmates Deon Rexroat and Joseph Milligan.[2] Following the completion of high school, the three formed the band SaGoh 24/7, which eventually transformed into Anberlin. Christian's younger brother Paul was an influence on some of the band's music. He is a graduate from University of Central Florida,[2] with a bachelor's degree in Psychology.[3] Christian currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
Christian co-founded Faceless International along with his two friends, Seth Cain and Sarah Freeman. Faceless, a non-profit organization focused on fighting human trafficking and modern day slavery,[4] "aims to defend the plight of exploited people worldwide who have gone faceless and unknown for far too long". The group organizes and undertakes humanitarian trips to areas in need, both internationally and domestically.[5]
Christian's father worked with a non-profit organization called American Medical Relief that supplied medical equipment to third world countries, so he was exposed to humanitarianism at a young age. In an interview with myMag, Christian recalls going to Mexico with his father and seeing people living in garbage dumps and sifting through to find pieces of metal to scrap for food. Christian's father had plans to set up a hospital in the dump, and that is where Christian said the first seed was planted. Christian's involvement with American Medical Relief and other non-profit organizations made him want to take action. He attended college for it with plans to work for Habitat for Humanity or UNICEF, but Anberlin was signed a month after he graduated.[4] Christian's experiences with humanitarian efforts were inspiration for several of the bands' songs.
Discography
- SaGoh 24/7 - Servants After God's Own Heart (1999), lead vocals
- SaGoh 24/7 - Then I Corrupt Youth (2001), lead vocals
- Anberlin - Blueprints for the Black Market (2003), lead vocals
- Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal (2005), lead vocals
- Anberlin - Cities (2007), lead vocals
- Anberlin - Lost Songs (2007), lead vocals
- Anberlin - New Surrender (2008), lead vocals
- The Human Flight Committee - Oh, When The Animals Unionize (2008) guest vocalist on the song "Russian We're Barely Moving"
- Anchor & Braille - Felt (2009), all songs, vocals
- Craig Owens - With Love EP (2009) featured vocalist on the song "Products of Poverty"
- Anberlin - Dark is the Way, Light is a Place (2010), Vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer
- Darling Parade - "Remember" (featuring Stephen Christian of Anberlin) (2011)
Books
References
- ^ "myYearbook QAnberlin 's Question: Q: Where are you originally from? Just curious... A: i was born in kalamazoo, michigan but raised in St". Chatter.myyearbook.com. http://chatter.myyearbook.com/view/27588676/53c23fd3-2d1c-4bec-8515-e9021ede7908. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
- ^ a b "Topic Galleries - South Florida". Sun-sentinel.com. 2011-10-19. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/music/sfl-anberlin-buzz-bake-sale-1203,0,7669057.story. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
- ^ "Suburban Roads". Suburban Roads. 2007-02-09. http://www.suburbanroads.net/interviews/anberlin.html. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
- ^ a b http://www.myyearbook.com/?mysession=bWFnX2FydGljbGVfcmVhZCZhaWQ9MzQ0OTg=
- ^ "Be the Change". Faceless International. http://www.facelessinternational.com/content/about.php. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
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