I recently got to ask Christian Kuria, an incredibly talented guitarist, and singer/songwriter from the Bay Area, California about his guitar playing, his songwriting process, and his outlook as a musical artist.

First off, what is your name and where do you hail from?

My name is Christian Kuria and I live in Vallejo, California. I’m a proud San Francisco Bay Area native.

I stumbled upon your guitar playing on YouTube and was blown away. How long have you been playing and are you self-taught?

I got my very first guitar on Christmas of 6th grade. I was 12 years old then and now I’m 21 — so I’m coming up on 9 years this December. I’ve never actually had a formal lesson other than my uncle teaching me my first three chords. Within a month or two of starting, I was playing in church which really accelerated my learning.

I see you have that awesome Fender Jaguar. How many other guitars do you have and what are they?

I have 2 main electrics and one main acoustic. Other than the Jaguar, I own an Ibanez Artcore AFS75, which is a hollow body guitar. My acoustic is a Breedlove American Series dreadnaught. Other than those, I have a Little Martin acoustic and three other Walmart-cheap, elementary-grade guitars that aren’t really worth the mention.

Which one of them is your favorite and why?

In terms of value, the Breedlove acoustic takes the crown. It was given to me as a surprise gift from a family member in a real time of need. I was playing a cheap acoustic that was giving me issues, so it was a real blessing given that I couldn’t afford anything at the time. As far as electrics go, my Ibanez probably my favorite to play when I’m performing alone, but the Jag is my most versatile guitar.

Besides playing the guitar, are there any other instruments that you play?

I can create not-terrible sounds on bass and drums. I could probably trick you into thinking I can play the piano, but that’s because I play relatively well in only one key. I know enough to occasionally perform on keys during some of my shows, but not as much as I do on guitar. It’s frustrating to have achieved a certain caliber on one instrument and have to struggle your way around on another. Then again, I am my own worst critic when it comes to all things music.

In terms of playing, I see you have a blues/neo soul background. Who are some guitarists you look up to?

So many of the guitarists I look up to are YouTube-based. I absolutely love Todd Pritchard’s playing; I don’t think I’ve ever heard a guitarist who has a better grasp on neo-soul playing. He’s great. Isaiah Sharkey is another great player. Myles Jasnowski is one my favorites too. I also pull influence from blues players like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, etc…

You do some really great guitar jams/covers on your channel and Instagram, did you learn to solo through music theory or through improvisation and ear?

Definitely by ear. Being that I did my second half of high school online, I devoted nearly all of my free time to learning every guitar lick and run on John Mayer’s Where the Light Is live album. I was learning Albert King, Clapton, and Buddy Guy by way of listening to this guy in his 30's play pop tunes I heard on the radio. Recently, I’ve started picking up some theory. . . Except modes. I don’t get modes for the life of me.

As I stated before, I stumbled upon you on YouTube and eventually Instagram. In the age of social media, how important is it to market yourself through these means?

I think humanity is coming to terms with the fact that social media marketability determines whether or not a content creator is successful. I suppose there are some exceptions, but for the most part, if you’re trying to “make it,” social media is your means in doing so. As an artist, I see it as a platform on which I can promote my art, reach out and if not make someones day. I’m still trying to figure it out, but in a nutshell, it’s very important.

You've recently released your EP Temporary Love. What is your songwriting process like? Do you tend to write the music first or the melody?

Songwriting for me is a natural response to external or internal stimuli. I’ll hear an idea, have some deep, philosophical epiphany, get sort of depressed about something, or just hear a song and I’m instantly inspired to write. Most of my songs are based off of a vibe I heard elsewhere. Sometimes, I’ll start playing a random chord progression on acoustic guitar and slowly build my thoughts on top of those chords in lyrics. Other times, a melody will pop in my head and I build on that. Lyrics almost always come last.

Caero is the producer of the EP. What is it like to work with him? Is it a collaborative effort?

Caero (Cameron Munoz) is an incredible artist in his own right. In addition to producing, he’s a composer. He creates these huge-sounding orchestral and electronic pieces with nothing but Logic Pro X and a keyboard controller. It was actually his idea to make the EP. We recorded “Walk on Water” and “Bad Habits” on one day, and he proposed the idea of making an EP. He really brought my songs to life in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to on my own. It was definitely a collaborative project.

Who mixed and mastered Temporary Love?

Caero

What are your top five albums of all time?

5. Blak and Blu - Gary Clark Jr.

4. Voodoo - D’Angelo

3. Radius - Allen Stone

2. Malibu - Anderson .Paak

1. Continuum - John Mayer

Who are some songwriters that have influenced your own songwriting?

I have such respect and appreciation for Bob Dylan’s writing style and I think it’s influenced the way I approach writing lyrics. Sam Cooke and Ray Charles are big influences as well. I’m also influenced by modern Hip Hop artists, such as Chance the Rapper, Bryson Tiller, Logic and Kendrick Lamar. The list goes on.

For new fans of your music, which other artists would you compare your style of music to?

That’s a tough one. I think my music sounds like a mix of John Mayer, and John Legend with a bit of Allen Stone in there somewhere.

What can we expect from you in the future, Christian?

I’ve already started the writing the next project, so a follow-up to Temporary Love is in the works. You can expect a lot more guitar jams. I plan on putting a more of a focus on acoustic vocal covers in the coming months.

For other aspiring musicians/singer-songwriters out there, what is one piece of advice you'd like to give?

This is advice I try to follow in my own life as musician: whatever your craft is, be confident in what you can do, but always leave room for growth. Never become satisfied with where you are in your skill or career; always strive for growth and development of your art. At the same time, don’t compare yourself to others, because one of the beautiful things about music is that it isn’t a competition. Push to be the best only you can be.

I would like to thank Christian for being able to answer my questions. He is incredibly talented and you should all check out his EP, Temporary Love, on ITunes as well as his YouTube page! Here is the title track off of his EP:

Follow/support Christian on here:

Instagram :https://www.instagram.com/christiankuria

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristianKuria

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chris-Kuria-1855374717909...

Apple Music: https://itun.es/us/T02Ueb

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/chriskuria/set

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1wHbyr