American Pop Singer, Chris Milo, talks mashing inspiration from 50s riffs to Maluma and Bad Bunny to Ed Sheeran
Chris Milo, American singer/ songwriter/ Latin & ballroom dancer/ producer/ instrumentalist/ actor/ Newsday cover artist – I’m running out of slashes here – spoke to TheReviewGeek about his inspirations and aspirations as he releases new single, ‘Eres Bella.’ With a Rat Pack aesthetic and clear affection for the classics, Milo creates music in both English and Spanish or combining the two – a growing trend in the industry thanks to breakthrough artists around the world.
Previously reaching #2 on New Music Weekly’s Hot 100 with ‘Poisoned Love,’ Milo, a Long Islander of Cuban, Puerto Rican and Italian descent, can typically be found playing in venues in his home court of NYC or Long Island. And occasionally in San Juan. Over video, the 20-year-old entertainer is relaxed, talking about his work and interests.
An old skool kinda guy, he prefers to speak rather than text and work on his music rather than go to parties. Family comes up more than a few times, including his supportive parents and the cousins who worked on his video for 2023’s ‘Somebody to Love.’ Above, you can catch a glimpse of the collective humor – be sure to catch the end of the video.
In addition to writing, singing/playing and producing his own music, he’s also into covering and/or mashing up versions of well-known classics from the Beatles’ ‘Come Together’ and Otis Redding’s ‘(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay’ to more recent hits like ‘Havana’ by Camila Cabello and Colombian singer Maluma’s ‘Hawaii.’ With an ultimate goal of putting on a great live show, filled with audience interaction and surprises (perhaps dancing with two girls at once), Christopher Darrin Milo is ready to roll. “You’ll see a lot from me and, I hope, feel excited by a fresh new vibe.”
Chris Milo. Photo by Joint Beatz Music
Kristen Lazur, TRG: You do a lot of different things. How do you categorize yourself?
Chris Milo: An English/Latin Pop artist. I’ve been getting more into Latin music – I grew up dancing salsa. Recently I had this epiphany – why can’t I combine all these things in one? But also, the Spanish language has a flow that’s really different to English. It’s really fun to sing – I love singing in Spanish.
What do you want to say with your music?
CM: I was inspired by a lot of 50s melodies. I love music that makes you feel good and has a story. If you listen to ‘Somebody to Love’ – there’s a story; something is happening here.
When it comes to lyrics, are you pulling both English and Spanish lyrics from your head? Or writing then translating?
CM: Recently I was writing a song – I’m typically writing a few songs at the same time – and started singing in Spanish with a flow that didn’t translate well into English. It depends on the rhythm. But mostly I write in English, my first language. I learned Spanish later.
Melody comes more easily to me, ‘cause I’m always writing. I have a lot of melodies in my head that I’m able to put out on the piano or guitar. For lyrics, you can say something in a thousand different ways. That was a bit of a challenge in Spanish.
Where does your ‘music gene’ come from?
CM: Surprisingly, no one in my family does music. I come from a family of athletes and used to wrestle. But my dad is a huge influence when it comes to music. Even though he was brought up in the sports realm, he helped me bring that mentality to my music. I’m here because of him.
What inspired your mashups and creative covers?
CM: Ed Sheeran. When I was 14, I saw him doing this loop thing. Watching his live shows on YouTube, I zoomed in. So, I started by looping his songs and then started doing my own and adding more in. He taught me a lot, opened my eyes. Songs are not just one-dimensional but can be so much more. I could fit so many songs within one song.
[Musically] I’m more influenced by genres than musicians. The era of the 50s inspires me. You’ll hear in ‘Eres Bella’ – there’s a 50’s riff in the beginning. That type of music is so simple, so powerful, so good. And I’m trying to bring it back. I’m a connoisseur of music – different genres, eras – I love it. 50s, 60s, 70s – and new stuff too. Pop. Everything.
Multi-language collaborations continue to rise and the pairings are often unexpected. If you were going to collaborate with someone unexpected, what could that look like?
CM: Back in the 90s [Spanish music] was separate. Like with Gloria Estefan – she had to make a crossover album. Now a Spanish song could blow up in Spanish and English, all over the world. Now you don’t need a separate album, like with Bad Bunny.
An unexpected collab? ELO – they bring a type of cinematic music. That would be interesting.
I recently did a collab with Maluma and a cover of his song, ‘Hawaii.’ I was in Puerto Rico for 4 months and met a group of students. They were filming a school project and we asked if they do music videos. So, by chance, I met people similar to me and they did a great job filming the video for ‘Hawaii.’ They had a director, videographer and editor. Shout out to BM Studios in PR.
What does the goal look like?
CM: To play in venues where I’m able to put on a show. Where people leave thinking, ‘I love that show, that music’s great.’ And to do it at a global scale – as big as I can make it. I have a lot of goals in mind, but specifically, an English/Latin type of mixed performance. I started doing solo gigs and recording my own music when I was about 16 or 17. And I’ll continue moving forward, I’m never going to stop.
As you know, TRG is an entertainment review site and I’m always interested in hearing others’ picks. What’s your favorite anime? Movie? Game?
CM: For games it’s Smash Bros (Nintendo) – I play with my entire family and we have competitions. We used to play on random – for some reason I have good skills at this game. But my family is good too. It’s not like I’m beating my seven-year-old cousin… they’re at a high level.
For TV/anime, Avatar: The Last Air Bender – the cartoon version. The comedy, the story, it’s really deep, it’s not just a kid show.
I’ve also been watching Spanish shows on Netflix. Like Romina, a telenovela, about twins. One rich, one poor. One of them dies and the other takes her place. It’s funny and interesting. Check it out, it’s very cool.
What’s the next thing on your list?
CM: I’m in the studio right now recording and producing. I’m working on a lot of new mashups and covers. I love throwing my twist on old music and reviving it. People will see it very soon.
Find Chris Milo here: Website & social links | YouTube channel
Have you been listening to music with lyrics in more than one language? Does not understanding the words change the way you feel about the music? We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below.