We recently had the chance to connect with Christian Alfonso and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Christian , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
This is an interesting question because it is something that I think about on a daily basis. We all have quiet, internal battles that we are dealing with but that we avoid sharing, be it for fear of mockery, being seen as “less than”, or purely because of maintaining privacy. I think most people deal with a heavy dose of anxiety. We live in a society that is constantly drowning us in bad news; the speed and availability of local and world news is unprecedented. Since I have this belief that others are battling quiet internal turmoil, I always approach people with a sense of empathy; we are all allowed to have some space to mourn the life that we should’ve had, or take a break from the pressure of our surroundings.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Christian Alfonso and I am a singer-songwriter, producer and film composer originally from Puerto Rico; I’ve been residing in Baltimore for the past 10 years. I have a studio called HighlandSounds Recording Studio in – you guessed it! – Highlandtown, MD. I mainly focus on recording, mixing and producing music for other talented, local artists. I enjoy the concept of collaborating and coming up with ideas while helping fellow musicians find their voice and move forward on their career. It brings me a lot of joy to see people in their element, it is very inspiring.
I also perform in a duo called Quiet the Mountain with composer and fingerstyle guitarist Jimmy Stewart. He’s an extremely talented and kind soul who shares the same ideas and concept of music as I do. Our sound has been described as somewhere in between Simon and Garfunkle and Kings of Convenience. We both play guitars and sing, while intertwining both concepts into a soothing cloud of folk melodies.
Lastly, I also work as a film and media composer. I have a film composition degree from Berklee College of Music. I’ve had several credits in short films that go all the way back to 2004, as well as a credit as the main composer for a feature film that was showcased in Puerto Rico in 2014 titled: “Secuestrado”. There is a new project that I might be a part of that’s being worked on at the moment. It would be a trilogy of films, filmed in Puerto Rico as well, and with the potential to be showcased in the continental US. Here’s for a positive future!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My dad was and still is someone who I look up to and who taught me a lot about responsibilities. Thinking back on it, I remember being a kid and getting upset because I had to do a lot of chores while the rest of my friends where outside playing. But now in hindsight, I cannot be more grateful that he did what he did – there is always going to be time for fun and that ‘fun’ feels better when you know you’ve worked hard for it.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
As difficult as it is to admit, I have to say that there have been many times before where I’ve thought about quitting and starting a new career. Many of the artist reading this interview have probably had moments of doubts about one’s ability to be the best version of yourself. The truth of it all is that – at least in my opinion – having those low moments are part of the building process of an artist. If everything was handed to you and every single thing you tried somehow worked on the first go, that would prevent you from experiencing a different type of growth, a creative drive that only comes from failing and picking yourself up. Give yourself a chance.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
This is something that I realized in recent years about the music industry. There is this push and facade that gets put on about being an artist and becoming rich and famous. The way it’s portrayed is like this: “Hey, you’re a struggling musician looking to be the next star? Come and join *insert streaming platform here* and you’ll be on your way to get your music in front of millions of ears!”. It is true that the potential for getting your music in front of millions is now more attainable than ever before, but the reality is that these companies have a bottom line. That goal is to get as much traffic to their platform as possible to keep the shareholders happy. As musicians, then we end up putting our music out there for free while then getting extremely disappointed that no one is listening. Then the feeling of regret takes over.
The vast majority of us (including myself) might not make it big, so the least we can do is to have fun while doing it and keep most of your integrity intact. You have a lot of value as an artist.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember my kindness and how much I worked to bring happiness and calmness to people’s lives. I hope that they remember my music and that they share it with their loved ones as much as possible. To be immortalized with any form of artist expression of your own creation would be a great honor.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alfonsomusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quietthemountain
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quietthemountain
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@quietthemountain2100?si=ZyEgltlz_IC6RLho
- Other: My Instagram music account: www.instagram.com/helloiamalfonso
Image Credits
Elmer Armijo
