My boyfriend Chris Perkins and I recently sat down on my bedroom floor around midnight. Unlike most “on the floor” conversations couples may have, I had my notebook in hand, full of questions to ask, and my recording devices ready.
Exhausted from our day, but thrilled for the interview, we hit record and began discussing his latest accomplishment; “Meant to Be.”
This isn’t the telling of our love story, this is rather the love story of Chris Perkins and his music – a romance that was clearly always meant to be.
Perkins is the executive producer and creator of his latest EP “Meant to Be” – a four-song project that spotlights love, life transitions and feelings. Released on May 5, “Meant to Be” features songwriting, vocals, instrumentals, mixing and mastering all done by Perkins, who sometimes refers to himself as a one-man-band. He has been making music for six years.
“It is a way for me to let out, in a way I can’t let out anywhere else,” Perkins said.
Eventually, Perkins created a vision for his music. But, this vision was complex and required a lot of moving parts. Bass, guitar, vocals, production and sound design are just some of the elements required for song creation. Without access to a band or people to collaborate with, Perkins began to fill all those roles himself. Often the lack of access to other artists revolved around creative differences, lack of availability or simply a lack of connections.
Even as a kid, Perkins submerged himself into the music world. He was inspired by bands like Big Time Rush, Lemonade Mouth, Austin and Ally, and Naked Brothers Band. These groups were what drew him towards the guitar.
He explained that he never wanted to be shoehorned into the stereotypical singer-songwriter. He always knew he wanted to do more. Now, he has the skill set to create almost any sound, from house music, to rap, or even to creating anime theme songs.
Photo by: Katelynn Robinson
Perkins’ latest work is a pure demonstration of his growth over the past year. According to the musician, these songs are “[his] best songs [he’s] put out to this date…”
“Meant to Be” holds personal meaning for Perkins. He said it reflects his current mindset toward life.
“Things have a way of falling into place and everything happens for a reason, and everything is meant to be. It is a philosophy I’ve adopted in the past year…,” Perkins said.
The four songs on the EP: “Pineapple,” “Champagne Kisses,” “Memories” and “Thinkin Bout You” take listeners on a journey through love and accepting each moment for exactly what it is at that time.
“These songs are very cohesive thematically, I feel like they all kind of bleed into one another lyrically, sonically and just thematically…before I was just releasing songs, now I am telling a story,” Perkins elaborated.
Perkins emphasized the importance of listening to the EP in order and in its entirety. In this way, listeners will be able to explore the nostalgic feeling of listening to a CD with no skips, taking the time to fully immerse in the complete story being told by the artist.
“Pineapple” was released earlier this year as a single, and the music video – shot by Joshua Hays – was released shortly after the EP. This song is about the beauty of new beginnings.
“Been through all the hard times, to get here just to make you mine.“
Pineapple
“It starts off with Pineapple because it tells the story of being very fresh in a relationship and being excited about it,” Perkins said. “You feel a sense of security, it feels like a breath of fresh air. I think it’s a great starting note.”
Garnering the most streams of any song on the project, “Champagne Kisses” has proven to be a fan favorite. This song has a lighthearted touch that captures the honeymoon phase of any new relationship.
“[Champagne Kisses] kind of continues the story of like reaching the height of a relationship where you feel very in love,” Perkins said. “That’s what the song is about, it’s about enjoying every aspect of the person. Even all their little bits and big bits and all that.”
Photo by: Katelynn Robinson
“Memories” shifts the tone of the EP. The mellow tones juxtapose the warmth of keeping the good times going.
“[Memories] is an upbeat song…this is where the EP shifts and reaches nostalgia territory where you are reminiscing on good times,” Perkins said.
“Thinkin Bout You” is Perkin’s first official collaboration, with beats created by producer KooyaBeats. According to Perkins, it is arguably the most complex song on the EP and can be interpreted in two different ways. He described it as the listener on a journey of “choosing the Red Pill or the Blue Pill.”
The song can be about dissatisfaction and anger that a previous relationship did not work out just as much as it can be about reflecting on past resentment but accepting that they are in a better place now.
“I could have been mad at the way things played out in my past and kept being mad, but I’m not,” Perkins said. “Because things are meant to be, and life is so much better than what it was then.”
Perkins further analyzed the meaning of individual lines in the song.
“The first time I fell in love, I thought I knew what it was made of.“
Thinkin Bout You
“In the past you think, ‘I felt in love with this person,’ and now, I have a deeper understanding of love,” Perkins reflected. “This is a more healthy version of it and maybe this is what it is supposed to feel like.”
Perkins shared that this was a song he was able to have fun with, experimenting and exploring what it was like to feel mad about past outcomes. He played into this role throughout the song but also incorporated an underlying theme: the belief that life always turns out the way it is supposed to. He felt inclined to incorporate the song’s concluding spoken line, “It’s meant to be.”
“It is interesting because I feel like this song feels like a left turn from the rest of the EP. My understanding [of it] is this song is supposed to have that happy ending,” Perkins said. “After “Thinking Bout You” finishes, start the EP over with “Pineapple” and appreciate what you have.”
I asked Perkins how he allows himself to be vulnerable in his songs centering topics others might find intimidating.
“Vulnerability is what connects you to other people because people can take what you say and live through it and understand it,” Perkins responded. “If I don’t feel passionate about it…that is the only thing that really stops me. It is never an issue with being vulnerable.”
Photo by: Katelynn Robinson
Perkins explained that being vulnerable isn’t scary for him because these songs feel natural. His theory is that people gravitate to songs partly because artists understand the privilege of connecting with people through emotions they can’t connect with on their own.
“Audiences are smart and they can see when there’s that vulnerability and that extra level of attachment…and that’s why they gravitate so strongly towards it,” Perkins said. “That’s what happened to me. I gravitate to artists who write their own songs…”
Perkins and I discussed the many influences that played significant roles in this EP. In this part of the interview, we choose to essentially break the third wall. We directly addressed that we have worked together as two creators of different content, but also as a couple. And each of us is helping the other to further their creativity and pursue their passions.
I partnered up with Perkins in the process of shooting the EP cover, and in a fun song-creation exercise, I helped to create the song “Memories.”
“A lot of this EP has been inspired by you and how you’ve helped shape a lot of these songs that are going to be released and helping shoot the EP cover,” Perkins said. “You just had a big hand in it behind the scenes…I’ve fallen so in love with these songs it is crazy to think what if these songs didn’t release or what if I went down my original path with the whole different EP I was going to put out. It’s surreal.”
We debated several aspects of production during our midnight discussion, making this a journalistically biased article. Jokingly, we called this the “most professional, unprofessional interview.”
However, we decided that it was a compelling element that would appeal to readers and listeners.
“I feel like it would be cutting out part of the story if I was just to not say you had an effect on this,” Perkins said. “This whole thing is bringing out the best in each other because you brought out the best in me with these songs and I’m hoping this experience, whatever you do with it, helps bring out the best in you and helps take you to where you need to be.”
As his music improves, Perkins hopes the sentiments he tries to convey in his music will become more clear to listeners.
“I feel like as my music ages, I am a very harsh critic of myself and a perfectionist,” Perkins said. “I hear the imperfections even to this day with prior songs I have released such as with “A One Night Only Event”…I do think I could do a better job with those songs now. But it would not have captured the same emotion as those songs did when they were very fresh during that time.”
Although he said he enjoyed the interview process, Perkins also said, “I want the three-minute song to replace me talking for an hour.”
“Meant to Be” can be found on Apple Music, Spotify and Youtube. For exclusive content and details for projects to come, join the Chris Perkins discord community!
Instagram – @thechrisperkins
Tiktok – @thechrisperkins
Linktree – https://linktr.ee/chrisperkins
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