About Chris Davis

Since the age of 8 years old, Chris Davis has been involved in music. From a budding classical musician, performing as part of the Croydon Schools Symphonic Band to local venues including the Fairfield Halls in Croydon, he achieved Grade 5 on the clarinet and gained an understanding of music theory. He also studied GCSE Music and later Music Technology at college. In 2000, he made the transition into singing and begun singing for the John Ruskin College gospel choir group. In 2007 he graduated in Business Economics at Kingston University, London and begun to sing in the St Mary's Church Youth Choir Mass in Croydon. In December 2008, he performed a soul-stirring rendition of Lewis Redner's 'O Little Town Of Bethlehem' during Midnight Mass proceedings. After encountering personal difficulties in his life, Chris found new hope within music again following a successful performance at church and a traumatic departure from employment with HBOS plc. In order to mark a new chapter in his life, Chris decided to record his own rendition of Bill Withers timeless classic ‘Lovely Day’ and this became his first ever solo studio recording.

In early 2009, Chris began writing his own music for his first ever solo EP project. In February 2009, Chris Davis returned to his old high school as a Student Support Services Officer, assisting/ supporting the well-being of students and staff.

In spring 2009, Chris began recording his EP which he hoped would be a collection of soul and classy R&B with a hint of reggae. ‘When I met You’ encapsulates a summery soulful vibe with its light, flowery topical matter about a couple’s first meet. It was first an instrumental concept by close friend and producer Kaan Yavuzel. The song then became a track which Chris describes as an inspiration from Glenn Lewis’s and Musiq Soulchild’s music, in particular Soulchild’s ‘Newness’. Then after Chris wrote this track, he followed it with ‘Like a Dream’, the title track of the EP. Chris describes it as a dreamy-like neo-soul ballad which again started off as an instrumental concept by producer Kaan Yavuzel. In development of the track, Chris drew inspirations from Jill Scott’s ‘Free (Prelude & Epilogue) ’, Michael Jackson’s ‘Butterflies’, Tamia’s ‘Can’t No Man’ and Mary J Blige’s ‘All That I Can Say’. Chris helped to implement the structure of both songs constructing the vocal harmonies, arrangements and melodies alongside Kaan Yavuzel and later Ashley Sayed from Ideen Media/No18 Studios. After forming a new working relationship with studio engineer Ashley and inspired by the sound of dancehall in the summer, Chris started writing ‘Need Someone’. Chris worked on the synth-driven dancehall track together with Ashley, further developing Chris as a solo recording artist and co-producer. In order to celebrate his first ever solo releasing, Kaan Yavuzel produced a Dub Mix of his track ‘Like a Dream’ and this was included on the EP. ‘Like a Dream’ the EP was distributed digitally via major online music stores in the summer of 2009.

Throughout the year, Chris continued to perform as part of the St Mary’s Youth Choir, with his cousin - musician Eldon Murray, in front of packed congregations at his local church of St Mary’s in Croydon. He also performed a rendition of Buckshot Lefonque’s ‘Another Day’ during a segment at the UK Soul Jam, Jazz Café in August 2009 alongside his cousin Eldon Murray on piano. His performance was acclaimed by the crowd, including the likes of soul singer Martine Girault.
In addition, he has performed during various shows and assemblies at the school where he supports, singing renditions of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ and more recently covering Stevie Wonder’s hit ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’ with live musicians. His track ‘When I Met You’ was selected for airplay on ‘The Soulchoonz Show’ in December 2009, airing worldwide and online through various radio stations.

Vocal Range: Dramatic Tenor

Band Members