Chris Moreno has hit on that very special something that’s caught on with social media and streaming platforms, completely catapulting his career at warp speed. Following the recent viral success of his songs “Used To This” and “Running in Place,” Moreno has now just released his brand-new single “Million Reasons.” We had the awesome opportunity to catch up with Chris during CMA Fest and talk with him about the new single, his viral success, playing the Brickshore Media’s “615 Live” event during CMA Fest, and much much more!

(Interview by: Jeffrey Kurtis) 

Brickshore Media's '615 Live' Show Review (June 2022)

https://chrismorenomusic.com/

1) We caught your show during CMA Fest with Brickshore Media's "615 Live." Talk to us about that showcase and how events like that benefit you most?

Thanks for checking it out! I really enjoyed playing there and Brickshore always puts on a great event. Showcases to me are great for meeting new people and other performers and sometimes it's nice to perform a shorter set.

2) Speaking of CMA Fest. It returned after a 2-year absence thanks to the pandemic cancelling it these past two years. Though devasting for the industry, how in the last two years do you feel you've grown as an artist so that during the fest you were able to make an even stronger impact?

I've spent a lot of time in the last couple of years honing in on my sound and songwriting skills, and figuring out what sets me apart as an artist. I've made it a point to release a new song every two months or so and it's helped grow my streaming numbers immensely. I'm grateful for the way that people seem to be connecting with the music and it's been really exciting to see.

3) Tell us a little bit about your new single "Million Reasons.”

I wrote this one along with the duo GoldenWest and it's about unapologetically living life on your own terms. A long time ago I had the realization that life is what you make of it, and nobody can do the work for you, and I find that very freeing. It's a fun song and I just really wanted to release a song that was putting that positive message out there and hopefully it can help inspire someone to take a chance in their own life.

4) You've had some huge viral success this year (which we'll talk about in just a few,) but with all that success why do you feel "Million Reasons" is the perfect follow-up?

"Running in Place" is a song that has taken off for me this year which is amazing, but it's on the sadder side and since I've been promoting it so much I want to be conscious not to pigeon hold myself into only creating one type of song. "Million Reasons" is up-tempo and has a really empowering and positive message so I felt like it was a nice balance and that's a big reason for why I released it.

5) For your longtime fans, what similar signatures will they hear in the song, but also what differences?

I think you'll hear usual pop/country style production, but with a distinct hint of the 90's rock vibes that you've come to expect from me.  :)

6) Speaking on that viral success....what did it mean to you to have "Used To This" hit a million streams on Spotify?

It's amazing! If you asked me two years ago if I would ever be able to hit a million streams on a single song as a completely independent artist, I would tell you that I have some doubts but to see that happen has been so cool. It's usually the song that I close with at shows and it's still probably my most favorite song to perform live and I love the way it gets people moving.

7) A similar experience occurred on TikTok for you when "Running in Place" went viral with 5 million views. In what ways did that success help elevate things for that song in particular the most?

That song has been such a pleasant surprise for me as you never really know when something is going to hit like that. I've gotten so many messages daily from people talking about how much they connect with that song and what it means to them and honestly the success of that song has been probably the coolest experience that I've had in music yet.

8) We talked about the new single already, but what's next for Chris Moreno? EP? Album? More singles?

I just dropped an EP in April so I'm thinking that I'm going to keep the singles coming throughout the rest of this year and into next!

9) Is there a song you've got but haven't released yet that you can't wait for people to hear? If so, why that song? What does it mean to you?

I wrote a song called "Take Me With You" and I think it perfectly encapsulates the experience of letting somebody go in the name of doing the right thing. We love them, but we want the best for them and sometimes that means setting them free. It's the type of song that will have different meanings depending on who's listening and it's that balance of heartbreaking but empowering that many of my favorite songs have in them.  I'm very excited for the world to hear that one. 

10) What one piece of advice can you offer to someone who is just starting out and trying to break into the music industry?

Work on your craft enough to get really good and really concise in your writing. Understand you can always get better and maintain that student mentality. BUT, at the same time do not lose what makes you unique. You will be tempted to conform and mold your style to fit in better with others, but I think this is a mistake. People connect with realness. If you don't feel anything when you're writing your songs, neither will the audience.

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