Session Musician, Slide Guitar I Singer I Songwriter
Sought after Los Angeles-based Singer Songwriter Christina Apostolopoulos (gets easy after you say it a few times: A-posto-lopou-los) can really play the slide guitar and reads music. She sings and writes songs reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, and that's not all! Apostolopoulos has a sweet sense of humor and a great presence on stage and is a skilled songsmith. Born in Toronto and raised on the sunny shores of Santa Barbara, she grew up on the music of influential songwriters like Paul Simon and Jackson Browne. Christina began her own guitar journey at age seven. She attended Berklee College of Music on a partial scholarship, where she was featured in songwriting showcases every year of her attendance, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance.
In 2015, Christina relocated to Los Angeles and quickly fell into a supportive community of artists. In 2016, she flourished under that support, exceeding her monetary goal in a Kickstarter campaign to fund her first full-length album, The Only Thing I’m Good At. In 2018, she was a headliner at the WFSU Fest in DTLA, sharing the bill with Kimya Dawson and other female-fronted groups. In 2020, Christina still managed to release three singles and three music videos amid the Covid-19 pandemic, finding creative solace in these projects. Her songs have also had placements in film & television, most recently on The Young and the Restless.
In addition to her solo career, Christina is a sought-after session musician, known predominantly for her slide guitar chops. She has played lead guitar for many bands, including Vista Kicks, wIth whom she opened for The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park in the summer of 2022.
Christina is currently playing lead guitar for Cuffed Up on their fall US tour. Christina plans to continue writing and recording her own music while fostering new collaborations in Los Angeles. She also loves teaching and being a positive, patient influence for a younger generation— especially young women.
Enjoy this brief interview with Christina!
SE:Have you done studio/session work in LA? You must be good at reading music. Is that something you learned at Berklee or before?
CO:I’ve played sessions at Warner Music Group, Clear Lake Studios and other great spaces for artists like Georgia Nott, Emily Anderson, Kimi Recor, Steph Sloan, and many more. I often play slide guitar in sessions. I started guitar when I was 7 and studied classical music for several years, so I’m comfortable with sight reading and have always enjoyed it.
SE:Do you write both lyrics and melodies for your songs?
CO: Yes I do. I usually start with a lyrical concept, then play melodies and chords on the guitar and make up lyrics related to the initial concept while I’m playing.
SE: The Stones concert at Hyde Park you opened for playing with Vista Kicks. What was the biggest surprise or something you learned from that experience?
CO: Yes Summer 2022! I had a lot of behind-the-scenes technical takeaways, like how to keep the energy of a smaller room when you are on a big stage and far away from each other (and how to use the appropriate power adaptors in foreign countries so your gear stays intact!) More than anything though that experience encouraged me to dream bigger. Growth only exists outside of your comfort zone.
SE: Future plans this summer? new recording or working on new songs/vid, collabs?
CO:So many future plans! I just finished writing and recording a full-length album with Cuffed Up, a punk band that I joined last fall. We’ll be playing the new album in its entirety at the Knitting Factory in LA June 8th, then touring the west coast in mid July. I’ve also started a new project with my friend Steph Sloan, a former Berklee classmate of mine who is an incredible drummer + singer/songwriter. We are called Good Juice: a female White Stripes-esque duo.
SE: What's on your wish list - artists to work with!
CO: I’m really interested in what Phoebe Bridgers does musically, & professionally with her Saddest Factory label. I would be deeply honored to work with Jackson Browne, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Susan Tedeschi, Larkin Poe, The Chicks, Lizzo, Margaret Glaspy, John Mayer, Chris Thile, and so many more than I can list here.
SE: Favorite food?
CO: Too many. Everyone who knows me knows I am a sweets person. Probably sour candy belts!
SE: Your favorite song to cover and 1st song you learned to play
CO: My first sight reading book was Beatles themed, so probably “Yellow Submarine”. My favorite song to cover changes all the time, but lately I’ve been playing more Greek songs. I made an arrangement of the the Greek classic “Sinefyasmeni Kiriaki”, which I really enjoy playing live & for my Greek family members.
SE: Your 1st guitar (brand) and who gave it to you? Your all-time favorite guitar to have.
CO: My first guitar ever was a Yamaha nylon string acoustic. My all-time favorite guitar is my 1980s Washburn semi hollow. I also recently purchased a little rubber bridge baritone Recording King from Old Style Guitar Shop in LA, which has been fun to write with.
