Suited to Sing

Christian George has pop star attire. Album to come.

Early afternoon in April '08, Christian George is walking down 5th Avenue while talking to me at ChicagoPride.com on a cell phone. In line with The Big Apple's infamy for its many cellular call-dropping "dead zones," George's voice is going in and out. "It's 55-degrees and the sun's shining," he says through bad reception.

Raised in Pittsburgh, PA, the L.A.-based former model, turned celebrity stylist-turned pop star backup dancer, currently hangs the tailored suits of actor and up-and-coming vocalist in his career closet. Though his past suits were worn with significant success (As a stylist, his fashion sense was used in dressing Kanye West; as a dancer, George sweated on stage and on screen alongside the likes of Will Smith, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears), for George, those figurative suits are now figuratively out of season.

"[In past vacations], I was backing up someone else, making someone else look good and helping other people's careers," George says, "and happily so ... Dancing was very good to me. It took me all over the world ... I have no complaints. But now I'm looking forward to doing what I've ultimately always wanted to do."

As a singer, song writer and recording artist, George can be heard in the Dirt Nasty—-AKA TV and film actor Simon Rex—-rap ballad "Canal St." The track has received upwards of 40,000 plays on myspace.com as of press date. He recently traveled to the east coast to introduce his first single, "Strangers," at the 2008 Winter Music Conference in Miami. The club-scene sounding song reportedly made playlists around the world after its February 2008 internet release.

"...in places I didn't even know had [club] music," George recounts, "like India." Though happily humbled, George likely wasn't altogether surprised by "Strangers'" international appeal. "I think dance music is 'world music,'" he explains. "It's not just domestic. It's the most popular genre in the world." And his label seems to agree. A discotheque-designed debut album is in the works. Filming a music video for "Strangers," under George's direction, is scheduled to start in the coming weeks. "And it's going to be hot, I might add," George adds.

With its movement-inspiring, electric energy, and one of his songs celebrating casual sex, George's lyrical styling sounds perfectly suited for the gay circuit scene. Still sporting a model's physique, his muscle-bound body looks like that of a stereotypical circuit scenester. Hot music video not withstanding, gay guys will probably find George's product hot nonetheless. However, he's straight.

"Some of my best friends are gay," George shares, "and I've never had a problem with [them]. I couldn't have been successful in my field if I did." Working in the fashion and entertainment industries, George witnessed the social hardships that his gay colleagues and friends endured on many occasions. "You have to do what makes you happy," he sympathizes. Of his gay friends' ability to live openly and happily, George notes, "I think it's fantastic."

Following the music conference in Florida, George flew to New York to attend the city's premiere of The Take. The film stars John Leguizamo and Rosie Perez, and features George portraying a character named Bill White. George has also been cast for the leading role in an independent film, currently titled Last Hurrah; production is planned to begin later this year.

With music, movies and meetings there of, George's current calendar is probably full for months. Yet as of this cellular phone call, he's just walking down 5th Avenue, enjoying an early afternoon in April. "It's a beautiful day in New York," he tells me as his signal starts to fade. In fear of losing the connection, he asks permission to call back later from a more reliable land-line.

Christian George can be seen and heard online at christiangeorge.net.