Adrian Releases First Single Debut

The first single to Adrian Christian's upcoming album is "All Consuming Fire,"a ballad that is part Pop radio, part Contemporary Christian, and one hundred percent inspiration.

When Adrian was prepared to release music, much care was given in choosing the right material.

"At first, I was planning to release two albums," he reveals, upon meeting with his producer, Kevin Leach, at the studio in North Hollywood. "One was going to be a Christian album, with the working title, Inspired. The other was going to be a Pop album.

But then he had a more interesting idea.

"As time went on, from touring churches over the last few years, and seeing the needs of my original base of followers - I noticed that they hung in there with me all these years. It became clear that although I sang Christian songs in churches, that my place was in pop music."

So Adrian began constructing a concept that was autobiographical. The result is a concept album that tells a coming-of-age story, about a man in search of his true identity. The sounds and textures of the tunes represent the places where Adrian has been in his life, and where he found his calling. Soulful, accessible, contemporary, urban, edgy. These are all descriptions that depict the flavors of Adrian's upcoming debut.

The interesting idea was, instead of making two albums, to make just one, and to include one inspirational song - a Christian-Pop song, as its first single. The rest of the album is mainstream Pop. Instead of having the song be in the Praise & Worship mold, Adrian chose to have the song duly placed for Pop radio, with a sound often heard on Top 40 radio stations.

"I did that because it is clearly who I am," he says, with a smile.

Adrian spent a good part of the past decade singing in progressive and inclusive churches, long before the terms "progressive" and "inclusive" were the trend. When he first began singing in these churches that catered to the LGBT community, there were only a handful of established touring acts who were openly gay and Christian - about three or four, to be exact, including him.

In finding his voice in these churches, Adrian soon discovered that he had some unique distinctions from the other performers. The other performers, while they came from diverse backgrounds as singers (theater, opera, choral, cabaret) - they were mainly Praise and Worship singers. The difference with Adrian Christian was that he was in fact a Pop singer, with a track record to prove it. His approach reflected that sensibility.

"I had been used to performing in clubs, and in musical theater, and in concert," he noted. He admits freely that not all churches were quick to embrace his Las Vegas style, but he further explains, "I noticed people from Baptist backgrounds, and Gospel music. People like Kirk Franklin. It took me some time to realize what they were doing, and the difference between 'performing' and 'praising'; I think a big difference is that a lot of what happens in worship is in the very moment one is reaching out to God. I always understood that the gift didn't come from me, that it came from God. It was confusing because there is rehearsal involved just like concert performing - but it's completely different. Singing for the Lord and bringing people together in worship is an experience unlike performing in concert."

In addition, Adrian spent some time in Lutheran churches, Episcopal churches, and he was raised Catholic, so he understood reverence for the Word as well as for the Hymn. In the end, he found within himself what rang most true in his communication with God.

"I take it back to my love of prayer, and my connection with God as long as I can remember. I remember most, being four years old, and praying to God. I remember singing in church at age 7 and sensing the Spirit close to my heart and soul. And in the most turbulent times of my life, that's what always got me through. So I decided, upon making this record, to breathe through it and be as honest as I possibly can."

The result is a song that has the layers and sounds of reverence, for beauty of life, along with the spitfire passion that is associated with Adrian Christian's performances. It's a Christian song. It's a Pop song. It's an Adrian Christian song.

The accompanying music video to All Consuming Fire was released to a great reception, literally. There was a premiere opening party at a movie theatre in Los Angeles. Yes, people came to a movie theatre to witness the music video for the first time, while eating popcorn. The world premiere red carpet affair was held at the Crest Theater in Westwood. The famous movie palace was originally built by Jane Fonda's mother, Frances Seymour Fonda (also wife of Henry Fonda and mother of Peter Fonda) in the 1940's.

Upon the music video's release on YouTube, All Consuming Fire received 4,000 views in its first month alone.