Singer/songwriter Christopher Peyton has cultivated paradox in both his private life and his music career. Born in the seventies in North-Carolina to a conservative-minded family (Peyton is the son of famous preacher, Wesley Peyton); in 2004, Peyton the son co-hosted the UK TV-show Queer Eye for a Straight Guy, in which five gay men offered lessons in good taste to straight men. While his father might not have approved of the show, the son hasn’t abandoned his roots entirely. Christopher began his career at the age of six as the lead vocalist in his father’s gospel choir. That influence is evident in his eponymous debut album which features a number of pop gospel tracks, but also a few tunes that were designed to get the hips shaking in a lewd manner. “A Higher Place”, for example, went on to become an Ibiza anthem and was played at clubs worldwide. In short, Peyton is not a man you can pin a label on: he’s religious, gay, a night crawler, and intellectual – with a degree in English literature. His lyrics are often autobiographical: “Keep The Faith” speaks of his religious beliefs, “Love’s Going’ On” of his ‘coming out’ and how that affected his relationship with his parents. Like the man himself, Peyton is a mesmerizing and lighthearted CD, a cocktail of gospel, soul, and dance music, influenced by artists such as Seal and The Christians. At the same time, it’s a sensitive and intense piece of work; one that transcends all the paradoxes of its creator.
High Note

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Chief editor: Steven Crane
January 2006 issue



Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
January 2006 issue