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Christian Gates (Born July 26, 1993), known professionally as The Philharmonik, is an American vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, music producer and genre defining artist.
The Philharmonik’s musical beginning started in Cleveland, Ohio where he was born. He began taking classical piano at the age of 6 after he attended a concert with his mom. When he returned home from the concert, he began to play songs he heard note for note on the piano. He began lessons the next month with his first piano teacher who played for the Cleveland Orchestra.
In his 2016 rap project, “Good People,” The Philharmonik’s beats, and content echoed an OutKast album with a Sacramento hometown perspective. The Philharmonik debuted his self-produced album “The Philharmonik” in 2018, under Soul Collective (Sacramento, CA) music label. The album includes feature songs “Neon Lights”, “Mama’s House”, “Pay me” and “Good Day” which offer a variety of styles, appealing to a wide audience base. In 2019, The Philharmonik toured the United States and Canada, supporting the single release that year “Drugs”. In the Summer of 2022, The Philharmonik debuted his third album “Kironic” which holds a rich variety of musical styles and meaningful lyrics, reflecting his search for happiness and meaning.
Recently, he has been nationally and globally recognized after winning the 2023 American Song writer contest and NPR’s 2024 Tiny Desk Contest for his song “What’s It All Mean?” (Kironic).
He is celebrated in Sacramento for his music, strong work ethic, support of young local musicians, and advocacy for mental health. Outside of music, Christian enjoys golf, bowling, introspection, and spending quality time with family and friends.
From an early age, The Philharmonik was deeply influenced by musical legends, often hearing the works of Bach, Beethoven, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Prince, Ella Fitzgerald, Earth, Wind & Fire, Ozzy Osbourne, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Santana, The Beatles, and many other artists at home. Composers like Hans Zimmer, James Horner, and country musicians Willie Nelson & Johnny Cash also made the list.
His Hip-Hop and R&B inspirations include Kanye West, The Roots, Outkast, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, India Arie, Alicia Keys, Common, and Chance the Rapper, among others. His biggest influences playlist can be found on Spotify.
The Philharmonik is celebrated for his dynamic live shows at venues like Sol Collective, Harlow’s, The Tree Tone Records, OnTheBlock Party, and across the nation. His album “Kironic” showcases his synergistic soul at its best, with lyrical depth and cultural resonance, featuring collaborations with the George Knapp Band & Fuego Drums. The Philharmonik has written and produced all his music, and his album is available on all streaming platforms.