Christian Guardino found himself soaring through the latest season of American Idol before getting eliminated ahead of the Top 5 round. His time on the show officially came to an end with a dream come true duet with Michael Buble during the Finale. Idol gave him the tools to build a career in music and now, Guardino is using his polished skills to move forward and go “Higher.”
In between performing on the Idol stage and making new connections, the 21-year-old singer from Long Island was writing new music, which led to his latest single, “Higher.” This song was released in collaboration with producer DannyBoyStyles during the competition and received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans.
“Just to see that people are hearing my song and are listening to me, it’s weird because I would never expect it in a million years, but it means so much to me,” he told Music Mayhem.
He had put out a handful of songs before going on Idol, but “Higher” was the start of a new journey. Guardino is feeling more motivated than ever to spend time in the studio, which is why he revealed plans to share his debut album in August. This upcoming project has him feeling “really nervous” and “super hype.”
In a few months, Guardino get to show off what he’s being working on. He will be performing in his first headlining show in his hometown of Patchogue, NY on November 4. “It’s something that I’ve wanted to have for so long,” he shared.
Guardino has been building his musical career for years now, waiting for the chance to get on stage for a performance like this. In fact, at just 16 years old, he was also a contestant on another singing competition show – America’s Got Talent. Idol turned out to be more successful for the singer, but every experience has allowed him to work towards building himself an artist.
He said, “I feel like I got to grow as a performer and as an artist more on Idol than really I ever have anywhere in my entire life.”
This upcoming headlining show is giving Guardino the hope that he will get to spend the rest of his life doing the thing that truly makes him the happiest.
“God really has blessed me, he really has. I’m shocked about it because it’s like, How am I here?”
Christian Guardino sat down with Music Mayhem to discuss his upcoming shows, his debut album, life since Idol and more.
Continue reading to learn more about everything Guardino has been up to.
You recently announced your first headlining show and it’s in your hometown! How does it feel that this moment is finally happening?
For me, it’s mind-boggling only because it’s something that I’ve wanted to have for so long and I never thought I would, but now it’s happening. The past few months I’ve been writing the show and I’ve just been going nuts thinking, “oh my God, what is going on here? How is this happening right now?”
A few months ago, you released your song “Higher.” Tell me about writing this song and what it means to you.
So I actually got into the studio with DannyBoy styles to work on the song and when we met each other, it was like an instant connection. I think we became best friends right away because we both liked to mess around, we both liked to have fun and we both cracked jokes as soon as I started walking into the place. The guy is one of the coolest people and the lyrics of that song, I feel like I hear a story of rising above and continuing to push forward and continuing to go higher. It’s something that I connected with. I love that song and the melody of the song. It was honestly just an incredible time for me.
The response to this song was pretty positive. What has it been like to know all these people are listening to your song and loving it?
It’s awesome. All I could ever want is to share my music with everybody because music is how I kind of communicate, how I feel and the person that I am. So I communicate through music and I communicate through my words that I put in music and what I sing. Just to see that people are hearing my song and are listening to me, it’s weird because I would never expect it in a million years, but it means so much to me.
Idol seemed to really kick things into gear for you. When it comes to your Idol experience, what would you say was your most memorable moment?
Gosh, I mean, there’s so many things that I could say. Meeting everybody was incredible and just being able to travel to so many incredible places was cool. I’ve never been to Hawaii before so that was amazing. For me, It was always just a constant opportunity for me to think outside of the box and to grow as an individual and as a performer. I couldn’t be more grateful for that because I feel that that has really put me in a position that I am ready to have my own headlining show and to go on a tour. It makes me feel happy and it makes me feel blessed that I’ve had that opportunity to learn from incredible people.
Everybody who’s there, like the production team and everybody…I was born with a rare retinal disorder called Leber congenital amaurosis and I told them about that, going into the season. It was gonna be tough for me to get around in the dark and I might need some help getting around backstage cause I won’t be able to see and the production team, honest to God, they were better than my own school. When it came to helping me with my own disability, it was just like, I wasn’t used to that. So I didn’t even know how to handle it. I was like, what is happening? How are people so incredible? I’ve made some of the best friends that I’ve ever made my entire life through this season.
What would you say has been the biggest change for you since being on the show and going back to reality?
There’s a lot. I can make music, I can actually freely make music. I’m making a ton of music right now and I’m planning on dropping my very first album in August, which I’m really nervous about and super hype up about. I’ve been performing, I’ve been traveling, it’s just been a lot, but it’s been crazy. I have a headlining show now. It’s like, how is that possible? It’s weird. So now I’m just riding the wave.
American Idol was the start of the rest of my life. It opened the door for everything that I feel is gonna happen and the things that are coming forward. I’m just very excited.
When did you start working on your album? Can you share any details about what listeners can expect to hear on it?
During the show, actually. A little bit during the process of the show is when I really started to build it. I had some things going on before, some songs that I’ve released before the show and some things I was working on, but the show kind of kicked my ass into full gear. I started to write this theme and write this story that I wanted to tell with the record. The record is really a combination of genres that I love and genres that have meant a lot to me. I’m telling a story throughout each of those genres and being able to work on a record like that and to be able to have the freedom to build it and to write it the way that I wanna write it, it’s really exciting for me.
In 2017, you were on America’s Got Talent. How did that experience relate to that of Idol?
So for me, it was a different experience, a completely different feeling. I was 16 years old at the time when I was on America’s Got Talent and that’s crazy to think about. At the time, I don’t feel that in my opinion, I was close to the performer I am today. I feel that I’ve grown a whole lot since America’s Got Talent.
The difference for me was American Idol. We really got into the nitty-gritty of the music aspect of it. How to perform a song, really getting a crowd to connect with you and getting people to connect with what you’re saying. So I feel like I got to grow as a performer and as an artist more on Idol than really I ever have anywhere in my entire life.
What has been your strive to keep going after not being crowned winner on Idol or Americas Got Talent previously?
Nobody’s gonna be happy that they didn’t win, you know what I’m saying? But I think about it and I think about Jennifer Hudson who made it in seventh place and she’s playing Aretha Franklin in movies today. The platform that the show has given me, and the fact that now, because of this, I have headlining shows coming up and that I can make music the way I wanna make music and whatever. I feel like it’s motivated me to continue to grow as an artist and as a person. It’s about the platform that they give you and what you do with it and how you build yourself. I just want to build myself as an artist. Really, if I could do music for the rest of my life, I’ll be happy.
What are some of your goals moving forward in your career?
As far as goals, I’m always thinking about the next thing I can do. My main goal is to just continue to make music, be able to perform for the rest of my life, to have my show and work with musicians. I wanna continue to push forward with these shows and build myself as an artist. God really has blessed me. He really has. I’m shocked about it because it’s like, How am I here?
I just can’t wait to keep pushing forward, cause this is nuts. It’s been a dream of mine to do for the rest of my life and I’m seeing it start; I’m seeing my life actually begin to start and it makes me feel great.