Steamboat opera is essentially a one man (with a little help from friends) operation, that has grown from working in the heart of Toronto’s music production industry. The mind behind the music, Christopher Martin, is a Mississauga born artist who has cultivated a soulful and eclectic sound in the tracks offered through this particular project.

Taking third place in the International POP Goes DaisyRock competition, music from Steamboat Opera has garnered a lot of attention from fans and industry alike. The variety of sounds and moods gives a great sense of versatility to this band’s brand of pop, especially given that the genre is often accused of being too redundant. Just a quick flip through the tracks available and it is quite clear that Chris is working from a rich tool kit of musical experience. Even the accompanying vocals work seamlessly with each of his tracks.

After the band's recent fan-voted win, we grabbed a quick interview to get to know the talent behind the music… so without further ado,

Introducing Steamboat Opera:

Hi I'm Chris Martin (not the guy from Cold Play). I'm a studio rat and I like weird noises. I love playing with gear, synthesizers, and plug-ins, and combining sounds together to form quirky songs. I write, compose produce, and sing almost everything for this project.

I have a friend name William Organ who jumps in from time to time, recording my vocals or guitar work, collaborating creatively and adding his polish. He's a really talented cool dude that I've known since I was a kid.

It is amazing that so much sound comes from one person. What is your history in terms of music?

I used to make and sell hip-hop beats for MCs as a hobby, and that gave me some cash and helped me through Public Relations in college. Then, with the encouragement of a friend, I starting pitching my work, composing scores and developing sound design for TV commercials. Soon I started assembling pieces I had composed, building them out, and recording myself on vocals on top. I chipped away at that until I was set on 12 songs; and that is what has become "Steamboat Opera".

And William, he was schooled in audio engineering and likes weird noises too. When things get extra technical with recording, the mix, or an aspect I'm having trouble achieving, he's a great guy to have in my corner. He knows his stuff.

And the name...?

That name (Steamboat Opera) was one of about 50 I tried on and it stuck mainly because it felt to me like a very suiting abstract description of my sound. It was also free everywhere online, and it's the only one I haven't become sick of yet.

How would you describe your sound?

That is always the hardest question for me to answer.... I don't really have much of an idea of how to describe it in a word or two. It's fairly eclectic. I guess its "Electro Indie Pop", inspired by 80's dance music, Euro indie rock, 90's hip-hop, and everything else I've ever heard.

People often tell me it's a bit like MGMT, but I don't know...

What do you feel is the most rewarding thing about making music?

It's the idea of putting together an abstract sensory-based creation that is rooted in my own personal emotion, then setting that creation free into a world of others' individual experiences and perceptions, and through that, drawing and establishing an emotionally charged connection with a complete stranger.

Music speaks where words fail. That is a beautiful thing. If people dig my stuff and retain some sort of emotion as a result of listening to it, then I feel understood.



Very poignant. What is the biggest challenge facing ‘new’ artists today?

The hardest thing for me, and I assume most indie artists, is getting people to give you their time and ears. There is only so much time in a day and there is just so much that is being thrown at all of us, and there are so many outlets competing for attention all of that time...

To get someone who can actually make a difference in your music career to just give you a few minutes and listen to your stuff is incredibly difficult. Unfortunately, a lot of the time "they" only start to listen when you've already made it on your own.

How did you first find Supernova.com?

I think I found it through Twitter actually. It's a good tool. The competitive nature of some of the contests forces you to promote yourself and believe in what you are doing. I'm not a competitive guy, but it doesn't hurt sometimes.

It's also pretty dope for me to be able to see what everyone else in my shoes is up to. For the average music fan, it's a super source that helps you find all kinds of great acts, cool tunes, and local shows.

Where is your favourite place to practice or play?

I have a studio that I share with a few people for work stuff, but I find what I feel is my best creations always come out when it's like 3:00 am, I'm over tired and in my pj’s, and I'm just messing around with the gear in my bedroom.

What would be your key ingredients for a good performance?

Energy, passion, and commitment to your creation. You have got to love how you sound.

Who would be your music mentor?

Will (my homie that jumps in here and there), and my friend Scott McManus. Those two dudes are schooled audio engineers. They are turbo skilled gear heads who have been doing this for ages. Those two taught me almost all of my technical skills and have helped me grow in this field in so many ways.

Do you believe there is such a thing as ‘bad’ music?

I don't think there is bad music, at all, anywhere. There is surely a ton of music out there that I can't find a connection with, but those same songs I'm sure connect with all kinds of other people; and I think that's absolutely amazing. It's all an emotional expression of some sort and I love and value that in its entirety.


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Thought Steamboat Opera has no plans to tour in the future, Chris is actively creating more music and would like to see how people react to his tunes in real life.

For now, be sure to check out all of Steamboat Opera's music here on Supernova, and leave Chris a comment to let him know how much his music moves you... we hope to see him up on the big stage very soon!