Vocalist
Christine Elise has been a lifelong vocalist and performing artist. Born and raised just outside of NYC in Stamford, Connecticut, Christine grew up dancing and acting before discovering an unwavering love of music during her adolescence. After countless demo recordings, appearances in print ads, TV, videos, theater, film, and performing on many stages around the region, a vocal scholarship brought her to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, she studied with some of the best in the business while recording original music and headlining venues around the New England area, including notable performances with Michael McDonald, Mavis Staples, and Chucho Valdes at the sold out Agganis Arena for the Berklee Commencement Concert. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in music business & management, Christine continued her professional musical journey working as a singer, session vocalist, and vocal coach in the NYC Metro Area where she presently resides.
Entrepreneur
Upon graduation from Berklee College of Music, Christine immediately entered the music industry with an opportunity to work at Sony Music Entertainment/Columbia Records. Her roster included notable artists such as Beyonce, Adele, J. Cole, Foster the People, Tyler the Creator, and more. During her time there, she saw a void in the artist development area of the business and knew this was where she'd want to influence a change.
After turning down a growth opportunity at the record label, Christine came back to Stamford where she started The Pop Music Academy, a contemporary music school and artist development facility designed to nurture musical talent and prepare artists for real-world application. The Academy quickly expanded from a small office suite to a multi-floor loft space complete with a stage, several rehearsal rooms, and a recording studio.
Soon after, Stamford Recording Studio took on a life of its own, and now works with a consistent clientele of both musical artists and corporate clients including National Geographic, The History Channel, and celebrity voiceover talent.
After many years in business for herself, Christine took her passion to the forefront and launched Elise Music Group. A dream of hers since childhood, she now runs an independent record label by artists, for artists, with a new-wave approach to the classic business model. EMG has a growing roster of recording artists thrilled to be in control of their own careers and backed by a team of industry professionals to help take them to their highest potential, both personally and professionally.
Christine's business ventures have grossed over a million dollars to date. She is proud to be a young, female, minority entrepreneur, self-made and independently owning and operating all of her ventures to this day. She looks forward to a future filled with lots of music, exciting new opportunities, and most of all, inspiring others to accomplish their dreams.
Philanthropist
Giving back has always been important to Christine. During her first year owning The Pop Music Academy, she wanted to find a way to involve her students in helping to raise money for a good cause through music. After exploring the needs of her community, she was connected with Dr. Amy Zabin, a renowned music therapist who led programming at Stamford Hospital. Immediately inspired by her work and the healing benefits of music for patients in healthcare facilities, Christine went on to hold annual fundraisers for the cause for several years.
Upon the growth of her Academy, she began to meet more and more children from disadvantaged backgrounds that struggled to afford the music lessons they so desperately wanted. It was heartbreaking to see the struggles of these children and their families, and after offering many scholarships to her school, Christine sought out a bigger way to help fulfill that need. Soon after, Hope in Harmony was born. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in her hometown, Christine and the rest of her team now serve hundreds of underprivileged children every year in the neighborhoods where they reside. Hope in Harmony uses music to help and heal those in need through a variety of music education and performance programming with both local and well-known organizations like The Boys & Girls Club and YMCA. Funded through the generosity of individuals, private grants, and fundraisers she runs with the support of her other businesses, Hope in Harmony has been operating successfully since its incorporation in 2015, and hopes to enjoy continued growth and the ability to share the healing power of music for years to come.
Writer
During her time at Berklee College of Music, Christine ran The Berklee Groove, Berklee's student voice and newspaper. In addition to her position as Editor-in-Chief, Christine authored many articles enjoyed by the Berklee community and beyond. After graduating, she continued freelance work as a contributing writer for different online websites and blogs, including her popular articles for Sonicbids. Writing has always been a passion for Christine, and she finds much joy curating review and opinion pieces about the music business.
Speaker
Christine has been asked to speak at a variety of events and panels throughout her career. Whether donating her time with a local school or organization to inspire children to accomplish their dreams, or traveling to different locations as a Berklee Alumni Ambassador to share her experiences working in the music industry, Christine enjoys the art of pubic speaking and the ability to educate and motivate others to do what they love.
