Meet Christine Aprile of Virgin Pool in Los Feliz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Aprile.

Christine, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been playing classical guitar since I was 12, so I suppose that’s where it all started! It’s been a rather winding road. I went to art school to study film and video, and during that time I became interested in composing and producing music. After I graduated, I moved to Austin TX, where I began playing synthesizers and performing with various bands, touring North America and Europe and just generally learning the ropes of being an independent musician.

I started an electronic project called Silent Diane back in 2009, but I felt the urge to branch out towards more organic elements, so I picked up classical guitar again in 2014, and so Virgin Pool was born.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Well, the life of a musician in this day and age is quite challenging. Part of the reason I decided to produce and engineer my own music was out of both creative and financial necessity. But that’s also one of the beautiful aspects of the music industry right now: you can make professional sounding music with very little gear! I learned how to produce through many years of watching friends, and through my favorite teacher YouTube, who holds classes 24/7.

I also had to discover ways to support myself financially that would still allow the necessary flexibility to pursue music. I’ve been reading tarot since I was 15, and since moving to LA, I’ve become a professional tarot reader, Reiki Master, sound healer and metaphysical writer.

Becoming Reiki attuned helped me gain clarity and perspective with my music career, and having multiple outlets for my skills took the pressure away from the idea that I have to “make it” with my music. Instead, I’m allowed to create what comes through me.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Everything I do is an act of healing. I have a very hard time boxing myself into any particular genre or catchphrase, and frankly, I don’t feel it’s really very necessary. For me, creating is an act of magic. Sometimes my songs show up in a dream, or all of a sudden, the song is just there, and all I do is I try my best to capture what I hear in my head. I also create my own music videos and do my own art direction. Since I’m a compulsive songwriter and constantly writing, I have quite a bit of new music in the works. I’m currently recording a full length album for Virgin Pool and I’ve also been working on new music for my electronic pop project Silent Diane, collaborating with Jose Cota of BOAN and Ssleeperhold.

What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been a whimsical nerd and growing up in Indiana, I often felt quite isolated. My interest in metaphysics and music started young. I used to sing for hours and hours to no one, pretending that I was on stage. I would sit at the piano at my grandparent’s house and compose “free jazz” recitals that I’m sure drove everyone insane. I was the goth kid in madrigal choir that sat alone, brooding with my Kurt Vonnegut books, but then got on stage and smiled and sang like everyone else. There were many attempts to “save my soul” from well-intentioned Christian friends, but I just kept coming back to tarot cards and magic spells.

I used to be quite shy, and it’s taken a lot of work to overcome that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://virginpool.bandcamp.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginpoolmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginpool
• Other: https://www.thereceptive.org

Image Credit:
Head Shot (Color, yellow hues), shot of me reading tarot – By Alexandra Kacha, Black and White pic with dog – Daniel DiDomenico, Live shot on stage – Sergio Flores, Other images – Video stills by Virgin Pool

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