By Chelsea Pittman
“There’s so much power in deciding something and going for it.”
Christopher Peyton, known by his stage name, Peyton, has spent 12 years blessing House music with his gospel-sounding vocals and songwriting. He has collaborated on numerous projects with the legendary Eric Kupper, created a track with the late Frankie Knuckles, and, as he puts it, “raised a lot of roofs” throughout his career. After much persuasion from DJ and founder of Fierce Angel Records, Mark Doyle, Peyton has now released a collection of his best songs and projects under the title Peyton: Ibiza House Sessions. This collection is available for purchase on iTunes and Beatport, as well as on a physical CD. The CD includes 24 full-length, unmixed tracks, while the digital version contains 26 tracks, including two DJ mixes by Mark Doyle: The Beach Sessions and The Uplifting House Sessions. The release features Here I Am by Peyton and Eric Kupper, Beautiful with Director’s Cut featuring Frankie Knuckles and Eric Kupper, and Heavenly Vocal Mix of In Love with My Life by Peyton and AArkoss, among many others. Check out the full tracklist here.
Last Saturday, I had the chance to chat with Peyton from his home in Ibiza. He wore what he describes as his “old librarian glasses” during our conversation. Despite being sleep-deprived (a storm had rocked the little Mediterranean island the night before) and experiencing some technical difficulties, he exuded the same energy and liveliness as his songs. After the usual pleasantries, we quickly shifted to discussing the state of House music. After 12 years in the industry, Peyton has witnessed a shift in both House music and EDM overall. The soulful, lyrical music he creates has fallen out of trend, with festivals and clubs now filled with listeners more focused on substances than the music itself.
Peyton: “Soulful house or classic house isn’t exactly what you’d call ‘ready’ today, but for me, that’s what House music always was meant to be. I love music that connects with people on the dance floor without needing any substances to feel it, you know what I mean?”
“The connection comes from the content. It comes from the message. It comes from the soul you feel from the artist you hear. That’s the magic of House music. Sadly, these days, the House seems empty. ‘Empty House’—ha! That’d be a good album title! Not my album, obviously, haha.”
Another major shift in the industry since Peyton’s start with Hed Kandi in 2003 is the way people listen to music. We went from purchasing music to downloading it for free online, and now to relying mostly on streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music. This change in how music is obtained led Peyton to release his last project, Beach House Sessions, for free download at his shows and online. He initially resisted selling his new project. We even laughed about how strange it seemed, just a few years ago, for an artist not to want to sell their music.
Peyton: “Mark insisted we create something we could sell, but I fought him. I said, ‘No, I really want a CD that I can pay to press up and give away at my gigs. I don’t want to deal with contracts and all the work required to make a sellable CD because people aren’t buying music enough to justify the effort.’ We went back and forth on this, and looking back, I can’t believe I argued against selling my music. It sounds absurd now. He had to convince me—bully me—to create this Peyton collection for sale. That really says a lot about the state of the music industry: when an artist fights against selling their own music because they don’t think it’s worth the effort. That’s how bad music sales are.”
But this speaks more to the artist than the industry itself. Peyton continues to create regardless of the financial climate, working to deliver music that his fans can truly connect with. His lyricism and inspiration often come from personal experiences—whether it’s falling in and out of love or his drive to continue writing uplifting, gospel-inspired music from his background. With a literature background, Peyton has the eye to deeply and critically examine the world around him and articulate what people need to hear, making him an ideal artist for his genre.
Peyton: “As a writer, I think I’ve matured a lot. In the early years, when I was with Hed Kandi, many of the songs I wrote were similar to gospel because that was a huge part of my musical heritage. I was almost afraid to write anything other than uplifting, gospel-like songs. That was my forte. But over the years, I’ve pushed myself and expanded my range, and I believe my writing has matured.”
It’s safe to say that in any profession, time teaches you more about your craft. Some lessons are technical; others reveal more about yourself and how you want your work to affect others. I asked Peyton what the most important thing he’s learned in his years in the industry was, and it was refreshing to hear how passionate he remains about building a connection with each person who attends his shows. After over a decade of performing across the globe—sometimes in the best, other times in the worst conditions—he has learned not to let his job feel like just another day at work. He aims to make every performance special and impactful.
“That kind of in itself tells you about the state of the music industry: when an artist is fighting to not sell his music because he doesn’t think that it’s going to be worth the effort”
Peyton: “None of us are always at our peak, but I’ve always strived to make each performance genuine and to connect. Sometimes that means getting off the stage and mingling with the crowd, which I do a lot. I prefer seeing into people’s eyes. When I perform for large crowds and can’t see anyone, it’s just not as satisfying. When I perform for 26,000 people and can’t see anyone, I don’t enjoy it the same way I do when I’m right in the crowd’s face, singing to them, feeling their breath on my neck as they dance. For me, it’s about feeling that direct connection. If I can see them physically, I can affect them spiritually.”
The more I listened to Peyton’s introspective responses, the more inspired I became. He represents what every true artist strives to be. Sure, fame can provide a broader audience and deeper reach, but in an age where fame is no longer a novelty, it’s hard to find an artist as sincere and giving as Peyton. His artistry is selfless. Because of that, he has been able to be honest with himself and take a risk by doing something different in his career. This change has re-inspired him and, I believe, will excite his existing fans while drawing in many new ones.
Peyton: “I want to step away from writing within the narrow genre of dance music. It’s no longer inspiring or challenging for me. I think I stuck with it before because it was what brought in income, so I channeled all my creative energy into it. But now, I’m working on a new project, a new album, and it’s not a dance music album at all. It has all the soul, power, and grit of the music I’ve made up until now. By next year, I should be releasing a brand new Peyton album in a completely new way. It just feels right, and once you decide to go for something, all sorts of things you never could’ve imagined will help you achieve it. There’s so much power in making a decision and going for it.”
I feel like if I can physically see them I can spiritually effect them.
An artist’s path is never easy. With so many options available, it’s hard to know which direction to take. Even when you find comfort, what provided you with security can change. Peyton reminds us that it’s okay when that happens and encourages us to take risks because our calling may have many ways it can be shared with the world. This latest release, assembled by Mark Doyle, marks a fulfilling moment in Peyton’s career for any fan. But rather than calling it a “best of” mix, I see it as a snapshot of his journey so far. His gift for connecting with his audience doesn’t end on the dance floor. It extends to his spirit, and it will undoubtedly carry him into the future. The best is yet to come for this deserving singer-songwriter, and I can’t wait to see where his next musical endeavors take him.
Peyton: “When I used to sing in church, I’d pray that God would use me as an instrument, but nothing more. I’d ask that He direct the crowd’s attention away from me and towards Him. Even though I no longer consider myself religious, I still pray for the same thing. I want my show to be about more than just ego—it should elevate people to a higher place. That’s always been my mission, and it still is.”
Check out the promo video for Peyton’s new release: Fierce Angel Presents: Peyton – Ibiza House Sessions.