Former Port Rex Technical High School graduate Christian Heath (real name Eugene De Wit) is returning to East London on Friday to perform at Legends Showcase.
Pic: SUPPLIED
Heath first started performing after moving to Johannesburg in 2009 but said music has always been his dream job.
“When I was seven or eight, watching concerts on TV, you’d see artists like Bryan Adams, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi fill stadiums. That’s when I realised this is what I want to do when I grow up,” he said.
For inspiration, Heath turned to classic rock stars.
“I come from a rock era so you’re looking at acts like Def Leppard, Journey and so on. My first album, Breaking Ground, was predominantly rock but it also lent itself to a pop rock sound.
Despite being a rocker at heart, Heath isn’t afraid to admit he also draws inspiration from a variety of different genres such as pop and R&B.
“With being a musician, you start to learn to respect all different kinds of music,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges Heath said he has faced as a musician is trying to stay competitive in the digital age.
According to Heath, the rise of online streaming services has hurt small musicians “because there is so much music out there”. With so much competition, getting noticed is increasingly difficult.
Streaming has also lead to a decline in music sales since less people are buying physical albums.
“Many musicians are having to take on second or third jobs because they aren’t making enough money performing,” Heath said.
In addition to declining music sales, Heath says he has also had to deal with declining audience numbers at gigs.
“People just don’t go out anymore,” he said.
The concert on Friday night will feature Heath with local band Third Degree as opening act. Audiences can expect a mixture of Heath’s songs which have managed to chart on AlgoaFM and Wild Coast FM as well as some new material.
Tickets are R80 per person and can be bought from Legends Showcase. Phone 079-435-3094 or 043-721-2794 for more information.
To find out more about Heath and his music, visit his website, find him on Facebook at Christian Heath or follow him on Instagram at @Christian.hth.
