Singer-songwriter raised by artistic mother leads Colorado Springs band

By Kristian DePue

Photos by Gray Warrior of Gray Filter Photography.

The pandemic forced CC and the Silhouettes to cancel a 2020 tour of the centennial state. But as Alexander Graham Bell said, “when one door closes, another opens.” The band quickly redirected efforts and entered their bassist’s 1116 Studios in downtown Colorado Springs to record a five-track EP called “Love/Labor,” released last November.

“In the studio, I was intentional to cross genres to see what might click,” says Christina Wells, songwriter and vocalist of CC and the Silhouettes. “With Spotify, you can see how many listens a specific song gets — and surprisingly, all five have been listened to equally! ‘Closer’ has a Sara Bareilles, pop-style; ‘Somebody Like You’ is a little raunchier and jazzier, while ‘More Than Friends’ has a rock n’ roll vibe.”

Christina Wells is the daughter of Linda Weise, founder of the Colorado Springs Conservatory, which is cultivating young performers to be the Beethovens and Bernsteins of tomorrow. Weise studied piano and opera at Oberlin Conservatory and Julliard, and she hosts the “Simple Gift” series on Rocky Mountain PBS.

“[My mom] moved here and married my dad, a cattle rancher and cowboy,” says Wells. “She liked Colorado Springs because of the Philharmonic; she believed the town had artistic promise … with an orchestra that good. She started a school for kids who want more — who want Julliard or Berklee.”

Wells attended Webster Conservatory’s prestigious musical theatre program, which has an 8-percent acceptance rate.

“It was rigorous … waking at six in the morning for dance until 1 p.m.; you get a brief break before going to theatre and movement instruction,” she explains. “It was Monday to Friday … plus shows, crew and working.”

During her sophomore year, she made a wrong ballet move, injuring her back. “I’m stubborn … and pushed through the next couple years,” admits Wells. “I remember crying at my ballet final because I was in so much pain.”

Wells eventually moved to NYC and auditioned for “Rent,” but another opportunity opened when her lease was ending.

“Mom called me about going to Dubai,” says Wells. “She was asked to appraise the arts education there … and potentially establish a school. We expected to be there for a few years — but, it only lasted a month because we realized how they do business: having an independent mind, especially as women, was very difficult. They also own 51 percent of everything you do there.”

Wells moved back to Colorado Springs with her mother. “I was in a dark place for a while, but what stemmed from that was beautiful: I started writing music again.” Wells tapped into the Springs, meeting new people from California, Houston, and elsewhere. “It started to feel like a city I could find myself in.”

With her impressive songwriting, Wells was invited to perform at various events, and she fashioned a band to accommodate the requests. “David Musante is my guitarist; we’ve known each other since childhood,” says Wells. “He’s a wonderful guitarist.” She brought in Caleb Sutton for Piano and arrangements, and Matt Campbell on drums.

Ian Gregory, the son of a professional violinist, plays bass. He and his brother own 1116 Studios, and he produced “Love/Labor.”

“My idea going into producing the EP was to try to capture the band as live as possible, while still putting attention to detail with each instrument,” says Gregory. “We also wanted the EP to feel cohesive and consistent between the genre-crossing songs, so we recorded all the drums — and the majority of the guitars, bass, and vocals — in one weekend. The exception to this is ‘Under Your Skin’ — we wanted a more layered production, and incorporated electronic elements. The drums on certain spots were looped and layered with samples … and tons of guitar overdubs. The song feels very lush.”

“The other standout, from a production standpoint, is ‘Black (Acoustic),’ continues Gregory. “The core of the track is essentially a live performance of Christina and David Musante, but David was playing guitar in the common area of the studio — which has a ton of reverb and sounded like it was played in an old saloon. I tried to play up that vibe.”

“That song, ‘Black,’ has affected many who’ve experienced violence, harassment, and assault because it represents the ‘black magic’ that lingers,” adds Wells. “I wrote it in minutes and was immediately relieved — and every time I perform it, I feel lighter. Once, a woman approached me after a show, crying — because she felt she could release the black magic holding her back.”