music

The Philharmonik is the solo project of Christian Gates, a Cleveland-born pianist, vocalist and producer who started playing the piano at age six. After years of studying and developing his own sound, he gained major recognition in 2024 by winning the NPR Tiny Desk Award for Best Song with “What’s It All Mean?” from his second album, Kironic (2023).

An incredibly talented musician, he blends soul and R&B influences - ranging from Kanye West and Lauryn Hill to Stevie Wonder and OutKast - with the rock of legends like Queen, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton. He mixes that all together with powerful lyrics that address themes of racial identity, spirituality and mental health - proof that he’s forming part of a new wave of artists using music as both personal catharsis and social commentary. 

If you’ve not yet heard of him, this is one gig you should check out - while he’s still playing the smaller venues.