Wigan DJ collaborates with local Voice Kids star for latest house-inspired track

Paul Christopherson, from Standish, produced Thank You (For Leaving Me) with fellow Wigan musician Gracie O’Brien – who featured on the ITV hit show in 2020 and reached the semi-finals.

After buying new music software in March, and producing a beat (backing track), the former teacher began to explore lyrics for the track and so brainstormed the benefits that a young and newly single woman may have.

Due to knowing her grandmother, Paul approached Gracie to feature as the vocalist for the track in order to keep the Wigan theme consistent. Gracie has recently moved to London to attend Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and aspires to be a singer in various musicals on stage.

Paul said: “I’m very happy and made up with how it turned out, I was inspired by house music that was released in the 1980s with female vocalists.

"We had a launch party for the song at the Boar’s Head; it was full and went really well.”

His passion for music began in the ’90s when he would DJ while at university in Sheffield. As a vinyl purist, Paul would mix solely on Technic 1210s before “selling his soul” and transitioning to digital production during the Covid-19 pandemic, getting hooked and never looking back since.

Previously a teacher, Paul accepted a redundancy offer while teaching design technology at Ormskirk School where he had worked for 16 years.

His music is produced in a spare bedroom at home which has been kitted out with all the necessary equipment.

Thank You (For Leaving Me) can be streamed on spotify at https://open.spotify.com/album/43C7QCmIW6UGdVjjt6D0Z7?si=zfsIAnhuQcu8kTYMg4BYjQ

Paul said: “I’ve got a few other tracks and ideas on the back burner including a song titled I don’t Wanna Go – based on a fantasy world and a desire to not return to reality.

"There’s also a female rapper from Marsh Green who I’m looking to work with. She’s freestyled over one of my tracks once when I was playing. She has that sassy style a bit like Azelia Banks.”