Christopher J. Essex’s new single, “Time On You,” is out now. The song is an honest reflection of what it can be like for a singer, whose unconventional schedule can leave little time for romance.

“As an artist, it can be tough to date,” Essex admits to Everything Nash. “You’re always on the clock whether you’re writing, producing, performing, creating content, or working other jobs. When I was making weekend plans with a very special woman, she said it’s okay if you’re ‘too busy’ and I told her not to worry, I would make sure to spend some ‘time on you’. I had a write the next week with two of my friends in town, Landon and Ken Wall, who pitched the idea and that’s how this song came to life.”

Essex is no stranger to acting, either. The Florida native portrayed Johnny Cash in Chicago’s famed Million Dollar Quartet, which is why it was important to Essex that the video for “Time On You” told a story, instead of just being a backdrop for the song.

“I just watched an interview with Seth Rogen talking about how action movies have become the death of nuance in movies and entertainment,” Essex explains. “He basically said that now with action and superhero movies, keeping people’s attention through stories is harder today. And though I think music is different, I think some of that is true for music videos. Unfortunately, or fortunately, our expectation for entertainment is higher than it used to be.

“So for me, personally, I look at a music video as a challenge and opportunity to not just put out something to go along with the song,” he adds, “but something that exceeds what the song’s storytelling capabilities are, and is entertaining enough to keep the viewer and the listener’s attention.”

Essex went from Ft. Lauderdale to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then reprised his role as Cash on Norwegian Cruise lines after his stint in Chicago. The multi-talented star also appeared on Amazon Prime’s reality TV show, Cosmic Love, leaving Essex’s possibilities nearly endless. But for him, the goal has always been country music.

“I’m a storyteller above all else,” explains the tunesmith. “God gave me a gift to capture people’s attention, and country music has been the best way I’ve found for storytelling. People ask a lot, ‘As an actor, doesn’t that mean you’re just good at ‘being fake?’ and the answer is no. Good actors are the opposite; they are good at being authentic. Country music is defined by authenticity, and as long as it continues to be real stories about real people, I will continue to be a real country artist telling those stories.”

“Time On You” is just one of several songs Essex plans to release this year, as he continues to carve out his own place in country music.

“You can expect a commitment,” Essex vows of what fans can expect from him. “To me, they’re not my fans, they are my supporters and in return for their support, I’m giving them my commitment to never settle as an artist. To always give them and the music I make everything I have. To not let a single song go unwritten or unsung and to make sure that I give every single person who supports me the opportunity to see what they have supported live.”

Find “Time On You” and all of Essex’s music and upcoming shows at ChristopherJEssex.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Adkins Entertainment / Curtis and Cort Photography