Biography
Christopher David Owens (born July 13, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the frontman and songwriter for the now-disbanded indie rock band Girls. He released his debut album as a solo artist, Lysandre, in January 2013.
Owens was born in Miami, Florida. At the time of his birth, both his parents were members of the Children of God traveling religious community. Shortly before Owens' birth his infant brother Steven died of pneumonia due to the reluctance of the church’s members to seek professional medical assistance. In 1981, Owens' family left the United States to travel with the church and he lived “all over Asia” until he was ten, before traveling throughout Western Europe. Owens learned to play guitar in his early teens and would perform covers of Everly Brothers and The Fleetwoods songs on the street. At the age of sixteen, he left the church while based in Slovenia and followed his sister to Amarillo, Texas. Owens spent his first four years in Texas working as a nighttime shelf stocker in Albertson’s grocery store as well as in various restaurants. In 2001 he met artist and oil tycoon Stanley Marsh 3, who hired him first as a lawn mower and later as a personal assistant. After nine years in Texas, Owens moved to San Francisco, California with the intention of becoming a “famous painter”. There he met musicians Matt Fishbeck and Ariel Pink and joined their band Holy Shit as a touring guitarist. In 2007, Owens was inspired to form his own band and began writing songs for the first time at the age of 28.
