Cleveland Native The Philharmonik is still becoming

By Hannah Gates

Black music in America has long been known for its depth, specificity and power, giving birth to genres such as gospel, blues, jazz, funk, soul and hip-hop. These sounds are more than entertainment; they are cultural expressions of resistance, identity, faith and survival. Standing in that legacy is The Philharmonik, a rising artist who defies categorization.

Christian Gates, known professionally as The Philharmonik, was born in Cleveland, and later relocated to Sacramento, Calif., where his musical journey took root. Raised in a family grounded in faith, music and creative discipline, his story is more than that of a musical prodigy. It is a testament to the fingerprints of God.

He began classical piano training at the age of six with a professional instructor, Eriko Izumida, laying the foundation for a lifetime of musical growth. His mother, Tamara Ballhorn, recalled his constant hunger to learn. “Christian was always curious,” Ballhorn said. “There hasn’t been a day I haven’t heard him playing, producing or singing.”

In addition to piano, he learned to play violin and trumpet, and performed in both choir and orchestra. By the time Gates was in high school, he was teaching himself music production and songwriting, developing not just technical skill but a deep emotional connection to the work. Music, Ballhorn mentioned, became both an outlet and a lifeline, especially when he faced bullying. At a time when fitting in felt impossible, music became the one place he could fully be himself.

Gates’ foundation in classical music gave him discipline. His self-taught approach to production gave him the freedom to experiment, blending gospel, funk, soul and electronic sounds unapologetically.

At the age of 13, his family moved to Sacramento after Ballhorn remarried. The transition wasn’t easy. “It was a big adjustment for him,” she said. “He really missed Ohio, but once he got his footing, he started to grow.”

As a mixed-race Black artist, Gates has always lived in the in-between. In Cleveland, he was surrounded by extended family and a strong Black community that shaped his identity. Sacramento brought more diversity, but also more ambiguity. “He’s always had to navigate that space of not fully being claimed by either side,” Ballhorn said. “But instead of letting that break him, he turned it into art.”

That duality would go on to define his voice. His sound became a reflection of that lived tension—layered, fluid and deeply human. “He never really had the option of blending in,” Ballhorn said. “So he leaned into standing out, and that became a part of his voice.”

In Sacramento’s creative scene, Gates found room to stretch. He performed at open mics, connected with collectives such as Sol Collective and began building a following drawn to his transparency and range. “He has been working his craft in Sacramento and the Bay Area for a long time,” Ballhorn said. “He’s really committed to the people here.”

Because of Gates’ nuanced life, his artistry has been shaped by change, and his refusal to be defined, both racially and musically, has become central to his purpose.

“He has always stood in the middle, and that used to be hard,” Ballhorn said. “But over time, he learned to let it speak through his music.”

As The Philharmonik, Gates leans into complexity. His sound doesn’t settle into one genre. It flows between gospel, funk, R&B, classical, electronic and hip-hop, often in the same track. His compositions feel cinematic, his lyrics like journal entries: spiritual, raw and reflective.

“Christian is authentic,” Ballhorn said. “His lyrics reflect his heart, his challenges, faith, confusion, resolve, sorrow and curiosity.”

That honesty has become one of his signatures. Whether he is singing about growth in songs such as “Balance” or challenging cultural norms in funk-laced tracks, Gates is not performing to impress. He is offering truth.

His music resists the polished mold of mainstream trends. Instead, it invites listeners in, not to consume, but to reflect. The Philharmonik isn’t just a name. It is a calling: to orchestrate sound that heals, disrupts and affirms that identity can be layered, fluid and whole.

In a world eager to define, Gates continues to create. As The Philharmonik, he is not just performing. He is building something lasting. His work carries echoes of Cleveland’s roots, Sacramento’s community and the tension of growing up mixed in a world that wanted him to choose.

“He came from God, belongs to God and returns to God,” Ballhorn said. That sense of calling is what carries through his sound. Not just music, but purpose.

As Black Music Month celebrates the voices that shape culture and legacy, The Philharmonik reminds us that Black music has never been one thing. It is layered. It is lived. And through artists like Gates, it is still becoming.

Keep going and believing in your path. Your future self will thank you for it. Every step you take, no matter how small, is shaping the life you’ve always dreamed of. Trust the process and give yourself grace along the way.

#Staydriven #Eyeontheprize