Chris Luis-Jorge Finds Harmony Between Literature and Music

(Photo credit: Rose Peterson, @rosedelightphotos on Instagram)

Chris Luis-Jorge feels that his musical and literary pursuits “pull from pretty similar wells,” as the Silver Spring, Maryland-based artist intends to infuse character, depth and surprises into all his work. Contributing to magazines, screenplays, video games, and the music scene, he boasts a wide-ranging portfolio as well as an MFA from Rutgers University-Camden.

He emphasized how setting aside a “jealously-guarded” regular time in one’s calendar specifically for sitting down and producing as much creative output as possible, regardless of motivation, creates consistency. Although the excitement of just starting out as an artist creates some momentum, Luis-Jorge explained, developing proficiency happens through continuing making art while overcoming strife regardless of any less than ideal conditions.

Luis-Jorge received an important piece of wisdom that now guides his writing process from a tough professor, an acclaimed author who happened to teach at his graduate school. The writer recalled feeling low-spirited while pursuing his MFA. During one of the worst moments of his grad school years, “in this sea of just cruelty, she accidentally let loose a really important piece of wisdom that I've held on to since then: she said. ‘it's not fair, but every person who reads anything you've ever written will expect you to have read everything they've ever read. And it's impossible, but you have to kind of expect that from your reader.’ That rewires something in my brain.”

Some of Luis-Jorge’s notable works include “Picadillo,” a horror story published in The Dread Machine, “The Duel // Marching Season,” flash fiction published in Stoneboat Literary Journal and an essay in Typebar Magazine about the intersection between sword and sorcery movies and their Argentinian political influence.

On his musical sound, Luis-Jorge, who plays bass, six-string guitar, and keys, does many “genre fusions. If I'm doing something that's considered easy, such as something that's very pop inspired, I try to find a place to infuse it with something unexpected,” he explained. Playing bass with three bandmates from a former project in a recently launched “progressive Cold Wave” group called Holy Terror, Luis-Jorge’s band’s first show happens this Friday, March 20, 2026 at Rhizome DC, alongside Quiet Room and Kinoko.

Besides Rhizome, he also feels fondness for the venues Quarry House Tavern and The Pocket, the latter a part of a lesson and rehearsal space called 7DrumCity, where Luis-Jorge works. The writer-musician feels inspired by many DMV bands, but standout artists for him include Soul Meets Body, Ren Riot, Pretty Bitter, Buko Buko, Fugazi, Bad Brains and Rites of Spring.

Check out Chris Luis-Jorge’s published work here.

Get tickets for Holy Terror’s Rhizome show here.