FITUMI is an acronym for Fake It Til U Make It, and a stage-name inspired by my father before he passed away. It’s also a playful wink and nod to this project being an entirely new venture in my career. My father would joke, “You can’t be afraid to get out there. You either have to fail until you make it or fake it until you make it. Usually a bit of both.”

I started my songwriting career, 8 years ago, as a songwriter, helping artists find their voice and articulate their message through song. It’s the best job in the world. But with FITUMI, I now have an outlet to discover my own voice and a platform to deliver my own message.

It’s been a fun and exciting new direction for me, and even sometimes a little uncomfortable. I have often felt like a fish out of water, navigating this new path, but I think that’s a positive. In life you can’t be afraid to take chances and try new things. You can’t be afraid to fail. You can’t be afraid to be a former soldier, turned songwriter, turned alternative artist. FITUMI represents that rebuke of fear for me.

– Chris Smith

= FITUMI