Chrissy Costanza (born August 23, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and YouTuber best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the pop-rock band Against The Current.[1][2]Against The Current formed in 2011 in Poughkeepsie, New York, by guitarist Dan Gow, drummer Will Ferri, and keyboardist Jeremy Rompala, with Costanza joining as lead vocalist later that summer after connecting through YouTube covers.[2] The band's current lineup consists of Costanza, guitarist Dan Gow, and Ferri; the band announced an indefinite hiatus from touring in October 2025 to shift focus to other projects. Gaining an early following through online covers and original singles like "Thinking" (2012), the group signed with Fueled by Ramen in 2015 and released their debut full-length album, In Our Bones, the following year.[2] Subsequent releases include the EP Gravity (2015), the album Past Lives (2018), and the EP Fever (2021), blending pop-punk energy with introspective lyrics that have earned them tours alongside acts like Fall Out Boy and festival appearances at Reading and Leeds.[2]Costanza's career extends beyond the band through her longstanding ties to the gaming community, where she has been an avid player since childhood, including titles like Runescape and League of Legends.[2] Against The Current contributed to League of Legends esports events with tracks such as "Legends Never Die" (2017 Worlds anthem, exceeding 1 billion streams), "Phoenix" (2019), and "Wildfire" (2022).[3][2] Costanza has also voiced characters and provided songs for games including Marvel Rivals, Final Fantasy XIV, and Genshin Impact's 2025 track "Blazing Heart."[3] In November 2025, she performed at the League of Legends World Championship Opening Ceremony in Chengdu, China, alongside artists like G.E.M. and Anyma, celebrating 15 years of the game's esports history.[3]Venturing into solo work in 2024, Costanza released her debut EP VII, a seven-track project reflecting personal growth through pop-rock introspection, followed by singles like "7 Minutes in Hell" featuring VOILÀ.[4][5] The deluxe edition arrived in 2025, including powerful tracks such as "Rope" and "Weather," with a lyric video for the latter released in November.[6][7] Additionally, Costanza maintains a prominent YouTube presence, where she shares vlogs, beauty tutorials, and music content, further engaging her audience across digital platforms.[8]
Early life and education
Family and upbringing
Chrissy Costanza was born Christina Nicola Costanza on August 23, 1995, in New Jersey, into an Italian American family of Sicilian descent.[9]She grew up with a younger brother named Michael, also known as Mikey.[10]Although her parents did not play instruments or sing professionally, they shared an inherent passion for music that profoundly shaped her early years, exposing her to a wide array of genres including pop and rock from a young age.[10]This nurturing household fostered creativity and artistic expression, with her family consistently encouraging her budding musical talents—according to her parents, she began singing even before she could speak.[11][12]
Schooling and early interests
Costanza completed her elementary and middle school education at The Village School in Waldwick, New Jersey.[13]She then attended Immaculate Heart Academy, a private all-girls Catholic high school in Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey, where she graduated.[13]In 2013, Costanza enrolled at Fordham University as a full-time student, initially pursuing studies related to music business.[14] She completed one year there before dropping out to dedicate herself fully to her burgeoning music career.[12]As a teenager, Costanza began learning guitar and experimenting with songwriting, drawing inspiration from artists like Paramore—particularly Hayley Williams' frontwoman presence—and Taylor Swift's relatable lyrical storytelling.[12][15][16] These early pursuits, shaped by a musical family environment, laid the foundation for her artistic development.[12]
Career
Against the Current (2011–2015)
Against the Current was formed in early 2011 in Poughkeepsie, New York, by high school friends Dan Gow (guitar and vocals), Jeremy Rompala (guitar and keys), and Will Ferri (drums), with Chrissy Costanza joining as lead vocalist shortly thereafter, introduced through a mutual friend.[17]) Initially operating as a YouTube cover group, the band uploaded acoustic and full-band renditions of popular songs, which helped build a substantial online audience and established their pop-rock sound blending catchy melodies with punk energy.[18]The group expanded with bassist Joe Simmons and released their debut original single, "Thinking," on July 14, 2012, signaling a shift toward producing their own material while maintaining their YouTube presence for promotion.[19] After Rompala and Simmons departed in 2014, Against the Current independently released their debut EP, Infinity, on May 27, 2014, featuring five tracks including "Infinity" and "Comeback Kid" that showcased Costanza's soaring vocals and the band's anthemic style.[20] This was followed by their second EP, Gravity, released on February 17, 2015, which included the title track and a collaboration "Dreaming Alone" with Taka of One Ok Rock, further highlighting their growing production polish and emotional lyricism.[21]Their viral YouTube success, with millions of views on covers and originals, culminated in a signing to Fueled by Ramen in March 2015, providing major-label support for wider distribution and touring opportunities.[22] In the preceding years, the band had begun live performances, including the Asia/Australia Tour in 2014 and opening slots for acts like Metro Station, before headlining their own shows and joining the Glamour Kills Spring Break '15 Tour alongside Set It Off, As It Is, and Roam, which helped solidify their live reputation among pop-punk audiences.[23][24]
Against the Current (2016–2023)
In 2016, Against the Current released their debut studio album, In Our Bones, on May 20 through Fueled by Ramen, marking a significant milestone in the band's transition from YouTube covers to full-length pop-rock production.[25] The album featured energetic tracks blending pop-punk influences with anthemic choruses, including the lead single "Wasteland," which debuted on March 25 and explored themes of toxic relationships through its driving rhythm and Costanza's soaring vocals; its accompanying music video, shot in England, was released on July 1.[26] Other singles like "Running with the Wild Things" and "Runaway" highlighted the band's evolving sound, emphasizing resilience and youthful defiance.[27] To promote the album, the band embarked on the In Our Bones World Tour from late 2016 into 2017, performing across North America, Europe, and Asia, alongside appearances on the Vans Warped Tour in summer 2016, where they delivered sets at venues like Shoreline Amphitheatre.[28]Building on this momentum, Against the Current issued their second studio album, Past Lives, on September 28, 2018, again via Fueled by Ramen, delving deeper into introspective pop-rock with electronic elements and mature lyrical themes of growth and reflection.[29] Key tracks included "Strangers Again," released as a single on May 11 with a music video following on May 14, which captured the emotional distance in fading relationships through its synth-driven melody and Costanza's emotive delivery.[30] The album also featured songs like "The Fuss," "I Like the Way," and "Voices," showcasing the band's polished production and collaborative songwriting.[31] The Past Lives World Tour in late 2018 and 2019 took them to major cities worldwide, solidifying their live reputation with high-energy performances that mixed new material with fan favorites.[32]The period from 2020 onward saw Against the Current navigating challenges, including tour cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted their momentum after the Past Lives cycle.[33] Despite this, they resumed activity with singles like "That Won't Save Us" on October 28, 2020, and "Weapon" on March 10, 2021, maintaining fan engagement through virtual content and the fever EP on July 23, 2021.[34] The band toured select dates on the fever Tour in 2022, focusing on intimate venues to rebuild connection post-pandemic. By 2023, they launched the Nightmares & Daydreams World Tour, spanning the U.S. and international stops, emphasizing their resilient stage presence amid evolving personal and creative priorities.[35]A notable release in this later phase was the single "blindfolded" on December 2, 2022, which signaled a stylistic evolution toward more atmospheric, introspective pop-punk with floaty chords, earnest lyrics about unlearning pain, and an upbeat yet vulnerable tone that bridged their earlier energy with matured emotional depth.[36] This track, alongside sparse but impactful output, reflected the band's adaptive dynamics during a transitional era, prioritizing quality over volume while Costanza's vocals remained the driving force.[37]
Solo career (2024–present)
In 2024, alongside her work with Against The Current, Costanza launched her solo career, allowing her to explore greater creative control in songwriting and production. Her debut solo EP, VII, was released independently on October 9, 2024, featuring seven tracks that marked her entry into individual artistry. The EP included standout songs such as "7 Minutes in Hell," which debuted as her first solo single earlier that year and showcased a blend of pop-punk energy with introspective narratives.[4][38]Building on the EP's momentum, Costanza released the single "Perfect Crime" on November 15, 2024, a hard-hitting track that further highlighted her evolving sound through dynamic instrumentation and raw emotional delivery. This release was accompanied by a lyric video, emphasizing her focus on visual storytelling to complement her music. Throughout late 2024, she embarked on her first solo tour, the "Spin the Bottle Tour," co-headlining with VOILÀ, where she debuted material from VII live for the first time, including performances in Manchester on November 20 and Berlin on December 2. These shows underscored her stage presence as a solo performer, drawing crowds with high-energy sets that mixed new songs and fan favorites.[39][40][41]On October 31, 2025, Costanza expanded her solo catalog with X (VII Deluxe), a deluxe edition of her debut EP that added four new tracks—"Rope," "Weather," "Some Like It Hot," and a candlelight version of "7 Minutes in Hell"—bringing the total to 11 songs. The additional material deepened the project's exploration of personal growth and empowerment, with lyrics addressing themes of self-reflection, resilience, and emotional catharsis, as seen in "Rope," where Costanza transforms turmoil into anthemic empowerment. This edition was released alongside vinyl pressings and new music videos, solidifying her solo project's growth one year after VII's launch.[42][43][44]
Collaborations and other projects
Costanza has contributed vocals to several video game soundtracks, blending her rock style with immersive gaming narratives. In 2019, she featured on "Phoenix," the theme song for the League of Legends World Championship, alongside Cailin Russo, performed live at the opening ceremony in Paris.[45] The track, produced by Riot Games, captured themes of resilience and garnered millions of streams, highlighting her growing presence in esports music.[46]She continued this trajectory with contributions to major RPG titles. For Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail in 2024, Costanza provided vocals for "Give It All," the theme for the Arcadion raid series, composed by Masayoshi Soken and performed with THE PRIMALS.[47] The song's energetic rock delivery enhanced the in-game battles, and a music video was released to accompany its debut.[48] Later that year, she sang "Blazing Heart" for Genshin Impact's version 5.3 update, serving as the English vocal for Mavuika's character trailer, with a full music video released on December 31, 2024.[49] This collaboration, produced by HOYO-MiX, emphasized the character's fiery persona and expanded her footprint in open-world gaming soundtracks.[50] In December 2024, she provided vocals for "Rivals 'Til the End," the theme song for the multiplayer game Marvel Rivals, featured in its launch trailer.[51]In addition to gaming, Costanza has engaged in band collaborations that showcase her versatility. She joined From Ashes to New on their 2023 single "Barely Breathing," delivering powerful guest vocals on the track from their album Blackout, which explores emotional turmoil in relationships.[52] The song received praise for its raw intensity and charted on rock radio.[53] In 2024, she debuted a live performance of "7 Minutes in Hell" with VOILÀ during her solo tour in September, with additional shows planned into 2025; the studio version, released in July, delves into contrasting personal experiences in relationships.[54][55]Beyond music, Costanza hosted the live streaming series Guest House on VENN from July 2020 to May 2021, interviewing musicians, gamers, and creators in a casual, interactive format.[56] Episodes featured guests like MMA fighter Cris Cyborg and rising artists, fostering discussions on music, gaming, and personal stories, which aligned with her own multifaceted interests.[57] The show provided a platform for authentic conversations during the early pandemic era, amassing a dedicated online audience.[58]
Other pursuits
YouTube content creation
Costanza launched her personal YouTube channel in July 2011, initially uploading cover songs of popular tracks such as "Beauty and a Beat" by Justin Bieber in collaboration with other artists.[59] These early covers played a key role in building her online audience and contributed to the formation of her band Against the Current shortly thereafter.[60] By May 2025, the channel had amassed 856,000 subscribers and 13.5 million total views; as of November 2025, it had grown to 866,000 subscribers and approximately 19 million views.[61]Over time, the content on her channel evolved beyond music covers to include a variety of non-musical formats, such as vlogs documenting daily life on tour—like the 2014 "Day In The Life: Warped Tour Edition" video—and behind-the-scenes glimpses into her creative process.[62] She also incorporated live streams, often reposting highlights or full VODs from her Twitch sessions, which feature casual fan interactions, gaming, and personal updates.[63] This shift broadened her engagement with viewers, fostering a community around her personality and experiences rather than solely her performances.The channel has served as a promotional tool for her band and solo endeavors, with videos emphasizing direct fan connections through Q&A sessions and real-time chats during streams on Twitch at twitch.tv/chrissyofficial, where she has built a following of over 200,000.[64] In recent years, uploads have increasingly tied into her solo career promotion, including lyric videos that highlight her songwriting and visual storytelling.For instance, in November 2025, she released the official lyric video for her solo single "Weather" from the deluxe edition of her debut EP VII, which quickly garnered tens of thousands of views and showcased her evolving artistic direction.[7]
Voice acting
Costanza entered the field of voice acting by providing the singing voice for Kyoka Jiro in the English dub of the anime series My Hero Academia, beginning in season 4 during its 2019–2020 run. She performed the original songs "Each Goal" and "Hero Too" for Jiro's on-screen musical sequences, which aired in episodes focused on the U.A. High School's Cultural Festival arc.[65][66][67]In a 2020 interview with Rock Sound, Costanza described the role as a "dream come true," noting her long-time fandom of the series and how the opportunity arose through her management connections in the anime industry. She highlighted the challenge of matching her vocal performance to the character's emotional delivery while syncing with the animation.[68]Beyond professional animedubbing, Costanza has contributed voice work to fan-created content, including parodies and short animations based on League of Legends. Notable examples include voicing the child champion Annie in a 2017 character spotlight video and Demonic Teemo in a 2023 animated short, showcasing her ability to adapt her voice for playful, exaggerated gaming personas.[69][70]Her voice acting endeavors, particularly in My Hero Academia, have fostered a notable crossover among her audiences, merging fans from her music career with enthusiasts of anime and video games, as evidenced by enthusiastic online discussions and shared content in community forums.[71]
Personal life
Relationships
Costanza was in a relationship with Cameron Hurley, guitarist and backing vocalist for the pop-rock band We Are the In Crowd, from 2015 to 2019; the pair met through overlapping circles in the music scene.[72][73] Their romance, which began amid shared experiences in the pop-punk and alternative music communities, ended amid rumors confirmed by fan discussions later that year.[74] She briefly dated Brandon Martinez from late 2019 to early 2020.[72]In February 2021, Costanza began dating Tucker Roberts, Chief Innovation Officer and President of Gaming & Emerging Technology at Comcast Spectacor and son of Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts; the couple met in Los Angeles, where Costanza had relocated for her career, influencing aspects of her personal life.[72][13][75] They announced their engagement on April 14, 2024.[13]Costanza has publicly addressed the challenges of balancing romantic partnerships with the demands of her music career, emphasizing the need for direct communication and assertiveness in both spheres—a lesson drawn from past experiences, including a breakup involving infidelity that prompted her to prioritize self-worth.[76] She has also highlighted the importance of maintaining privacy in relationships to shield against public scrutiny and intense fan reactions, such as threats directed at former partners.[76] As of 2025, Costanza and Roberts have no children.
Residence and pets
Costanza relocated to Los Angeles in July 2020 to advance her career in music and content creation.[77] She shares her home with three cats—two Bengal cats and one Savannah cat—which frequently appear in her social media videos and vlogs. This pet-friendly urban setting in Los Angeles serves as her primary creative hub for songwriting and producing online content. Her residence also reflects her engagement, as she lives there with her fiancé.[13]
Discography
Extended plays
Costanza launched her solo career in 2024 with the release of her debut extended play, VII, marking a shift toward more personal and experimental songwriting independent of her band work.[78]VII was released on October 9, 2024, and features seven tracks that blend pop-rock elements with introspective lyrics. The EP includes self-produced elements by Costanza, alongside collaborations with VOILÀ on writing and production for select songs, such as "7 Minutes in Hell." Recording took place in Los Angeles studios, where Costanza reunited with longtime associates to refine the sound. Key themes revolve around resilience, personal growth, and mythological imagery, with Costanza drawing parallels to figures like Icarus to explore vulnerability and ambition. The tracklist is as follows:
On October 31, 2025, Costanza issued the deluxe edition X (VII Deluxe), expanding the original EP to eleven tracks and incorporating additional material to commemorate the one-year anniversary of VII. This version retains the core seven tracks while adding new songs such as "Rope," "Perfect Crime," "Weather," and a reimagined take on "If Looks Could Kill," further emphasizing themes of emotional endurance and fantasy-inspired narratives. Production for the new additions continued with collaborators including VOILÀ and was recorded in LA studios, maintaining the self-produced aspects from the initial release. As of November 2025, no chart performance data is available for either EP.
Singles
In 2024, Costanza issued "7 Minutes in Hell" as the lead single from her EP VII, released digitally with an emphasis on introspective pop-rock themes. A candlelight version, performed acoustically, was accompanied by a live video that garnered approximately 92,000 YouTube views as of November 2025, showcasing her stripped-down vocal delivery. The single, available on major streaming services, reached 10 million global streams, bolstered by social media teasers and playlist placements on Spotify's New Music Friday."Perfect Crime" followed on November 15, 2024, as a standalone digital single with a full music video directed by Costanza herself, emphasizing themes of deception and empowerment through cinematic visuals. The video, released via her official YouTube channel, amassed approximately 389,000 views as of November 2025, contributing to the track's 15 million Spotify streams and radio airplay on alternative stations. Promotional efforts included behind-the-scenes content and fan engagement posts, positioning it as a bridge to her evolving solo sound.Her most recent single, "Rope", dropped on October 10, 2025, ahead of a deluxe edition release, featuring powerful rock instrumentation and raw emotional lyrics about personal struggles. Available in digital format with instrumental versions, it quickly hit 5 million Spotify streams within the first month, driven by a high-energy music video that highlighted guitar riffs and dynamic staging. By November 2025, the video had approximately 378,000 YouTube views, with promotions including live performances and merchandise tie-ins to build anticipation for upcoming projects.
Guest appearances
Costanza has made several notable guest vocal appearances on tracks by other artists and for video game soundtracks, showcasing her versatility in rock, pop-punk, and anthemic styles.[79]Her contributions often feature powerful, emotive performances that enhance collaborative projects, particularly in gaming and alternative rock contexts.[80]
Anthemic rock track serving as the theme for the 2019 League of Legends World Championship; Costanza provides lead vocals alongside Russo. Achieved over 225 million Spotify streams as of November 2025.