Cristal B.
Cristal B. is a pop singer-songwriter-producer based in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Music has been her passion since Cristal was a child. This passion led to her songwriting, performing in musicals, learning to produce her own songs, and playing instruments.
Cristal’s most recent releases, “My Therapist” and “Broken Heroes,” are a powerful introduction to who she is as a person and artist. She's not afraid to be real and raw with her listeners as she successfully takes them on an intimate musical journey with her honest lyricism.
Broken Heroes
"I wrote “Broken Heroes” a year ago during the pandemic. I remember thinking to myself that being called a “healthcare hero” didn’t really feel accurate to me.", als Vorwort zur Entstehung bzw. Inspiration.
Die neueste Veröffentlichung von Cristal B. zeigt Hoffnung und Verlust, zeichnet ein Bild des "sich verloren fühlen" in einer beinahe unwirklich wirkenden Situation. Die Pandemie für einige oder vielleicht auch viele Künstler eine Quelle der Inspiration aber auch existenzbedrohend zugleich.
In diesem Fall nützte die Künstlerin die ihre Inspiration und setzte ihre Gedanken, ihr Erlebtes in Musik um, emotionale und berührende Musik. Musik eventuell als Therapie, ein Weg schwere Situationen zu verarbeiten, darüber zu schreiben bzw. zu singen und anderen zu zeigen wie man damit umgeht.
Der Song ist großartig arrangiert, die Auswahl der Sounds, sprich die Instrumentierung spiegelt beeindruckend die Emotionen wieder, hält sich dabei aber dezent im Hintergrund um Cristal die Bühne zu überlassen.
Die Vocals performen brillant und überzeugen im Genre Art meets Alternative Pop.
"Broken Heroes" by Cristal B. a fine little masterpiece of Art Pop meets Alternative Pop, a piece of art for every "personal museum".
Q&A
Cristal B. is…?
Hi, I’m Cristal. I’m a singer-songwriter-producer based in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I only recently started releasing music, but singing and music have been my passion since I was a child.
Aside from being an independent artist, I’m also a nurse. I had started writing and producing songs during the pandemic as a way to let go of my stress and anxiety, and then quickly realized that making music makes me happy in a way nothing else does. A year later and I’ve just released my second single!
Who inspired you to make music in general?
The people that first inspired me to make music were my family. I grew up surrounded by music and was always encourage to express my love for it through singing and songwriting.
The musical gene definitely runs in my family. They’re all extremely supportive of my music-making journey.
In the past year, I’ve been really inspired by artists like Adele, Taylor Swift, Ashe, Harry Styles, Sam Smith, Sarah Kinsley, and Abigail Barlow. My list of musical inspirations could go on forever!
...and especially to the song "Broken Heroes"?
I wrote “Broken Heroes” a year ago during the pandemic. I remember thinking to myself that being called a “healthcare hero” didn’t really feel accurate to me. Not when I felt so lost and broken so much of the time.
Going to work was overwhelming and scary, and for a long time it felt like nothing was going to get better. I felt really alone, until one day I remembered that I wasn’t. We were all going through this mess together. That’s how “Broken Heroes” was born.
What is your creative process like?
I often start a new song with just chords on my piano or a phrase that popped up in my head. Sometimes my process is a lot of journaling and reflecting, and then other times half a song will practically fly out of me without any prompting. I always feel especially lucky when that happens.
But more often than not, my songs start off as little bits and pieces scattered all around notebooks, voice memos, and my notes app. When I get stuck on a song and can’t finish it on my own, I reach out to my friends to co-write with me.
When do you decide that a song is ready for a release?
This is probably going to sound a bit silly, but if I listen to one of my songs and start to tear up, then it’s probably good to go. If I straight up ugly-cry, then there’s no question in my mind. I only say this half-jokingly.
I tend to be hypercritical of my own songs, so when I can sit in my car and listen the whole thing without judging it too harshly, then I know I’m on the right track at least.
I will probably never feel like my songs are “perfect,” but I’m slowly learning that flawless production and vocals aren’t the only markers of a great song. To me, it’s more about how the song makes you feel. That’s my main indicator of release-readiness.
Do you remember your first ever self written song?
I don’t remember it anymore because I was about 7 years old when I attempted to write my first song. However, I distinctly remember it being pretty terrible. I wish I had it written down somewhere.
What's your most useful talent besides music?
I don’t have any random, cool talents unless you count my weirdly accurate internal clock (I somehow always know around what time it is). Also, animals love me, especially dogs. Not sure these count, but I definitely appreciate them.What was the first ever Pop/Rock/... song you listened to?
I don’t remember the first ever because we listened to music constantly in my home, but I can tell you that I idolized Selena Quintanilla as a child. I also loved Britney Spears, she was my first concert ever.
What do you prefer, a live gig or a studio session?
I definitely prefer live gigs. The energy of an audience makes it such a special experience. I’m extremely excited to get back on a stage soon.
As much as I love recording in the studio, it’s easy to fixate on imperfections. I will say though, it’s insanely satisfying once you do get something just right in the studio.
What’s next for you?
This next year is going to be a busy one for sure. I plan on releasing singles consistently starting in January. I also want to start working on an EP, playing some live shows, and connecting with my listeners more.
I think 2022 will be a great year for my music and I’m very excited for what’s to come. Stay tuned!
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