Thank you so much for chatting with us! For newer fans, how did your passion for music and career come about? While my mom was driving around when I was a kid I heard a little bit of Alan Jackson singing while she was scanning through the radio stations and the rest is history! I was hooked on country music. My first cassettes were Deanna Carter, Mindy Mccready, and Leanne Rimes. I also knew every word to all of Shania Twain's songs. I said I wanted to be a country singer right then. In my early years, I loved the sound of steel guitar, simple lyrics, and real life stories. Later, I became a music therapist and my passion was rooted in making people laugh or giving them something to hold onto. Something they can relate to and that gives them hope.
You recently released your new single, "(You Had Me At) Double Wide," that you also co-wrote. Tell us about the writing process and where the idea came from. My friend Laura Rabell came over and I was reading a passive aggressive reminder of our homeowners associations rules that had been put in our mailbox. We didn't actually realize we had moved into a homeowner's association until we arrived at our new place and someone quickly came out to tell us we had parked our U-haul in their spot. Being slightly redneck, I started ranting to her about how we didn't really fit in the HOA very well. I said "I need to just get my redneck out" and she said "I have just the title."
Is there one song in particular you’re most excited about people hearing? I am releasing my second single in February so keep a lookout! This song is called "90 Proof." I wrote this song prior to moving to Nashville, though it has gone through several rewrites. This really is my chisel and stone song. I spent a lot of time hammering away the excess to make a really well crafted song. I love that it is a story song with a "Livin' on Love" kind of story line. It is also bluesy and edgy. While a lot of my fans have heard the song, I am really excited for the recording. It was done by Mike Loudermilk who helped to produce, engineer, and play all of the instruments on the song. I got to play a big role in making the song my own and giving my input on what I wanted so I feel a lot of ownership over this one. The track is rockin' and the vocals are so much more confident and big than what I have previously done! Follow me on social media to get the official release date.
Did you always want to be a musician or was there a specific moment that something happened that made you think "this is what I want to do with my life." If so, what was it? Both actually. I have said I wanted to be a country singer my entire life but I graduated college, got a job, and started the logical progression. About a year into my 9 to 5 life I just realized my heart was somewhere else and I kept asking myself "What do I want to do?" I was at a place in my life which required some decision making. I was driving and racking my brain trying to decide between a few job prospects I had in the area I was living, my desire to go to Nashville, and figuring out where to live with my husband after being long distance for four years. I was driving the four hour commute between us and heard Chris Stapleton's "Either Way" on the radio. I started crying and knew that songwriting and making people feel things as strongly as country music made me feel was what I wanted to do. I asked my fiance to move to Nashville with me and as soon as stopped being scared and just jumped in was the moment that I realized it was right and I stopped questioning what I wanted to do or be.
What’s your advice for young artists trying to establish a name for themselves? Especially young females that may see you as a role model. Jump in. There is never a good time to live. There is never a good time to be a broke musician. The time is never right. Stop waiting around to "Be Ready." Being a musician is all about gaining experience. You can't do that if you don't get out there and just do it. Don't worry about "Am I good enough?" because there will always be someone better. If you just jump in, those people will be your mentor, you will learn from your mistakes, and you will continue to grow. I spent a lot of time holding myself back. When I stopped waiting around and just jumped in things began to happen. My confidence grew and so did my abilities.
Now for the Fun! How do you drink your coffee? I LOVE coffee. I actually have a pretty extensive coffee mug collection and we have run out of cabinet space for more. On a day to day basis, I drink my coffee black. I can also be a pretty basic girl and go for the pumpkin spice latte in the fall and a mocha frappuccino with a double shot in the summer. I remember being at my grandpa's house and loving the smell of the coffee he would drink but I hated the taste. It was a gradual progression from vanilla bean frappuccino without coffee to the black coffee lover I am today.
What is your favorite breakfast? This may sound gross, but I really love Livermush. It is a western North Carolina thing and most people haven't heard of it. It is a breakfast meat similar to liver pudding or scrapple up north. It comes in a cube and you just slice it and fry it. You can eat it plain as a side with your eggs or put it on a toasted sandwich with mayonnaise, eggs, and cheese. We usually buy several packs when we go home and then freeze it so we have some in Nashville.
What was your favorite childhood cereal? My Grandpa was the cereal master. They always bought plain Cheerios, which of course I hated (I mean why not Honey Nut?). Grandpa would smother it in sugar, put fresh blueberries and raspberries from his bush outside, and top it with honey. On occasion he would even add chocolate sauce! It was just the sweetest memory. I even put a line about it in a song "we'd pour more sugar on our cheerios than milk. Grandma would shake her head, give us a kiss, 'that's all the sugar you'll get.'"
Home cooking or going out for dinner? Home Cooking. I'll be honest and admit that my husband does most of the cooking in our household. I'm a lucky gal. While I don't cook very much, I appreciate a home cooked meal. We always ate at the table growing up and I love homemade dishes like Chicken n' Dumplins (with the fluffy dumplin's), Chicken Pot Pie, Stew Beef, Cornbread with rice and beans. Mostly, food always brings people together whether it is a church covered dish, a holiday family meal, or my Uncles BBQ parties. Even with just me and my husband, we use the time to sit down together, pray, and take that time to catch up with each other. Plus a good casserole or pie just can't be topped.
Finally, if you could be sponsored by one food/drink brand who would it be and why? Waffle House or Natural Light - Listen to my single below and you will know why! ;)
Website: www.KrystalKingMusic.com Facebook: Facebook.com/krystalsmusic Instagram: Instagram.com/Krystalkingmusic
Single "(You Had Me At) Double Wide": https://open.spotify.com/album/4sUdMsi0AzKdNa69boWIHr?si=Q_vRfixbTF2ge6Wt10SNfA
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