Krystle Cruz (born January 22, 1988 in San Diego, California) is a independent R&B/acoustic singer. Since the age of 3, she has been rapidly gaining attention as both a great singer and dancer. Taking an active role in both dancing and singing, she started performing in venues at the of 9, and continues to keep bringing fresh performances. She also was the captain of a dance team in her high school years. As well, in 2008, she and fellow musician Michelle Martinez got the chance to do some intensive training on an all-expenses paid trip to Japan financed by one of Japan's biggest record companies, Avex Trax. I spoke to Krystle, and she was able to spare a moment to speak with me on how she continues to strive to be a great musician!
How long have you been doing music for? Are you doing it professionally or independently?
Well, I've sang ever since I was 3 years old and started performing at age 9. I started writing music on and off when I was 16 and just became serious with it early this year. I am currently recording an album independently.
What style of music do you generally play?
Usually, you will hear me singing R&B/Pop/Soul genres but I also like to expand my horizons and try other genres like Pop/Rock and Indie music.
How did you first get involved in music?
When I was handed the karaoke mic at 3 years old :-)
What made you decide to starting YouTubing your musical talent?
I had a channel for like a year just for leaving comments/feedback on other people's videos but thought it was silly to sing in a video so I never did it for a while. Quite a few friends finally convinced me to post some videos to get my talent out there because they believed I would be a "star". So now I have videos on YouTube of me singing and sometimes, dancing :-)
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Long list short: Christina Aguilera, Etta James, Alicia Keys, India Arie, Esmee Denters, Demi Lovato, Paramore, Whitney Houston, (old) Mariah Carey, Adele, Danity Kane, Jennifer Hudson and the likes.
How does it feel to be getting all this support from people for doing what you do?
It feels absolutely AMAZING. Doing the "music thing" can become discouraging from time to time but when I think about all the friends, family and fans who support me no matter what, it makes it that much easier and is a great reminder of why I love to do what I do.
Is there ANY musician that you would like to do a collaboration with in the future?
This changes probably everyday but at the moment, I would love to collaborate with Demi Lovato because she is such a young soul with so much talent and songwriting skills.
What has been your most popular cover on YouTube? Your most popular original song on YouTube?
My most popular cover on YouTube (strangely) is "Knock You Down" by Keri Hilson, which is a collaboration with Angie Girl. I currently don't have any originals up on my YouTube but they will be up within the month.
This question is for Krystle and Michelle Martinez. How was the experience of briefly training under one of Japan’s biggest record labels, Avex Trax?
This experience was by far the most memorable musical opportunity I've ever had. It opened my eyes to another world and another aspect of the international music industry. We met a lot of people from around the world. We learned a lot of new things musically, culturally and personally and have definitely used it to apply to our musical journey.
I imagine you have a lot of music tastes; what do you normally play on your iPod and/or when you’re at home?
Depends on my mood. I have a very diverse taste in music. You can catch me playing anything from Keri Hilson to Adele or Etta James, Jamie Cullum and of course, Demi Lovato.
Where’s the one place where you can go and get your creative flow going in order to write/create music?
Either in my room or balcony
Who is your closest musician friend, and how did you two meet?
-This is probably already obvious but my closest musician friend is Michelle Martinez. We actually met in Japan in September 2008 and have kept in touch since although she is from the Bay Area and I'm from San Diego. Our experience in Japan brought us closer together because we worked hard toward the same goal and we only had each other to rely on. And now you can catch us collaborating at shows here in the US or singing in a YouTube video together :-)
What do you do in your spare time when you’re not playing music?
I like to write in my journal. I've been writing in journals since elementary school so it's something I do religiously. It's really nice to also read back at what you wrote in the past. It helps you understand yourself and see how much you grow through time. Also, when I'm not busy singing, you can find me dancing. And just like anyone else, I just like to have fun whether it be going clubbing, hanging out with friends, having dinner with family, etc. During the summer I love going to the beach and during the winter I like to go snowboarding. And on any given day, Disneyland floats my boat :-)
What do you hope to accomplish while being involved in music?
I hope to inspire people with my music, as every musician does. Although I have videos on YouTube, I like to focus on being known for being a great performer on stage, even when it comes to dancing. I want to use my personal experiences and express them through my music to further my growth and reach out to others.
Do you have any final words for the readers?
Please be on the look out for my upcoming originals and performances in the near future and if you have any further questions, feel free to ask me on twitter: @krystlecruz :-)
There you have it! Just one of the many fresh faces on YouTube who you should be keeping an eye and ear out for! Till next time, signing off!
J~
Krystle Cruz
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