Interview: Crystal

Introducing Crystal.

After falling in love with making music at high school, Crystal has been putting her all into making a name for herself. We sat down with her to learn all about her journey so far. Check it out.

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How did this all start? Did you grow up loving music and singing? Was this always a dream for you?​

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"I think it started with just loving to sing from a really young age. Then, as I got older, I just discovered music and CDs, and I was obsessed with iTunes and then Spotify and just having all access to music of all genres at your fingertips was crazy. I got really inspired just listening to music and seeing other Kiwi artists making it big on the world stage. It gave me hope that you can be from NZ and do big things in the industry."

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"When I was 14, I’d picked my subjects for the year and then halfway through that year, I decided to drop out of art and take music instead, which was the start of my pursuit. Weirdly enough, I’ve never been good at musical instruments, even though I’m a very musical person, so music production was something I got into when I was 17. That helped me discover what I wanted to sound like going forward." 

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Who are your music inspirations, and do you look up to?

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"Lily Allen – her lyrics are so blunt and honest, and I feel I have a similar style when writing. I don’t use metaphors; I just say things how they are. I find her very inspiring. I also really like James Blake. With every album release, it feels like he reinvents himself, but it’s still him at the core."

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Who are your music idols?

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"Maude Latour, she’s an up-and-coming artist from the States. She creates these worlds with her music, and you can tell she’s really passionate about what she’s singing about and the art she makes."

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What keeps you motivated to keep going with music? 

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"It’s hard because you can get weighed down by the financial aspect of it all; you really have to be passionate about what you’re trying to create to keep going. When you’re really connected with music, there’s no other feeling like that. I always come back to that feeling, and that’s what keeps me sane." 

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What’s your favourite part of the song-making process, writing, mixing, recording, releasing?

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"When you start something fresh, it can be a little hit or miss because it doesn’t always work out, but when you get that idea that just sparks something inside of you, it’s a great feeling. The refining part can be a little tedious, but I love creating the visual world for the songs, like how it will look in a music video." 

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Your EP Dead Ends, what can you tell us about it, what are some of the inspirations?

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"I started writing it when I moved to Auckland back in 2021. I moved to Auckland with the intention of making music full-time get a music gig on the side but it didn’t end up working out that way. I ended up staying in Hospo, and I was super bummed out that nothing was going to plan. I channelled those feelings and wrote them all down into what is now some songs on the EP and walked away with such a sense of fulfilment from a time that was super hard."

What was that like being named a One To Watch in Rolling Stones AU?

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"It was crazy to get that kind of recognition from Rolling Stone; that was a big deal to me. You never really know who’s watching."

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What do you have coming up that you can share with us?

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"I’m filming a new music video, and then I’ll start on a new project in the first half of next year. Just building up the catalogue to give 2025 a good go."

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What burger do you think Dead Ends would be if it were on the BF menu?

The C N Cheese, because it’s my favourite burger and the EP is just made up of all my favourite songs that I ended up making.

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What would your ideal BF burger contain?

Classic bun, cheddar cheese, beef patty, lots of gherkins, lettuce, tomato and a tasty sauce.

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Any final word?

"For any other creatives out there that are self-managed or just trying to create opportunities for themselves, just follow your gut and intuition. If you're passionate and driven, then anything is possible."

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We had to put Crystal through our quick-fire round to round out an epic interview.

What is your go to song to Jam out to in the car? Good luck, babe – Chappel Roan.

Who is your favourite artist at the moment? Psycho.

One thing you can’t perform without? Water.

One artist or band you would love to co-lab with? Great South.

Go to BurgerFuel order? C N Cheese and Spud Fries.

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Fire or Backfire?

Pickles in burgers - Fire

Crocs - Fire

Karaoke - Fire

BurgerFuel Aioli - Fire

Acoustic performances- Fire

NZ Music Month - Fire

Festivals - Fire

Singing in the Shower – Fire

Pineapple on Pizza – Fire

Supermarket in bare feet - Fire  

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Crystal also recently performed at Live Nation and One NZ's Ones To Watch. Check out what went down

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