If you love pop music, you will love Kristina Maria! The 22-year-old Canadian songstress just released her debut album “Tell The World” and is thrilled to be making a name for herself in the music industry! Her hit songs “Let’s Play” and “Co-Pilot” have already gained over 100,000 digital sales, and she has also been named Billboard’s #1 Emerging Canadian Artist! We have no doubts that Kristina’s rise to fame will only accelerate with the release of “Tell The World.” The album is a funky, dance-pop mixture of songs any girl can relate to, which is exactly what Kristina wanted the album to be.
Want to learn more about Kristina Maria? Read on for an exclusive interview with the rising star herself...
What do you like to do in your spare time?
KM: I like to spend time with my family and friends. I also love hitting up Karaoke bars!
What is one thing your fans don’t know about you?
KM: Even though you can’t see it through my music….I am extremely silly!
Did you always want to become a singer?
KM: Absolutely! There was never a point in my life when I wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer or a nurse, I always wanted to be a singer.
What artists do you feel you can relate to?
KM: Everything I write and sing about is custom made for me. Even though I am singing pop music, I am also very unique. My music does not sound like Katy Perry or Rihanna. I like to think of myself as a very different person, and I want to show that in my music.
What sets you apart from other pop artists?
KM: My style. Nothing sounds like my music….it is what makes my music so powerful.
Music
How long have you been into music?
KM: Rumor has it I used to hum on key all the time when I was a baby before I could even talk! The big moment in my life when I knew was when I was four and I saw the "Bodyguard" movie, and I asked my parents for the Whitney Houston album. I was constantly singing along to the crazy notes, and my interest just kept growing and growing from there!
Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations?
KM: It is melting pot of people, but I would say Christina Aguilera, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, and also Celine Dion and Whitney Houston.
What artists do you want to collaborate with in the future?
KM: Definitely Bruno Mars! I think him and I would sound amazing together…..we would serenade the world!
What is the best part of being in the music industry?
KM: Doing what I love! I know I have a lot more to do and experience in life, but being in the music industry is really just one of the best things that has happened to me. This has been the journey of a lifetime and I have just been trying to enjoy all of it.
Debut Album- "Tell The World"
What was it like putting together your first album?
KM: It was really exciting. My manager Vito Luprano found Celine Dion 20-something years ago and he worked with her. So the people that I got to work with were all amazing, talented people who have worked and written with Britney, Celine, Madonna... I got to develop my writing and vocal skills in the studio. As an artist it is exciting to work on an album and making this one was a lot of fun. At the end of the day, this album is 100% Kristina Maria and I want it to be relatable. I have broken up with guys, I’ve had my heart broken, I’ve felt angry, I’ve felt happy, and I want all of that to show in this album. I’ve traveled to Sweden, Miami, New York, Montreal, so I think this album has European feel, an American feel and a Canadian feel, which is really great!
What did you want the overall message or vibe of the album to be?
KM: I wanted it to be something really fun that people can jam out to while still finding out who I am because again this is 100% Kristina Maria, and I just want them to love this album.
What is your favorite song from the album?
KM: I love them all equally….it is my baby….it is my creation. Sometimes I prefer one to another, but it really depends on my mood! Today I woke up and loved the song “We Belong Together," but tomorrow who knows how I going to feel!
One of the songs on the album is titled "I Wanna Tell The World." Why did you name the album after this song?
KM: I feel like the title is really in your face. I want to prepare the world for Kristina Maria! It is really exciting to be sharing my thoughts and music with everyone, and I want everyone to know I have arrived!
What was it like the first time you heard your music on the radio?
KM: It was really fun. At first I did not think it was real. I thought it was my CD player because I was in the car. I went to press eject and then I realized it was not my CD player, it was the radio! There was this overwhelming sense of pride because when you think about how hard everyone worked to get this song out there, and the lyrics are playing it just makes you really, really proud. It is just amazing to be able to share your songs with people.
Songwriting
What was it like writing songs for “Tell The World?"
KM: It was really exciting. I have always been a writer, and I have always loved writing. It was great writing with the veterans who have been in the industry for years. I learned so much, and I was taking advantage of every single second that I was in the studio with them. I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could!
What was one of the biggest things you learned about song writing while working on the music for the album?
KM: Just don’t force it! Be yourself and be really creative. Don’t be scared. Go for it!
What are your main inspirations when songwriting?
KM: It depends how I felt in the moment when I was writing the song. If I had my heart broken, I would write about that, or if I was feeling happy, I would write about that. I really just wanted my music to be relateable.
Which one of the songs was the most fun to write?
KM: They were all so fun to write! I have really amazing memories with each one of them, but with all the writers I had a new experience, which was what made the writing process even better. There was this one writer who I really clicked with and we became really good friends. He became my mentor and with every song I wrote with him you can almost hear the sweat dripping off my forehead. We wrote about four songs together, and those were the songs that were the most fun because I was having so much fun and learning so much at the same time!
Live Shows
What is it like before you go on stage for a performance?
KM: In my opinion if you are not nervous before a show, you shouldn’t be performing. It is 100% normal to be nervous, and I am always so nervous before a show. It is exciting to be nervous before you go on stage….it means you are passionate about giving a good performance.
What is your pre-show ritual?
KM: I do voice work to warm up my vocal chords.
Do you have a lucky charm you take with you on stage to perform?
KM: Yes, I got one really recently! My friend gave me a little furry Chewbacca that I take with me on stage. Then also my manager, my assistant and I just do a little “go team” cheer!
What is the overall vibe or mood of your performances?
KM: It depends on the song I am signing. Some of my more playful songs like “Let’s Play” are more bubbly and exciting, but if it is a song like “Our Song Comes On," it is a little more to the heart and emotional because memories are running through my head.
Fans
You have thousands of supporters who love you and your music. What does that feel like?
KM: It is an incredible feeling and so surreal. It is really cool that my fans are so supportive. The people keep me going. I can’t even describe it to you because it is all so new to me, and I love it.
What was the moment like when you realized you have fans?
KM: It is really hard to believe….it is so surreal, and I am just trying to live in the moment!
Musical Growth & Next Steps
How have you grown as an artist during the process of releasing this album?
KM: I developed my writing and vocal skills. I was always learning and growing every single day, but I am still growing and I still have a lot to learn.
What was the best advice you were given while working on the album?
KM: My manager always tells me “just be yourself," and he couldn’t be more right.
Where do you want your music career to be in a few years?
KM: All over the world! I want to have fun with my music, be happy and have good health!
What do you want to achieve in 2012 as a performer?
KM: It is really cool that Canada is playing my music on the radios, and we have also launched "Co-Pilot," the French version, in Europe, in France and Belgium. I will be heading up to Europe, and I will be going on to America from there.
What should fans look out for from you in the future?
KM: Good music…. new singles and more performances. I just hope that everyone keeps an eye out and an ear out because I will be growing and working, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Learn more about Kristina Maria by checking out her official website, Facebook page, Twitter and by downloading her album on iTunes!
Check back with College Gloss soon for an exclusive fashion interview with Kristina Maria!
By: Annie Robinson | Images: Kristina Maria Music
I love Kristina Maria and this interview is so wonderful to read. Kristina will be a huge singer one day.....go all the way Kristina!
ReplyDeleteOMG I love kristina maria....she has some serious singing skills! sick interview and nice relaunch ppl!
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