We recently connected with Gillian Krystal and have shared our conversation below.

Gillian, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I think a lot of artists don’t always have a linear path. Mine has definitely involved a lot of exploration; friends I have met here in Nashville have mentioned that I have had “a few lives” already. To be completely frank, I didn’t have a lot of confidence coming out of high school. I wasn’t the kind of creative spirit coming out of the gates knowing exactly who I wanted to be and what I wanted my life to look like. I knew that I always loved to sing, and being on a stage felt like a very freeing place to me. What I did know at 17 is that I was creative and loved working with kids. My parents were both teachers so I figured I would try that path. The universe has always had it’s way of showing me what’s not for me, which can be difficult but I am very grateful for. Being away at school lasted a total of 2 months, and I was back to square one – with a lot of life lessons in store that I didn’t even realize were lessons at the time.

I ended up graduating with a Media Studies/Theatre degree. I met some life-changing people at Queens College, and I’ll always be grateful that’s where my path ended up. I interned for a field marketing agency in New York, and after a summer off auditioning, later ended up working for them under Paramount and Disney studios. It was a blast, but after awhile started to feel like it wasn’t the life I wanted forever. I was playing out at more local gigs, writing more, and knew I needed more time in my life to do that. I reconnected with an old professor and ended up running a program for adults with disabilities fter that. One of the most fulfilling jobs I have ever had and feel so lucky to have had spent my days doing that. The members in my program absolutely gave me the courage to go full-fledged with my music career. I moved to Nashville in 2020 to pursue that, and have been here releasing and playing since.

Gillian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I feel I am always discovering “my sound” but I was working on my first EP with my producer in New York, Russ Desalvo, before I moved out to Nashville. We met through my singing the national anthem through his son doing sound, another amazing connection happening organically! I finished it and hit the ground running once I got here. I entered into all of the writers rounds I could, tried to find different forms of networking in this incredible community. Luckily, once COVID hit I had joined a writing club that introduced me to some spectacular people.

Once the world opened back up, those connections along with working in industry with some other incredible musicians expanded my circle. The one thing that drew me to Nashville and still keeps me is the sense of community, and how there’s so many artists living this way and doing “the thing” that it somehow makes you feel a little more sane for choosing this day after day.

I am still trying to find the people who connect to my music, and figuring it out every day. I’d like to think I get closer with each gig, or write, or connection but I think that the most I feel connected is when I am in my creative element and when my heart is connected to what I am doing the most. I trust that it will all fall into place the way it’s meant to as it always has.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

If you’re thinking of going to the show, go to the show. It always feels better when you immerse yourself in music and get the chance to know we all kinda share similar lives at the end of the day. The experience isn’t as isolating as we can make it out to be sometimes (by we I mean I).

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The thought that “once I get here” I’ll “feel like this.” You’ve heard it a milliion different ways, but it definitely is a different experience once you start to slip into in on your own. Enjoying the present moment but looking forward to what the future has in store and intentionally moving towards it is very different than chasing the next thing. Chasing anything has always left me slightly disappointed. I’ve realized slowing down and taking what I have as a gift changes the perspective on everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gilliankrystal.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilliankrystal/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gilliankrystal
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gillian_krystal
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVBCsLsnDL3erCQwXW_ODwA
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/gilliankrystal

Image Credits

https://www.instagram.com/bethanylainebluhm/

https://www.instagram.com/luisgvisuals/