We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kirsten Evans. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kirsten below.
Kirsten , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
“Throughout my career, I have taken many risks, which for me, as someone who adores having not only a main plan but also several backup plans, was not something I thought I would ever be able to say. My first risk was singing in front of my entire school year at the age of 15. This might not sound like the world’s largest risk, but for me at the time, as a typical shy teenager with few friends, standing in front of 250 of my peers to sing as loudly as I could was an enormous risk. What would they think? If they didn’t like me, would that mean I would have to stop singing forever? Would I end up with even fewer friends when they found out that my real dream was to become a singer? Of course, all the questions I had running through my mind were completely out of proportion with the level of risk there really was, and I learned some valuable lessons from the risks I took over the three or four performances I did for my school year. This one experience was the spark for all my future risky behavior when it came to music and my career.
Initially, I chose to attend a university in the same city as my then-boyfriend. It was well known for music and would provide a great foundation for me to teach music, which was my plan. Within weeks of starting my program, I applied on a whim to the same conservatory that my then-boyfriend went to as ti was where I truly wanted to study. I had previously applied there to study operatic singing but this time, however, I would audition to study composition. Once again, this was a big risk for me. I wanted to impress the tutors at this university, as I could see the potential it had to propel someone’s music career. The last composition experience I had before this point was when I was around 18. I was handing in my final composition portfolio when my tutor turned around to me and said, “I’ve written you a new and improved composition for you to hand in… it’s based on your work… and I think you should hand in this one instead… because I think you are going to fail if you hand in the work you have done.” Despite this, I submitted my own work and received an A. After all this, applying for composition was a risky strategy to get into the conservatory I truly wanted to study at. I wondered whether I would impress the panel deciding my fate or continue on my path to becoming a music teacher. But they gave me a place!
Every time I take on a project since then, it feels like a risk. Each new project stretches my skills in a way that makes me uncertain whether I can complete the job. I have faith that my current skills, which usually cover only about 70% of the required skills for the new project, will be enough to get me through. I believe that I can learn the other skills required as I progress.
Shortly after starting my composition degree, I was offered an opportunity to be the singer and additional composer for Wales’ national entry to the Venice Biennale, one of the world’s oldest and biggest arts festivals. Just months before this, I wasn’t even sure if I would be allowed to join the course, let alone be recommended for a professional gig. Despite my doubts, I said yes to the offer, hoping that my existing skills would be sufficient for the project. My work was performed in front of 30,000 people that year, and to this day, it remains one of my most significant accomplishments.
During the final year of my degree I moved out of the UK and off to Stockholm, Sweden. I was going to be a composers assistant for the first time and we were going to work on a Marvel Movie. Did I know how to be a composers assistant? No. Did I know anything about film scoring? Do the 2 short film scores I had done count?…No? Then no. Did I speak Swedish? No. Was I still renting a place where I was studying and therefore have to pay double rent on a student budget while working full time and finishing a 4 year undergraduate degree? Yes. There were plenty of things that could have gone wrong but now my name is in the credits of a Marvel movie. Another proud achievement. Another learning curve.
After leaving Sweden to face the COVID-19 lockdown back in the UK with my family, I decided to move to Los Angeles, California, in the middle of the pandemic. The immigration process was slow, and I had no real contacts in America. I had only visited LA for a total of two days before. However, despite the challenges, I took the risk, and after a year and a half, I am still here in LA, enjoying the benefits of this decision.
While it may sound glamorous, what I have learned is that taking risks, even if you don’t reach your original goal, can have many benefits and positives. The key is being willing to learn as you go and adapt to the challenges that arise.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As a singer, songwriter, and composer, I specialize in providing vocals for media music composers, particularly in the horror music, trailer music, and general film scoring genres. With a background in both classical and pop music, I bring a versatile and dynamic vocal range to my work.
In addition to my work as a singer, I also compose production music with a focus on horror, neoclassical, textural, and trailer music. My compositions aim to create a unique and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall impact of visual media.
As a songwriter, I specialize in indie and pop music and enjoy collaborating with others to bring their creative visions to life. Whether it’s writing lyrics or composing melodies, I take pride in crafting engaging and memorable songs that resonate with listeners.
What sets me apart from others in my field is my ability to combine my diverse musical background with a deep understanding of the technical aspects of music production. This enables me to create high-quality vocals and compositions that meet the unique needs of each project.
I am most proud of my ability to collaborate with other artists and composers to create music that is greater than the sum of its parts. By working closely with my clients and understanding their creative vision, I am able to produce music that is truly impactful and memorable. I am incredibly proud of my past achievements, including my work as score coordinator on the MARVEL movie Morbius, singing on my first film score for the NETFLIX original film Apostle, and singing and co-composing for Wales’ national entry to the Venice Biennale in 2017. I have also had the pleasure of singing on trailers for LA-based trailer house Sound Insurgents, composing production music tracks for West One Music Group, and working in the music department for major productions with Hulu, HBO, Amazon Studios, and the BBC. My songs have been played on BBC Introducing and I have been interviewed on BBC Radio Wales for my work in composition.
For potential clients, followers, and fans, I want them to know that I am a passionate and dedicated artist who is committed to creating the highest quality music possible. Whether you’re a media music composer looking for a talented vocalist or a fellow musician seeking a collaborator, I am here to help you achieve your goals and make your musical dreams a reality.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I wish I had known the value of listening to a podcast and taking a walk much earlier in my career. The podcast that really shifted my thinking, from being very introspective and critical of my abilities and talents, to one that understands that even people who have seen success in their careers are those who have learned and developed, was ‘The Diary of a CEO’ by Steven Bartlett. In the mornings, I go for a walk first thing before doing anything else and listen to the guests on the podcast talk about where they come from, what specifically led to their success, what they had to overcome, and all through the medium of their specific zones of genius.
Listening to this podcast allows me to listen to the opinions and viewpoints of those whom I would see as a mentor and calmly take their advice and learnings and test out new ideas for myself each time I listen to a new guest speak. It helps me understand the viewpoints of others and why they hold their views on certain topics, without having to guess for myself. Listening to their stories helps me keep pushing forward in my career, see obstacles more as steps than walls, and also gives me new ideas on how to approach my career advancement.
Each guest on the podcast comes with their own approach to business, scaling their business, and taking on opportunities when they present themselves. Listening to this podcast as I gradually get my body moving in the morning helps me clear and energize my mind for the rest of the day.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
For a long time, since I was maybe only 7 or 8 and I first joined the school choir, I have always known deep down that all I want to do is sing. Over the course of my career and as I have gone through my schooling, I found myself drifting away from this goal. If I am honest with myself, the reason I let myself drift away from this goal was merely due to self-preservation and not yet being able to calmly work through critique. However, as I have worked my way through different genres of music in my career and found myself still incorporating singing wherever I can, I have brought myself back full circle to the beginning and have realized again that all I want to do is sing. My goal will always be to sing, write songs, and write music from now on.
I believe the reason I have such a desire to sing comes from something that I have not always been great at outside of singing: interacting with people and expressing my feelings fully while doing that. Growing up in the UK, you do, like the stereotypes suggest, learn to ‘keep calm and carry on,’ and trying to turn that off sometimes can be a struggle! Music and singing, on the contrary, encourage the complete opposite of the quiet discipline instilled in the British public. It’s not to say that all British people find expressing their emotions fully quite as tricky as I can, but it is to say that for me, music is an outlet through which I feel I can truly start to interact with the world, and any moment I can grab to do that is a chance I don’t want to pass up! And the best part about interacting with the world in that way, through music, is that other people let out their emotions too… they cry, they sing along, they sigh, they laugh, they dance, they shout, and they scream. You can be free when you are listening to music and when you sing as part of it too. My goal is to feel all of those emotions with as many audiences as possible! 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kirstenevans.co.uk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstenhevans/
Image Credits
Kelsey Henricks