We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristina James a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kristina , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve scored music for was a feature documentary called “First Voice Generation.” The film follows three first generation, Mexican American, students who are in their senior year of high school during the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. The film showcases the challenges and triumphs of these intersectional circumstances. Each of the three students are the first in their family to pursue going to a college university. This was a really meaningful project for me because my older sister and I were the first in our entire family to go to a college university. We are also half Mexican American and our mother is a first generation Mexican American. Our family faced some heavy challenges growing up and I felt really connected to the challenges of the main characters in the film. The director of the film, Cynthia Martinez, is also a first generation, Mexican American and there was an immediate, wonderful connection with her as well. I found it really meaningful to be a part of a project that celebrated the stories of people who are often marginalized or looked-over. It was also incredibly empowering and inspiring to work with a Latina film maker,
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?
I’m a film composer and I’ve written music for documentaries, narrative films, branded content and had the awesome opportunity to contribute music for the season 7 series of “Outlander.” I love telling stories through music and I really enjoy the collaborative process of filmmaking. There’s something really magical in the composer and director relationship. Directors are able to somehow draw out the best work in me, which I always find fascinating, especially when they proclaim to not be musically savvy. But that’s the beauty of working with artists, we seem to be speaking an emotional language which is universal and the power of film is the ability to transcend all kinds of barriers. I think what sets me apart from other composers is my unique perspective as a mixed-race woman. I can be incredibly empathetic to the emotions within storytelling because of my life experience. I’m really proud of my adaptability to be able to work in different kinds of genres and with all kinds of people. I really love incorporating unique musical ideas into my work and I love working with directors.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
What drives me to keep creating music is my desire to bring connectedness and healing into a world that desperately needs these things. At a young age I experienced music’s power to connect and heal as the piano and band class was my safe place to process emotions and connect with my peers. I believe that music has the power to positively change people and awaken us all to our shared humanity.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One of the most rewarding parts of being an artist is being able to help people see or hear their own humanity in a song or film and help them remember that they are not alone. Art should reflect the beauty, brutality and truth of what it means to be human and if I can make someone feel seen or heard and not alone, that is a gift! I cry happy tears when someone pulls me aside or DMs me about how this piece of music or project of mine has had a positive, inspiring or healing impact in their life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristinajamesmusic.com/music
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinajamesmusic/?hl=en
