We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Krystle Dos Santos. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Krystle below.

Hi Krystle, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I feel very fortunate to say that all the projects I currently have on rotation are all meaningful to me. I think it was post covid that this really came to be. The process of things slowing almost to a stop both let the work that didn’t have as much value or meaning fall away, while highlighting the projects that really fed my soul and gave me such joy and purpose. 1) Hey Viola – I co-created this show about Canadian Civil rights icon Viola Desmond. It’s such a small team (I play Viola and I’m supported by a 3pc band) that when we get to present or tour the show, it always feels like a family reunion. Even our stage manager, lighting designer and director (also co-creator) are all part of the fam. And the show itself is such a joy to perform. It has music I love from the 1930’s-60’s, by artists like Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, The Inkspots and the Mills Brothers, and it also humanizes a story of racial injustice and really touches audiences. I go out to the lobby after every show and get to hear so many amazing reactions and connections to her life and story. I even met her nephew who lived in the house she bought for her family, when he was young with his mom (Wanda Robson) and brother. Touring this show has been such a gift too; I get to bring my family with me wherever we go – Charlottetown PEI, Gananoque and Stratford, ON, Regina, Edmonton, Courtenay, Kamloops and so much more. This show is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
2) I started a cabaret series called Underneath the Harlem Moon Cabaret that is going into its 10th year in 2024. It all started when I was a part of a musical production of Dreamgirls in 2013. It was an all black cast of 17 people, of which nothing similar had been done since 30 years prior. I wanted to create a stage that all of the cast members could share their gifts and talents and it was such a success that it became a regular monthly night (1st Tuesday) as of March 2014. The show uplifts and highlights artists to perform on a stage with a full band that might not be accessible to them because of career level, type or access. We have mentored and connected so many creatives over the years and had so many amazing moments and experiences! I can’t wait for the next 10, with a goal to connect the music community on a national level.
3) Emergence Music Mentorship for Women: I was asked to be a mentor in this program back in 2019 and a couple years later became a co-Director and continuing mentor. This program has brought me such fulfilment to be able to share my knowledge and experience, but also to meet other people who are building their careers in such beautiful ways. My hope is to continue its legacy of bringing together the music community for women on a peer to peer level basis and cultivating conversations and connections, so that we feel empowered to have successful and fulfilling careers.
4) School Shows – “A History of Motown” and “BLAK:Canadian Women in Music” are two shows for young audiences that I created and toured before the pandemic, and had turned into virtual options in the height of the shut down. I continue to perform these shows to school aged audiences and couldn’t love it more. I get to share incredible history, highlight the importance of representation and have dance parties with kids from grades K-12. So cool.

Having success in such meaningful projects has shown me that there’s so much more longevity in projects that not only grow our community and share knowledge to uplift and celebrate each other, but they are possible and necessary.

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 began my musical journey at 17 with voice lessons that really sparked something in me. I had previously done cheerleading and drama in school and loved those outlets for performance (I always wanted to be on the Mickey Mouse Club with Britney, Justin, Christina et al) and asked my mom if she could put me into singing towards the end of high school. There was a performing arts high school in Edmonton that I always wanted to go to, but it was so far that I didn’t want to make the journey everyday, so I didn’t go. After an aimless semester in a general degree in college, I auditioned for the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria BC. I went there for a year and decided I wanted to go to England to see what that might bring; I auditioned for a few girl groups, met a few sketchy characters and came home discouraged after a year of travel and self discovery. After taking a bit of hiatus from music and going back to University to get a science degree in Human Ecology, I was introduced to a grant provided by a radio station in Edmonton, who was giving $10K to 20 artist to make an album. Luckily, I was able to get one with the help of a local jazz musician. I realized he didn’t have my best interest at heart, and just wanted to do an album that made himself and a few of his friends some easy money with no intention of creatively uplifting me whatsoever. I nervously fired him, thinking I would lose it all, and found a producer in Vancouver, who agreed to do the project with me; It became my debut, self-titled album that I released in 2008. This project won the Urban recording of the year in 2009 at the Western Canadian awards and had a number of other successes that felt like a fairytale. My 2nd album was a much more creative undertaking and did not have the kind of success that the first album did, however, it did get a 2011 WCMA nomination and allowed me to recognize that my creativity and vision were so important to hold on to. In 2013 I went on a trip that I called my walkabout to find some musical and creative inspiration in the music cities of the USA. I endeavored to find gospel choirs, jazz and blues clubs that I thought would be the source of the soul and creativity I was looking for…. lo and behold I came home and discovered that it was always within me, shocker. I received a grant to help me create an album based on those experiences and inspirations, and ended up losing majority of the money because of bad connections that I made with producers across the border and locally who, once again, did not have my best interests at heart. That’s same year I did my first professional musical, Dreamgirls, that sparked the idea for my Underneath the Harlem Moon Cabaret (celebrating 10 years in 2024). I created the safe space I was looking for to help find my creative voice and test the waters with styles and collaborations. For years to follow, I was very reluctant to make original music again, until in 2018. I had co-written a few new songs, dusted off some old ones and was introduced to producer/musician Chris Davis, through the musical director from my show Hey Viola!, Steven Charles. Together, they were the producer/arranger team that helped me create my Bloom/Burn album. The most positive and successful album project I have ever created. It was not without its challenges, however, this album awarded me the R&B Artist of the year at the 2020 WCMA’s. These 2 were FINALLY the type of creatives I didn’t know I was looking for all along. After many years trying to establish and support my career with corporate and lounge gigs etc, cold call searching for the right producer, band, team etc, I finally had the clarity and experience to recognize the value of surrounding myself with the right people and projects that gave me creative support, communities and fulfillment was what I had been seeking all along. By mentoring, I learned to be mentored, by making space, I had a space, but paying forward and seeing the bigger picture and greater good, I had felt the value in it. In my search to find the perfect career, mentor, inspiration or community, what I’d been searching for all along was the spaces and places that I had created for myself and others to thrive within. I had to “be the change I wanted to see”.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Sharing knowledge and experience has become a huge goal for me in my career. I wish I had the kinds of resources, tools and online communities when I was starting my career, they would have made such a huge difference. I think there used to be a mindset that was to keep your success and the journey to get there close and not share your experiences because it would take away from your successes. This idea has never served me or my mission as an artist. I have made it a goal in my artistic career to share all my experiences, good and bad, because every artist and person is so unique and deserves the best chance and wealth of knowledge to build and develop in an already difficult field. There’s enough sun to shine on everyone and enough opportunity and experiences to support every individual who is seeking them out.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is getting to exchange that beautiful, undefinable energy that happens when you’re on stage and performing something that educates, enlightens and/or entertains someone. The combination of getting to practice my passion and creative gifts, while also having an audience to share it with is the greatest thing I could ever imagine doing for a career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.krystledossantos.com
• Instagram: @krystledossantosmusic

Image Credits
Chelsea Shaila Rebecca Roberts Adele Thomas Jason Benson