Introduction
Musician/Songwriter Kristin Rebecca reached out to me via this website, asking about being featured in my blog. Support Our #creatives® is my passion project and featuring creatives here is one facet of my passion – I was so happy to be asked! We had an initial meeting so Kristin and I could learn about each other, and we set up to do an interview.
Everyone, meet Kristin Rebecca!
The Interview
1.Tell our readers about yourself.
Kristin Rebecca: Hi Everyone! I’m a Maryland based musician and songwriter. I actively tour and have had the opportunity to perform nationally and in Canada. My songs tell personal stories about my life, the lives of those around me and my observations about what’s going on in the world. Outside of music I volunteer, read books, and do various activities with friends like going to movies, restaurants, and museums.
2. How long have you been in the music business? What is your musical style?
I have been a full-time musician for the past 8 years. My style is folk/pop, or as I like to say, it sounds like what would happen if Joan Baez and Ed Sheeran made an album together.
3. How did you come to use these two diverse instruments, acoustic guitar and the folk harp?
I first got interested in music in middle school. There was a youth band that performed at my confirmation classes. I loved the music and thought the bass player was really cute (he was about 4 years older than myself, so he didn’t know I existed) and I noticed the guitar player stood next to him. I decided to take up the guitar and play in the band myself one day. By the time I got into the band the bass player had left.
I was 15 years old when I took up the harp. It was a random event that got me interested in the instrument. My family and I were visiting a music store in MN called Groth music. They had Celtic harps in a display area near the front. I walked over, plucked a string on one of the harps, and decided I wanted to learn how to play.
4. What are the challenges of writing your own music?
Like any writer I get moments of writer’s block or times when the music and/or lyrics aren’t flowing the way I want them too. Usually, when this happens, I take a break and come back to it later or play what I have for a small group of listeners and see what they think.
5. Tell us about the process you follow to get your name out there – publicizing your music, getting gigs, getting representation, etc. Does social media play a role? What has worked best for you?
At the moment I am working as my own booking agent and also do most of the promotion side of things myself, so I go through a daily process of research and reaching out.
Every morning I research venues/festivals to play at and then contact about 5 or 6. I also follow up or confirm with other venues I’ve been in contact with recently.
Then I contact one publicity outlet a day. It can be a radio station, blog, podcast, livestream, TV station, etc. I ask them if I could promote my latest project.
I also reach out or follow up with one industry contact a day. Currently, I’m looking for management, so I research managers who work with artists in the same or similar genre as myself and send them an email asking to join their artist roster. When I hear back, we start the next round of talking about visions and their thoughts about my music. I’ve been very excited about the good feedback I’ve received.
Social media has helped when it comes to getting in touch with podcasts, radio show and blogs. They will see my posts through the hashtags I use and comment or like the post, then I will reach out to them.
For tour promotion I started working with Matt [Fox] from “Fox in a Box PR” last year and have enjoyed working with him and his team.
6. Compare and contrast the musical style of “Tales, Trials, Truths” and “Where Fairies Dwell”.
“Where Fairies Dwell” was my first full length album. I released it in 2014. Before releasing “Where Fairies Dwell” I put out an EP called “Fringe” with 6 original songs. “Fringe” had a successful release and people who heard me play live were also very interested in a harp only album. At the time I was also performing quite a bit in the Celtic genre and decided to come out with a mostly traditional Celtic harp album with a few original compositions and a song. I chose the name “Where Fairies Dwell” because of a trip I took to Ireland where I learned about the Irish folklore and fairy stories. The album itself has a fantasy theme running through it.
While working on my traditional album I was still writing and performing original music. One of my main goals is to get a record deal, and to do that I needed an album that would give the record companies an idea of what my folk/pop sound was like with a full band. I came out with “Tales, Trials, Truths” last year. It’s a 17-song, full band, folk/pop album with a broad range of song topics. All the songs are completely original except for two. Those two songs are covers with entirely original arrangements.
7. Tell us about the Rye Room sessions.
The Rye Room sessions is based in Portland, OR. They welcome artists to come into their studio and play two songs, which they shoot and record live, and one of the songs gets a writeup in Vortex magazine. Everyone is very welcoming and supportive of original music. The set was beautiful, and I had a really fun time.
8. Is there anything else you would like to say?
Thank you for interviewing me and supporting creatives! I’m releasing a promotional single this year titled “Siren’s Call.” For updates on the release and to connect with me, go to Facebook (www.facebook.com/kristinrebeccamusic), Twitter ( @kristinrebecca1) or visit my website where you can sign up for my newsletter at www.kristinrebecca.com.
9. How can people get in touch with you?
The best way to reach me for questions, show opportunities or just a quick note is by sending me an email at info@kristinrebecca.com.
Special Treat
I asked Kristin if I could present her music in this post. She recommended this selection from the Rye Room Sessions.
Conclusion
Kristin, it has been my pleasure to interview you and learn more about the music industry. Kristin’s process for “getting her name out there” is a template that others can follow, albeit in music or other discipline.
For more information on Kristin and her music, follow these links:
Website Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram
To my readers, please provide feedback or questions in the Comments. I would really enjoy hearing from you. And let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover.
Disclaimer: The author is not being financially compensated by Kristin Rebecca for this post.
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Originally published January 30, 2019. Updated August 19, 2020 to adjust category assignments.
Support Our #creatives® 