There is something special happening with Kristin Moura , the talented pop artist out of Medford. A firm believer in the time-honored traditional of songwriting with a message, Kristin Moura's work demonstrates how personal and affecting music can be when the right elements come together. This legitimacy is discernable from other angles. She has a deep understanding of the techniques and traditions of the pop genre which is perhaps why the critics had this to say about her award-winning work: ‘Kristin Moura is hauntingly beautiful and delivers a stunning performance in the rather disturbing but superbly produced video for 'Once Called Home.'’ Reporter Blake Wright recently caught up with this talented artist to learn more about her unique story and her plans for the future.
BLAKE: Let's just get this out in the open- What is the craziest thing that has happened to you in your music career?
KRISTIN MOURA: The craziest thing that has ever happened to me has been qualifying to open for our local radio station's huge, free concert we have every year. I may not have won, but my song was on a major radio station! Here is a link to it : http://mix1041.cbslocal.com/2014/07/30/open-mixfest-2014-qualifier-kristin-moura-once-called-home/
BLAKE: Your song ’Once Called Home’ is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on radio?
KRISTIN MOURA: I was in awe the first time I heard it played on Mix 104.1! I kept asking myself, 'I wonder how many people are listening right now? I wonder if anyone will come up to me after hearing me on the radio?'
BLAKE: What was the inspiration behind your debut radio single?
KRISTIN MOURA: 'Once Called Home' was one of the first songs I recorded with Jared, my producer. The inspiration came from conversations back and forth with him. Things I say; life's experiences that I've seen or gone through; struggles about finding who one is. 'Once Called Home' depicts me on a journey following a strange character that is showing me things for the first time. Everything just goes dark all of a sudden like nothing is going right. In the end, even though things don't always go right, there is still something that we can all call home. Just don't give up on finding that one thing.
BLAKE: It is often said that great art arises from difficult experience. Is there something in your life experience thus far that you would describe as the ‘catalyst’ or ‘fuel’ for your desire to create music?
KRISTIN MOURA: I didn't start out creating music. I played soccer for ten years and tried to stay out of my house as long as I could. I either had games or practice. In high school I got into theatre and started to express interest in that environment. I auditioned for roles, mostly the musicals, and joined choir. I would even get to school early and meet with the choir teacher and sing through some songs. I then decided to take a couple of voice lessons, and it took off from there. I recorded some songs and took a dance/performance course. Although it seemed like I was outgoing, I felt sheltered, like there was something stopping me from going further. The struggles of finding out who you are in high school makes you think; and the only way I expressed myself was in my music.
BLAKE: How would you characterize yourself as an artist/musician? (Ex. Down-to-earth, serious, fun-loving, complicated…)
KRISTIN MOURA: My music is dark, and unique to who I am.
BLAKE: What has your experience been like working with the other people on your team?
KRISTIN MOURA: I've worked with various groups of musicians/producers/artists over the years. All are very different and unique, which is great, but not everyone has understood me. Over the last couple of years, I have been working with a brilliant producer who knows how to communicate with the audience about who they are and channeling that into a song. Now, I'm loving it! Before my producer and I sat down and recorded anything, we met so that he could understand me as an artist and person. A person's story can be told in a song. It really personalizes the track, which makes the meaning of the song that much better.
BLAKE: Did you come from a musical background? Are there other musicians in your family?
KRISTIN MOURA: There are no musicians in my family. After school I'd come home and watch Total Request Live, back in the day. I remember singing along and thinking, 'I want to be in a video!'
BLAKE: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?
KRISTIN MOURA: The most challenging thing is time. I work full time to help the dream and I want to do so many different things, but there isn't enough time. Finding the right connections can be challenging as well. The most rewarding thing about being an artist is the reaction from fans and the interactions and friends that I've made along the way. It's awesome to know that what you've been doing has reached so many people.
BLAKE: Who are your role models in music?
KRISTIN MOURA: I grew up listening to Backstreet Boys, Green Day, Simple Plan, and anything from the 90's. That's what started my interest in music. Now that I've been creating my own, I've been listening to a lot of Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Avril Lavign, and Omi.
BLAKE: Describe your best or most memorable performance.
KRISTIN MOURA: I had done a performance workshop years ago and at the end we had a show. It's the most memorable performance I've had because I had audience members come up to me and tell me they loved my performance and songs.
BLAKE: What advice would you give to young, aspiring artists out there who are unsure and need guidance?
KRISTIN MOURA: My advice is to never give up on something you feel true to. Keep practicing and keep creating content. Be interactive on social media, all it takes is 15 seconds to spark someone's interest.
BLAKE: What's next for you as an artist? Is there a new single in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?
KRISTIN MOURA: I'm going to have a busy 2016! I have a couple new singles in the works, and quite a few projects I'm working on. I just recently finished filming some music videos and I'm waiting on final edits. One song is called 'Demon Inside' and that one will definitely chain you down to your seats (hint hint). The other is called 'Fade Away,' we went grave robbing for that one-- you don't want to miss these videos. I'm a video gamer and we wanted to incorporate that into my music, so I have my own video game coming out too. I live in a virtual world!
BLAKE: Wow, that all sounds very exciting! Thank you so much for letting us get to know you a little better. I look forward to hearing and seeing more great things from you in the future.
http://www.kristinmoura.com
