Miss Krystle: Keeping Your Dukes Up In The Music Industry (Transcript)

As a Singer Songwriter, Musician and Licensed Attorney, Miss Krystle gives advice to others trying to navigate the business world, an entertainment career and life.

In this inspiring and surprising talk, Miss Krystle tells her story of creating a life and business through determination sparked by creativity.

Miss Krystle – TEDxScottsdaleWomen 2019 TRANSCRIPT

All I’ve ever wanted to be was a Rockstar. And, I’ve never wanted to fail, but I’ve been knocked down more times than I can remember.

And, I have failed, painfully and miserably. I’m pretty sure I’ve become the poster child for keeping your dukes up. Not just as an independent musician, but also as a business owner.

When I was 16, I started my first music business. But, my journey as a tortured artist begins well before then.

Here’s me looking all cute around age 12. And, while I quickly discovered that I was pretty good at modeling early on, my true calling was music. And I am classically trained in instruments like piano and cello and a couple others.

But I started writing original music when I was 13. And I even had my very first performance, at the mall, about 14. Here’s me rockin’ my black onesie and my Britney Spears inspired microphone.

And I remember, I even signed my first autograph. And instead of writing, to my number 1 fan, I wrote, to my 1 number fan. Which was clearly just a work in progress.

So then, fast forward a couple of years. I started college when I was 16, but I was facing a tough situation. My parents had just split. And so, my dad was now out of the picture, and my mom, bless her heart, having raised and homeschooled all five of my siblings and myself, didn’t have the money to pay for my schooling.

So, I just needed to figure it out. And besides starting to apply for scholarships, it was basically a part-time job. I also saw a flyer that you could win scholarship money competing in pageants.