082: Authenticity in Songwriting with Kristen Karma

Kristen Karma is an award-winning singer-songwriter with a music career that has already blossomed in the pop/dance scene in her hometown of Vancouver. Now located in Toronto, Kristen Karma is no stranger to the ever-growing music industry.

Even though much of her formative years were devoted to a theoretical and exacting world of ballet lessons, Air Cadets, Military Marching Bands, and The Royal Conservatory of Music, some of the only evidence that remains of her past is the neon pink tulle that shoots out from under her black corset. It’s undeniable—Kristen Karma is a band nerd. But she is a band nerd who might punch you in the face for showing up late to practice.

Her brand new single “Dear John” released on October 19 is a heartwarming, and brilliantly crafted song that is sure to tug on the heartstrings. With it already winning Best International Song at the American Tracks Music Awards in Los Angeles, reaching #35 on the iTunes Canada Pop Charts, and placing in several International Film Festivals, Kristen features up-and-coming artist Marian Hanna and rap artist Mr ATP for a well-rounded and thematic song that is sure to make an impact on any listener who has lost a loved one.

In 2019 Kristen Won Pop Artist of the Year from the International Music and Entertainment Association (IMEA) Awards, placed as a Semi-Finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) in the Unsigned Category, and took home several nominations and placements in Indie Film Festivals for the song and music video “Dear John” around the globe. With over 155,00 plays on Soundcloud, 50,000 plays on Spotify, and well over 60,000 video views on YouTube and Vimeo combined there’s no telling how far her latest single will go. To finish off the year, in December of 2019 Kristen was featured as an Emerging Artist in the Women in Music Edition of Billboard Magazine gaining worldwide exposure.

Kristen Karma is taking control of her own destiny with a Gold Award in one hand (personally given to her by HRH Prince Edward in 2009) and a black corset in the other. She effortlessly walks the line between an organized and responsibly rehearsed persona who has spent years studying the theory behind her music, and her alter ego who cannot refrain from gallivanting all over the stage during her pop/electronic performances. Karma not only wields a certificate in Audio Engineering from Hot Sole Music, but has studied voice with Judith Rabinovitch, who has worked with the likes of Avril Lavigne and Sarah McLachlan.

In 2013, Kristen Karma was selected as one of two performers to play the Lady Gaga Born This Way Ball After-party and open for Tour DJ/Lady Gaga BFF Lady Starlight in Vancouver. With rave reviews from her performance, she then went on to work with lil’Jon on her single Sirens. In 2017, she opened for Grammy Award Winner Akon in Guelph, Ontario on his Canadian Promo Tour. Hot off the heels of her performance, Kristen was then approached and selected to play the Lady Gaga – Joanne World Tour VIP After-Party once again in Vancouver after Lady Gaga’s performance at Rogers Arena.

Kristen has already teamed up with with Mark Zubek (Zed Records) to bring you the quirky fun pop single, ‘Party Heroes’ which peaked on the iTunes Canada Chart (#17), and ‘Try’ (Top 30 iTunes Canada Pop Chart (#27), Top 100 iTunes Canada Chart (All Genres at #69) – Highest Debut of the Day for June 29, 2019).

Her previous EP, Destination Unknown, garnered critical success with numerous positive reviews, but Karma’s recordings are far from her only facet that is gaining positive attention from the press. Kristen Karma lives for the stage, and it shows. Karma herself recounts stories of being drawn to the stage from an early age, saying, “Before the age of five, I would gravitate to the stage no matter who was playing. If I could, I would get up on stage and dance with the singers.” It is this kind of driven and simultaneously care-free attitude that has propelled Kristen Karma deeper and deeper into a professional career in music.

Karma continues to wow audiences with her energetic live performances, and she does it all with a neon pink microphone in hand.

On This Episode:

Kristen shared what drew her to the music industry.Amber and Kristen discuss how music can help heal in the face of trauma or loss.Learn how authenticity places a massive role in songwriting.Find out how shaking up your routine a small amount can make a massive difference.

Tweetable Quotes:

"If you can play your song 1,000 times over and not get sick of it, you've got a good song." – Amber Fuhriman"You can't get better at something if you don't start." – Amber Fuhriman

Kristen Karma:

KristenKarma.com

Listen to Dear John on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1MiUkADtStfKhCjp1PXeU4?si=Oe6iYA8aTY23YQa4jZFrxA

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