27 January 2023 - 0 Comments

Rising alternative pop artist and producer Crystal sets the scene for an exciting year ahead on new single Skin.

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Following on from anthemic pop track Expectations Suck!, her latest offering Skin is an exploration of thoughts and experiences endured after spending too much time inside. Written in a music session on zoom during Auckland’s 107-day lockdown at the end of 2021, the song is a way of escapism as Crystal dreams up what her ideal holiday would look like once freedom is finally returned to her.

“I remember feeling like lockdown would never end. Each week, we’d watch the updates on the news hoping we’d be allowed out like the rest of the country… but it just kept going. Everyone’s mental health was slowly deteriorating, and at times it was unbearable. Most days, I’d go for a walk around the neighborhood, usually to the nearby bay to clear my head and jot down my thoughts. I lived for these moments. Some days I’d write and write, and other days, nothing. Having this time gave me perspective, and allowed me to appreciate the simple joys I had taken for granted. I would dream up all these plans of what I would do once lockdown was over, and it gave me hope for what was to eventually come”.

Skin was co-written and co-produced by Crystal and key collaborator Joel Jones. As Crystal recalls “the song came together in a matter of hours. I’d been living, and writing the song unknowingly for weeks, so when it came to doing my first session in lockdown, everything came together so fast. It’s been really exciting developing and refining the production over the past year with Joel”.

Te-Whanganui-A-Tara/Wellington-raised and Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland-based Crystal made her live music debut in 2019 while studying Commercial Music at Massey University, playing Wellington festivals, Cuba Dupa and Newtown Festival, and supporting Australian artist Kian, before ever having released music online. Her debut single, My Flowers Are Dead featured on TVNZ’s body swap comedy series Life Is Easy, while her previous release Expectations Suck! landed on Spotify's 'New Music Friday AU & NZ', 'Pop n Fresh', and ‘Equal AU & NZ’ playlists and featured on ZM’s Late Night Show. The release of Expectations Suck! and Skin marks the beginning of a new era for Crystal, as she refines her sound and solidifies herself as one to watch.

Photo Credit: Mia Vinaccia

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