Catch up with singer-songwriter Krista Wigston and listen to her latest single "Wherever You Are" off her forthcoming EP, Whatever It Takes.
What got you interested in music and in songwriting?
Krista: I have had a passion and a love for music and singing since I can remember; I don't really recall a certain time where I knew that this was what I wanted to do, it has just always been a part of me and that feeling has never left. However, with songwriting, I loved Language Arts growing up and I always wrote interesting stories and in my spare time I would just write fiction stories that popped into my mind. Sometimes I would even give them to people as gifts. And I guess my love for writing changed to a love for songwriting, because I do a lot of that in my spare time now.
Do you remember the first song you wrote that you were happy with?
The first song I was overly happy with would have to be "Gotta Stop". Although there was a bit of tweaking when I went to work with a songwriter and record it, a lot of the song stayed the same and it still had the statement and feeling that I was hoping it would have, and I'm very happy with how it turned out.
Which musicians have you been influenced by?
There have been so many different artists that have influenced me throughout my life. Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kehlani, Carrie Underwood, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith, Christina Grimmie, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Sabrina Carpenter, and so many more to name.
If you were to make a playlist for your fans, which 3 songs - from other artists - would you have to include?
It is so difficult to narrow it down to just 3 songs, but 3 songs that have been a large part of my life would be "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith, "Can't Blame A Girl For Trying" by Sabrina Carpenter, and "Stay" by Rihanna.
What words would you use to describe your music?
Passionate; every song tells a story; relatable; spirited; real; and emotional.
What were your inspirations behind your single "Wherever You Are"?
I believe that every song should tell a story, whether it is your story or someone else's. But this story has to do with when I liked a boy, and it drove me crazy - I believe every one goes through this at one point or another. When you like someone and it is all you can think about, everything that person does makes you happy, all you see is that person, and you just want to spend as much time with them as you can. I think it is a cute love song about having really strong feelings for someone and I believe that anyone can relate to it in some way.
Could you tell us more about your upcoming EP and what we can expect to hear?
My upcoming EP includes a different song for a different emotion. With only 4 songs you can expect to hear about heartbreak and old memories, loving someone and it driving you crazy, wanting to just pack a bag and drive away with no destination, and fighting your feelings to love someone when you know it's not right for you and you are better off without them.
If you had to choose, which song off the album would you say is your favorite?
I would have to say "Gotta Stop" would be my favorite from my EP. Just because it has so much power, and you can feel the pain in it because you know you have to stop loving someone, but also the strength in knowing it's going to be okay when you finally get to the point where you don't love them anymore. It is such a strong song with a powerful message, and I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to the message I am making with this song, and that's a great feeling.
What do you hope listeners are able to take away from your music?
All I want is for listeners to be able to relate to my music in their own way, that's what I really love about music. Every song should tell a story, and it's so great when people put certain lyrics and music together and put it out to the world so that everyone is able to listen to a song and relate it to something that is going on in their own lives. Music is such a gift and I'm so grateful that I get to share my songs with the world and hopefully they will relate one of my stories to one of theirs.
