Interview by Carol Wright | Photo Courtesy of Keybored PR
We got to chat with singer/songwriter Kristen Merritt about her song “Breathe” and looking within to write her music.
Has being a professional musician always been what you saw yourself doing?
Not exactly! The desire to become a professional musician didn’t quite hit until my junior year of college. I was coming from a study session in my major, Geology, and while on the phone with my mom, I recognized and verbalized for the first time that my passion wasn’t in the sciences, it was in music. Music was one of the few things in life I felt really good at and having joined a band in college who performed a few shows a month. Music allowed me to become attuned to why I enjoy creating and performing – connection. I love connecting with people at all levels, but particularly the one that music is on because that connection can be so deeply transcendent. Getting to make those connections, express myself through music, and collaborate with other amazing artists to create breathtaking art is what I want to do with my life!
Detroit has such a great musical history. Growing up were you influenced by the singers and songwriters that have come out of the city?
I remember my first field trip to the Motown Museum – Hitsville, USA! At the time (I lived in Detroit from birth to 11 years of age), I didn’t quite know that I wanted to be a musician, but I was beginning to be exposed to music in a way that really started solidifying my musical interest. Car rides with my mom were filled with Take 6, Lauryn Hill, and one of my favorite albums – Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. While these artists weren’t born and bred in the Motor City, my musical imagination was unlocked in Detroit!
Tell us about your single “Breathe.” What inspired the lyrics?
The lyrics to “Breathe” were inspired by a writing session prompted by some unexpectedly “inspirational” emotions – fatigue and self-loathing. At that point in time, I had begun my journey of mindfulness through meditation, healing my self-confidence, self-belief, and spirit through the practice, but had encountered a hiccup. A negative thought spiral about my self-worth had trapped me, and adding to the spiral was the feeling of frustration that the spiral was happening at all – I thought I was growing out of those negative spaces. So I did what I could – I picked up my guitar, played a melody I had been fiddling around with, and just let myself express the feelings I was feeling (I historically shied away from expressing negative feelings out of the fear that it would just make things worse). A few deep breaths and honest moments later, and I had written: “Breathe.” It’s a tale of an honest evaluation of myself where I see my faults and flaws and issues, but I choose not to get caught in the thought spiral. I believe in my power to choose how to end my story, to hope for something more, and work towards calm and (healthy) detachment. This work begins one breath at a time.
“Breathe” is the final preview of your upcoming album Joi. Why did this song seem like the right one to leave with your listeners for now?
I think “Breathe” is the song I keep coming back to in all aspects of the creative process. Whether it’s trying to progress a songwriting session, plan out a social media calendar, make changes to my website – all music and business, it’s the one that I return to as a reminder. Whenever my thoughts start to skew negative, or I find myself doubting my ability, worth and potential, I sing or play “Breathe.” I need that reminder, and I think my listeners do too! I think we all need the reminder to really just step back and take a deep breath every once in a while when things get overwhelming so that we can process, release, and then truly bask in our joy.
Your songs are very introspective. With all the time spent at home during the pandemic did you have a chance to dig deep in order to write your new songs?
I definitely had a lot of time to dig deeper on all fronts! I think my songs are so introspective because of the self-work I did during the pandemic. I didn’t even know it at the time that I was beginning a journey of growth, I was just staying open to new insights and reading up on things to help oneself alleviate stress. I have come to find though that the practices I picked up opened up a new realm of songwriting for me. A lot of my songs process emotions, but these songs on the album do it uniquely from a standpoint of having true acceptance by the end of each story. This acceptance and release are so new to me, and that’s why the album is entitled “Joi” because even through the pain and hardships, with release comes true expression of self, uncluttered and joyful.
What advice do you have for aspiring singers?
The biggest nugget of advice I would give to aspiring singers or anyone for that matter is to remember your power. While we are beholden to the multi-billion dollar industry that is the music industry, in a lot of ways, there is still so much power you have in your career and life. Learn how to do everything for yourself, recording, producing, designing, booking shows, the whole lot, so then it’s just a question of building a great team and handing things off when you have the resources to. You have so much power in your voice, instrument, and art, and what you have to say is worth hearing. Even if it’s just heard by one other person, your art can truly change people – make people see themselves, hear themselves in a way they might have never experienced before. Take time to really enjoy what you are doing, all of it, in the moment – not just the “big” milestones. Happiness should not be evaluated or granted by a benchmark. Allow your joy to overflow knowing that you are a truly exceptional human.