Kristina Wilson blends whimsy and fantasy in her new album Dating Broken Boys
For Kristina Wilson, writing and making music has always been about the connections that she could find in her stories and lyricism. From creating music with her dad at the age of eight, to starting a band in Year 9 at school on the Northern Beaches, Kristina has always been an artist at heart.
Kristina, 29, is a storyteller, whose music places you in the narrative she shares. Her style spans from indie-rock to reverie-based, whimsical tunes, inspired by her love for fantasy books and her experience as a library assistant. “I love getting lost in imaginary worlds that feel nostalgic and ethereal,” Kristina says. “Books definitely make their way into my music; I love reading fantasy and fiction.”
In October of last year, Kristina released her debut album Dating Broken Boys, which contains 12 beautifully written tracks that all intertwine to tell different stories of women in her life. “It felt a bit like doing my HSC, it was go, go, go for so long. I’m so grateful for learning what it takes to create something,” she says.
Dating Broken Boys is a time capsule of a couple of years in Kristina’s life, as well as a reflection of the stories of her friends around her. “It became a process of refining those experiences and emotions into a truthful journey,” she says. Songs like What Girls Want takes a look at the experiences of being a young woman navigating what she wants in both herself and in a relationship, and is a remarkable ode to the battle of love.
Quaker’s Hat Brewery in Manly Vale saw Kristina sing one of her songs from the album Mother Wound for the first time, which had a great response from the audience, she says. Along with this, Kristina has also played a few open mics at Manly Library, which has been important in building support from the Beaches community. “It’s been really important in building my confidence and it’s a great opportunity to receive feedback from other musicians too,” Kristina says. “I spoke to someone from the audience who had been in the music industry for a long time, and they took the time to give such kind feedback. It’s so beautiful to have a community.”
On 14 March, Kristina successfully debuted her album at Bootleggers in Newtown. “I had mutual friends come along and they were singing back the lyrics to me,” she says. “It felt so cool to think, ‘Wow, the songs have a catchy enough tune for people to remember the lyrics.’”
The Forestville-born singer has now moved to the North Shore and has begun to tutor songwriting while working on other projects. After taking a breather from her major work on her first album, Kristina is slowly back to working on her second album, which will see even more elements of magic and fantasy intertwining. “I want to lean into creating a cinematic world for the album, with some orchestral instruments, like strings or piano,” she says.
Kristina encourages everyone to support the people in their lives. “If you have creative friends who keep a room captivated, or have a natural eye for detail, do your very best to nurture those qualities in them,” she says. “Show up to their shows, go to their book launches, give them feedback. You don’t know what someone could do with those talents, and your world will be enriched through being surrounded by it.”
Spotify: Kristina Wilson