Conversations with Kristy Wilkins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Wilkins

Hi Kristy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a singer-songwriter from a small town with now 2 stop lights, Yanceyville. Country girl at heart, I fell in love with music at a young age. I was introduced to music by my family, I picked up guitar and started writing my own music around 14 years old. My favorite memories are sitting around the kitchen table writing music with my dad. I started playing shows around 16 where I became a youth worship leader around 17 but I feel like the moment I decided music was what I wanted to do with my life was when I saw Keith Urban perform at the Country Music Awards. I’ll never forget the feeling of watching him run down the aisle singing his new song and I had a gut feeling that music was my path. I started performing around the age of 16 and have been ever since.

I would go to school, play gigs and work as a youth worship leader until I transferred to East Tennessee State University where I obtained a BS in Arts with a concentration on Bluegrass, Old-time, Country music studies. Though I love country music, while I was in college I also found a love for Celtic music and was able to perform with a Celtic band. We were able to travel to Scotland and Ireland playing Celtic music and learning about the history of Ireland and Scotland. It’s a genre I’ve learned so much from and one I adore singing. While in college, I interned with Gold ship Records and developed a close relationship with the team and musicians we represented. I wanted to stay in Tennessee, but my last semester my mom developed Brest cancer and I decided to move back to North Carolina where I became a Worship leader again.

My faith has always been a huge part of my life and it was awesome to be able to do what I love for a career. I continued to play gigs whenever I could. I found a new love for competitive shooting through church where I became a sponsored shooter. I still shoot competitively at Rimfire Challenge and Steel Challenge matches. After Covid hit, I strayed away from music and went onto my second dream job which was game warden, while also starting a small business making signs and flipping furniture. Due to an injury and the thoughts of completely giving up music I did end up leaving the academy when I signed with Gold ship records. It’s been a whirl wind since. I have spent 3 years working at times 3 different jobs to make ends meet and to fund my music adventure. I was finally able to produce my first EP titled Devoted, which is available on all streaming platforms. It has been a long time coming and I have worked so hard and have made a lot of sacrifices to make it happen.
Music has always been something that I can’t seem to run from even when I’ve tried, I always seem to find my way back.

Devoted has so much meaning behind it, from the songs written to the album cover. Everything is purposeful. All songs I have written myself and they are all personal. The desk in the creek is my childhood desk given to me from my grandpa. Literally everything is meaningful on this EP and I couldn’t be more proud of it.

We are currently working on my second album of all original songs. From branding to the EP everything has been wild and a crazy adventure that I’m blessed to be on. There is so much to do but I am excited to see where God takes us on this journey.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As stated before it definitely has not been a smooth road. If anything it’s been one with lots of dead ends, twists and turns, detours and forks in the road, but its one that’s exciting and one I will never regret.

Struggles of the no’s, not knowing what to do, regrets of leaving a stable job to jump into the absolute unknown is terrifying but the last thing I want to be thinking on my death bed is what if I had just followed my passion, my dream, my intuition? I feel like God blessed me with a gift and its up to me to see where it takes me and to hopefully bless others in the process

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a singer songwriter originally from Yanceyville, NC. I specialize in singing and writing heartfelt country music. I play acoustic guitar and sing. I am known for my vocals and writing. I am proud of my original music and hope that people can relate to it.
I guess what sets me a part is my twist to the country genre. I feel like it pushes the boundaries of outlaw country and Americana music. From being in the competitive shooting scene, I am known to be the “tornado” gun slinging singer from North Carolina.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My advice is to network with everyone you can that you feel could possible help or you can learn from. You never know who you may run into or who knows who. I try to be personable and treat everyone like I would want to be treated. There is so much knowledge to gain from anyone no matter their occupation. Whether it’s a lesson, a contact, or obtaining a new skill, everyone can bring something to learn or advise to the table. Mentor wise, be careful who you take advice from and surround yourself with people you can learn from that have similar values and morals as you do.

What has worked for me is to be myself. Don’t let fear get in your way of talking to someone. And remember, everyone started somewhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/kristywilkins