CREATOR SPOTLIGHT: Krysta Youngs

KRYSTA YOUNGS

Songwriter, Artist, CEO

Krysta Youngs is a Billboard #1 and Platinum Songwriter and Artist. She is also the CEO of The Haus of Creativity, a company that hosts yearly songwriting camps and networking events.

1. Introduce yourself. Tell us who you are and what you do. Give us an overview of your career so far. (If possible, include some career highs and lows.) Give us a brief description of what daily life looks like for you.

My name is Krysta Youngs and I'm an artist, songwriter, vocal producer and the CEO of The Haus of Creativity, a company that hosts songwriting camps and events. I've been in Los Angeles for the past twelve years writing for artists, sync, dance features, my artist project and K-pop songs for BTS, TXT, Twice, Stray Kids, Taeyeon, Suho and Oh My Girl to name a few. When I moved to LA I was doing two sessions a day for years and I was completely broke. After four years of this I was with a songwriter friend of mine, Myah Marie and we were talking about our financial situation. We decided then and there we were worth something and we were going to start charging for topline and vocals. Within the first month we started making real money and I haven't looked back since. There's such power in knowing your worth and truly believing you are worthy of making money doing what you love.

2. Tell us about your creative process. What works best for you? Have you experienced writer’s block, imposter syndrome, procrastination, perfectionism, self-doubt, or self-limiting beliefs? How did you overcome them?

When I'm about to write a new song I like to start with a blank canvas. So, if a producer, songwriter or artist sends me a track or references I won't listen to them until I'm ready to create. I've been in sessions where the producer started playing the track way before the artist was there and I had to leave the room. I trust my first instinct and I want to be able to capture that magic when it hits. If I'm submersing myself in sound before I'm ready to actually sit down and write a song it ruins it for me. I don't experience writer's block that much anymore because I write every single day but when I do I get up and go for a walk or put the song off until the next day. As far as imposter syndrome, I've definitely been there. I used to be an alcoholic (I'm 9 years sober now) and that's how I would cope with feeling less than. I thought I sucked, I couldn't sing, I couldn't write and I would never be successful. When I got sober it changed everything. That's when all the good stuff really started happening in my life and my career.

3. If comfortable sharing, tell us how you’ve previously struggled with your mental health. (Have you experienced anxiety, depression, a learning disability, ADHD, bipolar disorder? Or have you experienced adversity with your gender, sexuality, race?) What other challenges have you faced as a creative?

I've suffered from anxiety and panic attacks my whole life. It's been awful, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. However, anxiety, has also been my greatest teacher. It's forced me to continue to grow as a person, read a shit ton of self-help books, meditate, manifest, seek a higher power and channel my feelings into my music. It's also given me a sense of pride every time I'm scared of doing something and I do it anyway. It's in those times that feel like I won.

4. Tell us what you did (or continue to do) to cope with these challenges. Tell us some of the best strategies that have helped you overcome these struggles.

Music has helped me overcome my anxiety. I used to be deathly afraid of flying. I remember I used to put on my headphones right before I got on the plane and I'd blast my favorite song or a song that I wrote. It gave me the courage to board the plane.

5. Are there any other art forms, hobbies, or interests you engage in to help restore your creative energy? What nurtures your soul? Any creative activities that recharge you?

I absolutely love going on mini vacations. Renting a really cool Airbnb for a couple nights helps take me away from my daily reality and it allows my brain to dream. I usually take a good book, candles, mood lights and my dog Bing and we just go to a new place, talk to new people and take in the new surroundings. Pro tip - The Del Marco's Hotel in Palm Springs is one of my favs.

6. What do you do for your self-care? Share any specific strategies, habits, or techniques that you find effective in improving your mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual self-care.

When I'm feeling really stressed I get a massage. I truly believe in the mind body connection so if I set aside some time to physically relax my body (ie getting a massage) my brain relaxes too. I also allow myself days off which I never used to do. I've found that taking a day off does more for my creative process than trying to push through. I used to always push through but I've learned from experience that even something as simple as taking a quick walk can help clear my brain clutter. It's good for me and it's good for my art.

7. What’s one piece of self-care advice you would give to a person just starting out in a creative career?

Dare to suck! Often times the ideas I thought were really stupid turned out to be the ones that my co-writers loved the most.

8. Anything else you would love your audience to know or to know about you?

I'm a Capricorn, I'm a go-getter and I usually take "no" for "not yet"

9. Do you consider yourself an empath or highly sensitive person?

Absolutely. I can't listen to music when I'm sad. I will literally walk out of any place that I am if a song is on and it moves me. I've had this quirk since I was a kid. It just physically hurts to listen to songs that make me feel something and most songs do.

Where to find Krysta:

Website: www.krystayoungs.com 

Instagram: @krystayoungs

X: @krystayoungs