DSC_0429-900x602

“I once toured overseas with the Armed Forces. I had the opportunity to sing for our troops in the Middle East. At first it didn’t seem like a good idea, but it turned out to be the greatest experience of my life. We went to a music conference and met a few representatives from their organization. The application process was not easy, but I loved being able to do something for our military.” @karinanistal

Listen to the interview: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2015/09/24/episode-260-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax

Jacqueline Jax logo photo

GETTING TO KNOW KARINA NISTAL
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio

Bio:
Singer/songwriter Karina Nistal is known to align herself with diverse and solid collaborations to showcase her extensive range. Her work consists of emotive jazz vocals on downtempo tracks, rapping in Spanish for the worldly sounds of reggaeton, or fusing soulful Latin vocals with lively dance music. Most significantly, it is a vibrant charisma that carries over her poetic musings in either English or Spanish, or her self-assured flirtatious rhymes. There’s a very fine line between poetry and rap, but it’s one that only Karina interconnects with finesse. Music captivated the native Houstonian at an early age. Karina indulged in old school hip hop, rhythm & blues, soul and jazz. It was Karina’s mixed Latin heritage (Mexican and Cuban) that spotlighted traditional to modern styles.  After several years of featuring on numerous Dance and Hip Hop releases, Karina made her first full-length bilingual debut album, Nistyle (Starlightbeats) which introduced the term “Reggaetron” (Electro-Reggaeton). Nistyle gives a fresh face to the growing “hurban” dance scene and earned Karina various accomplishments including an Armed Forces tour in the Middle East to provide support and morale for our troops. Karina continues performing with her band “The Live Project”, recording singles, making videos, collaborating with various artists, and recording commercial voice-overs. Her last single “All That I Want” was named “Summer Jam of the Year” by Dutch Guy on Air’s music blog while her recent collaboration with Sand B “Like In Paradise” continues to receive international reviews while playing on air in several different countries. She has just released her video “Different” along with new music collaborations and performances for her fans to look forward to in 2015! With seemingly a lot on her plate, the sultry, multi-faceted vocalist admits, “I want to do so much more!”

I am most afraid of…
not living up to my fullest potential.

 My personal definition of success is…
Doing what you love every single day, living with no regrets, no remorse, and finding happiness within.

One example of your success is…
I once toured overseas with the Armed Forces. I had the opportunity to sing for our troops in the Middle East. At first it didn’t seem like a good idea, but it turned out to be the greatest experience of my life. We went to a music conference and met a few representatives from their organization. The application process was not easy, but I loved being able to do something for our military.

My over all goal for my life and career is…
to continue writing and recording music, start a non-profit to help underpriviledged people in other countries while touring, and make the world smile one person at a time.

The three ways that I challenge myself are…
1) I try to be creative everyday – Maya Angelou said, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
2) I invest in myself – When you invest in yourself it shows you believe in yourself and that makes others want to invest in you.
3) Give thanks everyday – In order to gain more and succeed we have to appreciate and give thanks for what we have now.

You were inspired to start in the music industry because…
I’ve been inspired by music for as long as I can remember. I started dancing ballet/tap, playing piano, and writing songs when I was very young. I was always involved in choir during school and realized I REALLY loved to sing because I could feel every emotion. By eighteen, I was working with local producers to try to find my sound.

You overcome hurdles and pitfalls…
by being persistent. I’m not a fly by night artist. I truly love what I do and believe music chose me.

You wrote your song “Rumors” about…
a breakup from a guy I dated for five years. The song goes into the ups and downs of the relationship, the rumors I was hearing, and how I was fed up. The first time I recorded the song was shortly after our breakup. It was supposed to be therapeutic but I hadn’t considered releasing it until 2 years later when I realized we could not continue a friendship and I had to stop communicating with him. I decided to make “Rumors” the first single of my last album “KaRAGEous.”

DSC_0091_2

Your album KaRAGEous was…
an incredible transition period for me. It was a story of heartache, growth, hustle, self-discovery, and courage. It was a pinnacle point for me as an artist, because I realized that as alone as I felt, I wasn’t alone at all. God was there every step of the way. My friends and fans supported my Kickstarter campaign, which funded the album. In the last two years I have focused on digital distribution, getting radio support, growing my fanbase, and working on new music. I have completed a new album which will be set for release in January 2016 called “Living Proof.”

The music scene in Los Angeles is… 
a very eclectic and well rounded one. You can find everything from Acoustic/Soul jams, Hip Hop shows, EDM/house music parties, Rock and metal concerts…whatever appeals to you, it’s here. I love going to park parties, or special events. When the weather is nice you can catch a lot of well known DJ’s and bands at free shows.

Besides music, you like to…
go hiking and bike riding! Listening to good music just adds to the fun.

The music business has…
its share of positive and cut throat experiences. Ultimately it has become a DIY takeover. Learn to do as much as you can so that when you find reliable people to work with, you can show your appreciation while still calling the shots. It’s really about how much work you’re putting into your craft and who you’re reaching with it. It can be so hit or miss, though. You can never be too sure if an opportunity will pan out until you see the agreement or the check come in. People will disappoint you, but then there will be people who show you they believe in you and will support you any way they can. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.

Social Media give you…
a platform to be heard by people all over the world while being able to connect with them.

Moving to a new, big city was…
challenging, but I’ve been able to be more independent and focus on other aspects of my career. I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made locally and abroad.

You like releasing albums better then a single because…
I’m still old school. I like to release full albums because I like to have a collection of material to choose from, but I know releasing a hot single is the also a good way to keep yourself out there. I usually release a single once I complete a video and add a few different remixes to keep it fresh!

I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
I would love 5 minutes alone with Lauryn Hill. She always gets a bad rap, and I feel she is brilliant but completely misunderstood. I would love to see what we could drum up in five minutes musically or philosophically.

You think there is way too much emphasis on being trendy…
especially with instagram and twitter. Everyone acts like the paparazzi, and the media would rather report on celebrities than world issues. I actually don’t own a TV, so I don’t get sucked into “junk food TV” like the Kardashians, TMZ, and other reality shows.

 

Social Media: 
Website: www.karinanistal.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karinanistalmusic
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/karinanistal
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/karinanistal
Reverb Nation: www.reverbnation.com/karinanistal