But this Atlanta girl isn’t letting the sudden fame get to her. Read on to see how up-and-coming songstress Cri$tyle got her big break, signed with Jermaine Dupri and keeps her head above water.
GMO: How did you get your nickname “the Ink”?
Cri$tyle: It’s kind of lame actually! I used to write songs on little pieces of napkins. I would just write it on whatever I had near me at the time, but when I got ready to read it back, it would look like just a whole bunch of ink. You couldn’t really read it. And my mom kind of gave me that name actually, so I gotta give her that credit.
How long have you been songwriting?
I have been songwriting professionally for about three, almost four years. I used to dibble and dabble just for the fun of it, but I didn’t get serious about it until about three years ago. I’ve always wanted to be apart of the industry, and I actually started off singing first. I was in several singing groups in Atlanta. Throughout the turmoil of female groups, they eventually disbanded and I didn’t have anything else to do. I was kind of bored and angry at the band members and through that I started writing songs about how I felt and next thing you know, I heard that I had some potential and the more I did it, the better I got at it.
So what made you decide to stick with that, instead of going with the singing aspect?
I think I just kind of went where God led me. I have so many different talents and for whatever reason people try to confine me to one talent. It’s like they think, if you’re a singer then that’s what you should do, period—you can’t act. Or if you’re a writer, you can’t sing. I just kind of went with the flow. I had no idea that I could write, and once I knew I could, I started working with different producers and that just kind of developed into something I fell in love with. So today I’m just going wherever the wind takes me.
Do you think you want to try pursuing singing at a later time?
In the future, I definitely have to because singing is like breathing to me. It comes that naturally for me. But I don’t want to rush it or put too much on my plate at one time, and right now I am totally in love with my life and what I’m doing with my career. But wherever God leads me next, I’ll be ready to go.
When you started on this path, I’m sure you had set some goals and had things you wanted to accomplish in mind. What were some of those previous goals and how have they changed?
When I first started writing songs professionally, my goal was pretty much to go to L.A.! I’ve wanted to go to California ever since I was a kid, and that was the first thing I had planned to do when I got the chance. My first placement was with Brooke Valentine, and they flew me to California, but I was like what do I do now? Even though the song never came out with her, I had accomplished my first goal. Once I continued songwriting even more, I developed different goals, like right now one of my goals is to have a number one record in each genre of music from country, R&B, pop, rock, alternative.
That’s a good goal to have.
Yeah, I feel like my loyalty is to music, not a check or a label or a certain artist. This is music. I don’t feel like music should have genres; music is just music and I don’t think it should be split up into types. It’s a universal language and it’s a language that I speak fluently. So I just want to move around in every area so I can explore it to the fullest.
Who were some artists you looked up to, in both the writing and singing aspects of music?
I would say with songwriting, definitely Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Diane Warren, Babyface—there are a lot of people I can name! I really look up to them because of their style and the way they interpret how people are feeling. I think their songwriting abilities are amazing. Vocally, I love Boyz II Men, Gladys Knight, Beyonce, Brandy.
You co-wrote one of the biggest songs of this year: “Touch My Body.” When you started on that project, did you think it would take off the way it did?
I didn’t. I didn’t call that one! I co-wrote that with Mariah and Dream. When we finished the song, I thought it was a great song, I thought it was catchy. It just felt really good, but I had no clue that it was going to end up being her 19th number one hit and top Elvis. I had no idea it would be like this huge song that every time you walked in the store, you hear it on the radio, or hear people playing it in their cars. I’m still shocked about where it went.
To work with Mariah Carey is a big deal for anyone! How were you able to get on that track?
It’s kind of funny because Mariah and Dream actually started the song off in Atlanta and then after working with Mariah myself, along with Jermaine Dupri, he definitely put me in with her and made that connection, and once we worked together we just kind of clicked. She flew me out to where she was and we finished the song there. It’s weird how the song kind of traveled state to state and how it started at one place and ended up another.
How did that whole experience with working with her and with the success of the song change your life?
It definitely forced people to pay attention to me and my talent and to what I could produce. It also opened a lot of other doors for me to be able to work with different big name producers and incredible artists. Now I can say that I am a lot wiser than I was before the song came out. Just knowing how success can cloud your judgment sometimes; I’m making sure my head is above water and I’m keeping myself grounded because sometimes people will build you up just to pop you and watch you fall back down. Even working with Mariah, she told me so much about her grind in the industry and I just learned so much from different people. Everybody I’ve worked with kind of poured in to me and I know a lot more now.
So you are signed with Jermaine Dupri’s label. How did you get hooked up with him?
I was working in just about every studio in Atlanta that I could get into and I guess one of his reps came and let me in. He really liked my talent and he always used to say that I was an A-list writer without the A-list credits. He would always tell that to Jermaine, and that relationship opened up the door to finally meet Jermaine. Once I met him we just kind of shook hands really quick and that was it, but I guess I made an impression! Then later on he signed me to his company through EMI and the rest is history!
How do you feel about your success so far? Do you think it is equal to the work you put in or do you feel you still have a long way to go?
I feel I still have a ways to go because I’m not content with just doing writing here and there or just chilling out for a minute. I don’t want to get comfortable and feel like since I was apart of a huge record that now I can just relax. In my mind, I have so many other goals and aspirations, and any time I get comfortable I try to get myself out of that comfort zone. So that’s one of the reasons I want to get a song in each genre because if I’m comfortable in R&B then I want to move into Pop where I’m not as comfortable and so on. Just kind of move around and use my gift to the fullest of my ability.
Who are some other people you want to work with?
I am on a mission to work with Justin Timberlake! That’s my new mission. I definitely want to work with Maroon 5. And Kerry Underwood too.
What are some of your future plans?
I definitely want to get in with the Backstreet Boys. I went to Nashville earlier this year and it was home away from home, so I’m going back there to do a lot more country records and storytelling records. Basically, I’ll just be all over the place!
Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to become a songwriter or get into the music industry?
My advice, I can only say what I know and I know that I grind hard everyday. I keep God first, and I believe and trust in my own skill and I’ve seen it work. I can’t really break it down to itty bitty particles, but all I can say is by working hard, believing in myself, keeping God first and making sure my head is right above water and not getting too overwhelmed by this industry, I’ve been successful. I would say to just do that. Those are definitely the key elements.
Cri$tyle’s 2008 Credits:
Album Year
Jennifer Lopez "Gotta Be There" Brave 2007
Keke Palmer "Hood Anthem" So Uncool 2007
Janet "So Much Betta"
"The 1" (ft. Missy Elliott)
"What's Ur Name" Discipline 2008
Mariah Carey "Touch My Body"
"Cruise Control" (ft. Damian Marley)
"I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time"
"Side Effects" (ft. Young Jeezy)
"Heat" E=MC² 2008
Chilli "Dumb Dumb Dumb" Bi-Polar 2008
Natasha Bedingfield "Angel" Pocketful of Sunshine 2008
Tiffany Evans "I'm Grown" Tiffany Evans 2008
Teyana Taylor "Google Me" From a Planet Called Harlem 2008
Jennifer Hudson "TBA" Jennifer Hudson 2008
Brandy "The Definition"
"Shattered Heart" Human 2008
Beyoncé "Scared of Lonely" I Am… Sasha Fierce 2008
