Kutless Interviews Krystal Meyers
The Singing Ballerina for Jesus pleads her passion with a magnanimous, reverberating, toothy laugh and solid musicality. She rolls with the guys on the quest for ministerial individuality. Touring for over a month with rock Christian bands, Kutless and Disciple, she’s learning life as an artist, graduating from high school, and speaking for individuality. At 17-years-old Krystal Meyers reflects the clarity of youth and the completeness of a life within Christ. Here she talks with fellow Strong Tower Tour buddy and the frontman for Kutless, Jon Micah Sumrall.
Jon Micah Sumrall: Well, it’s been a trip, huh?
Krystal Meyers: I can’t believe we’ve been on the road together for three weeks now. We’ve had some pretty killer shows!
JMS: Was our Halloween show a blast or what? You didn’t look too bad as a pirate, Krystal! (Laughing)
KM: Yeah…I can’t believe we actually played a show in our costumes. You guys were hilarious. James in his cow costume with MASSIVE utters and the dueling banditos in the parking lot were so funny. I had no idea batman’s name was Jon.
JMS: Well, I do have a knack for saving the day. It was pretty funny to see Brad (the guitarist of Disciple) twirling around stage as a Krystal Meyers ninja. Who knew he could look so good in your skirt? (Laughing) Stuff like that is always so fun. What do you like most about being on tour?
KM: The people. I mean, the coolest thins is talking to people after a show and hearing how the music has impacted them. God’s working in people’s lives, and on tour you can see that.
JMS: What’s the deal with your anthem “Anticonformity”? I mean, you rock out pretty hard.
KM: (laughing) There’s just that thing inside me that explodes through the music. I guess I’m a rebel, just not in the stereotypical way. Anticonformity is about becoming the person God wants me to be, and refusing to become the person the world wants me to be. Whatever - clothing, partying, sex or drugs - it’s about going against the flow and pursing what God wants me to do. I’m not telling people just to rebel against what everyone else is doing.
JMS: What do you mean?
KM: God’s called us to a level of Godly rebellion. I’ve got to let him influence my decisions and set me apart by that. He’s got this plan that is far beyond what I could dream up.
JMS: Whoa, deep. What brought you to that place in your life? There’s got to be some huge source of inspiration behind that.
KM: Growing up I just saw so many of my friends just trashing their lives with drugs and stuff. They were the cool kids, you know skateboarders, musicians, whatever, but the pressure just got ‘em. I knew I didn’t want that. Anticonformity just came out of my desire to speak up without hitting people over the head with my bible. Those kids who where screaming the need for individuality had this total groupthink mindset, you know? They were just lost within themselves. By talking, writing and singing what I believe, it’s my voice of individuality. Pretty much my entire life I’ve been driven by that passion. When I was little I would tell people I wanted to be a singing ballerina for Jesus.
JMS: (singing) So you “anticonformity...inside you’ve made a change”?
KM: (laughing) Yeah…I just got tired of holding myself against the world’s standards when going against the grain makes me feel better than I could just grasping at the norm. It’s cool being different for a different reason than most people. You’re pretty good at that yourself!
JMS: Man, Krystal, you’ve played with some stellar rock acts…(clearing his throat)…including yours truly! (Laughs)
KM: No joke! God’s opened some awesome doors. I learned so much being on my first tour this past spring and summer with Day of Fire. Josh has this incredible stage presence. He interacts with the crowd in a way that simply inspires me. It was so awesome being with a great hard band that has such hard-core believers.
JMS: You write your own stuff, right?
KM: Yeah, I actually do. I started writing when I was ten. I even formed my own band back in the day. Those were good times! (Laughing) I’ve come a long way since then. No, but, the song “Sing For Me” – I wrote that one all on my own, and wrote some on every other song on the album, too. Being on the road has given me such an opportunity to write. My next album will be pretty much my tour writing.
JMS: Being on the road can be a huge transition with friends and family. How’s it been for you adjusting to everything?
KM: My friends and family have been so supportive of all this. Dad’s always there. He drove the bus for Shoutfest. I mean I’m still the same old Krystal to the family. They even make me do chores when I’m home! (Laughing) I don’t know, everything is a whirlwind, but my family keeps me grounded.
JMS: You’re big time now with your first music video, too, huh?
KM: I still can’t believe I did that. We shot the video on my 17th birthday at Coney Island. Talk about a crazy birthday. I had been in Columbus performing with Seventh Day Slumber and Day of Fire just a few days before and then I was off to New York. I love the video though. I got to totally rock out on the boardwalk – I guess that’s when the rock girl meets my kid dream of a ballerina…minus the tutu. (Laughing) There was this crazy guy in a bright orange Speedo standing at the end of the boardwalk during the filming. Just as we were finishing filming he runs through the shot and does a perfect swan dive off the no-diving end of the boardwalk. I just died laughing and couldn’t stop. That part in my video about halfway through when I’m sitting on the railing laughing – that’s what I’m laughing about. I just lost it. (She shakes her head.) But anyway, now, here I am with this way cool video on my website, just waiting for people to see. (Laughing)
JMS: Your sound has so much depth and grit in this first album; where do you want to go from here?
KM: Well, I guess I just want to go harder. I’ve got a deep respect for that rock sound. I really want to throw myself into creating that. I’m so pumped about this album though. It’s got a sound I can’t wait to make more of and experiment with. My main goal is to just keep creating music with that message, the message of standing apart from society in God’s name.
Members of Kutless include: frontman, Jon Micah Sumrall; guitarists, James Mead and Ryan Shrout; bassist, Dave Luetkenhoelter, and drummer Jeffrey Gilbert.
©2005 HM Magazine – All Rights Reserved
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Comments
Awesome interview with todays queen of christian rock. Krystal is so grounded & yet bursting with Godly fire.
This is one of the best interviews I've seen in a while. Impressed to the max. Great read.
I love the song 'my saviour'
~amy~
i thought she put on an awsome on the 29 at remingtons in springfield,m.o.
It's refreshing to see a teen girl who has such creativity, not only musically and lyrically, but in her whole mindset towards life! She sees the "games" that go on with people... and understands the idea that fitting into a world basically controlled by satan is like trading in your brains!
I'am so mad! My boyfriend and I were going to go to see the Strong Tower Tour at SVSU in Michigan, but my dad's birthday was that day. Hopefully you guys will come back!! Krystal is an inspritation to girls'. I love your songs and I wan't to share myself and my music someday with people. Your living my dream Krystal. Love your music keep that Jesus Freak spirit!
dear Krystal,
I love you music!!!! You are a great exampole to all the girls that see or hear your music:)
Dude, you rock!!! I love your music sooo much! Krystal, you're my role model. Any chance you can me a record contract, lol? Thanks!
Your sooooo cool, kristal! Your my famorite singer of all time!Come to the area of edmonton, Ab soon, PLEASE!Lol.Thanx!
I loved your show in Saginaw!! You were GREATTTTTT, i'm going to be voting for you in the Ten Most Wanted. I love all of your songs. God Bless
I think you are a great singer. I love to sing. I am starting a band but we need alot of practice. GOD ROCKS MY WORLD!!!!!! I'm praying for you
I love your music! Go on and spread the gosplel with your music and make the world better! God bless ya!
Great interview! Deep, talented n Godlly rock chik! Awesome!
I really love your first album!!!I think it's great how you're singing for the glory of God and stuff!I also think it's terrific that you wrote "sing for me" that's one of my favorites!Will you have a christmas CD out soon?I hope I'll be able to go to one of you're concerts.Will you have a concert in orlando F.L soon?When did you first start singing?Do think you'll be singing in any "Revolve Tours"?I went to one in september.Krystal, I think your totally awesome!!!! Keep on singing for God!!!
I really love your first album!!!I think it's great how you're singing for the glory of God and stuff!I also think it's terrific that you wrote "sing for me" that's one of my favorites!Will you have a christmas CD out soon?I hope I'll be able to go to one of you're concerts.Will you have a concert in orlando F.L soon?When did you first start singing?Do think you'll be singing in any "Revolve Tours"?I went to one in september.Krystal, I think your totally awesome!!!! Keep on singing for God!!!
Krystal Meyers is sooo cool. I love her song "Anticonforimity". At my school I'm around a lot of ppl who "conform" and so that song helped me by telling me, "Hey, don't be like those kids. what they're doing is wrong. you don't have to do what they do to feel good about yourself." I think when you go to school you feel pressured to do what the other kids do-even if its bad. But I learned that I don't have to do that and I found some people who are with me. Krystal's song definetly has somethin' slammin' in it.
dude you helped me im a really hard time in my life where everything was going wrong and your cd really helped! your really kewl!
hey krystal!!!!! you rock!!!!!! (you do too Jon!! :)) i love you so much!!!!!!! u have no idea how i would love to meet you!! are you planning on coming to alaska sometime in ur music life?? if you don't, i'll look forward to a concert of u in heaven.....although.....i would be praising Jesus... hmm.... :) sorry! i'm babbling! lol i often do that......anyway....i would love to see you in concert!!! and real life.. :) u totally inspire (sp?) me!!! it's amazing how much difference a teenage can make in another teenagers life...compared to an adult. well i'll let ya'll go.... I LOVE YA!!!!!!!!!! U ROCK
Hey, krystal i listened to one of ur songs and i ask my mom that min. if she could buy me the c.d. cuze mi mom won't let me buy anything because its so close to christmas. Well gota go and do stuff
Carr.
p.s. God Bless and Merry Christmas!!!!!!
Gota love god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heyheyhey i luv ur cd my friend got it 4 me 4 my bday and ive been listening 2 it every chance i get! plzplzplz have a concert in pa! u dont have ne! luv ya lots grrl lol :-*
Hiya Krystal i have to say, all this its really an inspiration to me, same path and things its happening in my life....am a alsmost 17 years old, and told me i was goin to sing, now ppl keep telling me things to make me feel bad and i get all sad but now i think i have to look more to what God says and not what ppl says....besides i hope to see ya in person and talk about this,lol yea i know it looks far but God is not that when u pray, hehe....well hope u keep following what God whants for u and see u some day... ^_^
hey hey gurly!!!I think that its great that u r using ure talents for the Lord. I play guitar and sing too so mabye we could jam sometime...lol. well make sumore albums and i will be sure to buy them.My fave song is "sing for me " its such an awesome song and i hope you keep writing!!!
w/luv Julia
hey hey gurly!!!I think that its great that u r using ure talents for the Lord. I play guitar and sing too so mabye we could jam sometime...lol. well make sumore albums and i will be sure to buy them.My fave song is "sing for me " its such an awesome song and i hope you keep writing!!!
w/luv Julia
Hey girl i think its soo AWSOME how your use'in your gifts and talents for Gods Glory.Your soo living my Dream, LUCKY. my big sis and i both sing for our church band, my dads gonna be helpin me learn the guitar.i even have my own lil band goin. My boyfriend says my bff and myself are a lil obsessed.I've even got the hair style, which is awsome by the way. We love you!
<3 Hilary
I am always amazed at the wonders of marketing and appeal. 100% for Krystal and her work. However, let me state that it is always easy to market that which a market finds attractive. What if Krystal was unattractive and not appealing to the masses? Everyone knows my commercial peak was not due to great artistry. It was not really about the songs that the crowd saw, it was the looks, the charisma. Here is hoping that we all identify our propensity for fleshly attitudes and hope that we let God kill them.
Krystal: I´m your #1 guatemalan fan, yeah, I´m from Guatemala.
Rock the world, Krystal.
P.S. I hope this make sense
Hey,
My name is Sarah and I'm 15 and I think Krystal Meyers is totally awesome! Last year, I presented the song "The Way to begin" to my youth group and we did a drama to the song.
After her album came out I was amazed!
She is neat-her heart for the Lord and just rocking! I made this song earlier
in the year abot surrendering to God and after hearing Krystal Meyers-she turned out to be one of my favorite singers!!! Krystal Meyers, you are such a unique teenager for the Lord and
I admire your atistic talents 4Him!!
Sarah
yes!!! i cant believe im writtin (((sorta))) to you!! of all the singers in my life ur are the greatest! u inspire me so much! i love every song uve ever wrote! u r most amazin! thanx for inspirin me to start my own band and stuff, i mean ive written alot of songs, well no that many, for a while now, and u inspired me to finally tell the world! me and my friend abbey are gonna start a band, hopefully soon, and maybe we could go on tour together! haha, well at least thats my dream. i cant wait untill u come to cleveland in march, i have an alarm set for it already! anyway, call me, haha, love ya and im prayin for ya! peace out -missy
COME TO CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA ASAP!!!! Us peoplezzz need u kinda peoplezz to cumz and sing for us!!! I so totally dig ur CD, i play da guitar!! u inspire me!!
God Bless...xxx
Hey Krystal!!!!!! love your music...that is so awesome your using your talents for the lord,and your able to inspire us to do the same...please come to Covington La...my friends and i whould love to see you in a concert...actualy we whould love to see you anytime...three of my friends are in a band...one of them looks exactly like you...hope to see you one day...if not see you in heaven...
Hey Krystal!!!!!!
YOUR SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!I WISH I WERE YOU!!!!!!!!!!THE THING IS YOUR REAL,AND WELL I'M GIRL WISHING TO BE YOU...LOVE YA!!!!!YOU ROCK LOVE!!!!!!!
hey krystal i am david im 13 and love rock music...christian rock... i know youhave no clue who i am but it would be so cool if you would e-mail me at goofey92@hotmail.com please do if you get this love you in christ
david
hey girl
If you can i whould love for you to email me @ madelenemeier@bellsouth.net THANKS.........
I just got a chance to see Krystal perform In Colorado yesterday she rocks!!!!!!! And so does her freakin cool style of clothes(VERY CUTE)
IT"S SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you are the best and i what too meat you i am at main and bar habor 04609 66 school street
heylo, Krystal I picked up your album one day in a super wal-mart. I had never heard of you before and I felt like God was telling me to get that cd. I'm so glad I did because your song "lovely traces" really touched me and strengthened my relationship with Jesus Christ, Thank You! Keep Rockin!!!
Kutless you guys rock you were my first concert, and it was absolutely awesome I love the song "Your Touch" Hopefully I will get to go see you guys together sometime that would be cool. See ya later....
Krystal Meyers, you are so awesome!
Sometimes I just want to become a a cool
singer like you. But I'm glad God created me to be me. Yeah, I am definitely going to have your posters and keep shirts that shrink on me and hang them all over the wall! Pretty crazy huh? Anyway, I heard you were homeschooled-so am I and my favorite subject is English! Keep singin' gurl!
hey you rock out loud like you are right against the bigshot oh wait @_@ you are the bigshot well alot of ppl like secular like avril well i like avril alot but you are way better
your freaking awesome krystal.
ok, no ingles, so me gusta mucho la musica de kristal y en realidad me gusta su voz su estilo y el trabajo musical que tienen cada una de las canciones y es por eso que algun dia me gustaria estar en un concierto tullo y tocar la guitarra con tigo , mi edad es 19 años, gracias y recorda en guatemala hay muchos jovenes ,chavos y chavas que nos gusta tu rollo,y DIOS te bendiga.
krystal, i really like your music, you're a natural--keep rockin out for your lord
Hi!
Soy de Colombia y les cuento que aquí no ´sólo se escucha el reggetoon, también el estilo de música de Kristal (
(neo-punk). Please come to Colombia
