Kristen Barkuloo
Nashville, TN | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF
Music
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When the record light comes on, it's all systems go at Studio 812 in Lynn Haven.
The recording studio, owned by Tom Hoots and Calvin Gann, has seen a wide variety of artists.
"It's really a lot of fun, you never know quite who you're gonna record next," said Hoots, who works as the chief engineer. "We record classical music, country music, rap, pop, rock, you name it, we record it."
But the work the duo has done with budding songbird and Panama City native Kristen Barkuloo even had them caught by surprise.
"I didn't have to create a sound for her. She already knew that. That was the uniqueness about Kristen Barkuloo," recalled Gann. "Kristen was very young and knew already what she wanted it to be. All I wa was a vehicle to try and help her get what she wanted. That's a very neat thing to see happen in an artist that young."
17 year old Barkuloo has been working on her album, Halfway to Tennessee, for a year and a half. Although it's done, she still gets excited thinking about the process to bring it to life.
"When I got my music back for the first time, when we finished the tracks for the music, it was so insane to hear this big studio version of a song that I'd written on my bedroom floor, just sitting there playing guitar and hearing the entire version of it with a big band behind it was mindblowing," Barkuloo said while listening to a final cut of the title track.
She is currently planning her CD release party. She says she hopes to have it in early August. - WJHG
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Kristen Barkuloo is an independent artist who is quickly becoming known for her relatable, thought-provoking writing style and lyrics. Her latest single, "Last Chance," is a nostalgic reflection of first love, and is complimented by her warm maturing voice. In 2015, “Last Chance” was selected as a Top 5 winner in the Singer/Songwriter category of the Great American Song Contest, earning a top spot from more than 1700 international entries.
In addition to Kristen's recent single, in the summer of 2013 she released her debut full length album, "Halfway to Tennessee," a compilation of 11 original songs. Since then, she has been singing on stages small and large, and her music has been played across the globe on independent radio stations. She has been told by some listeners that her sound reminds them of Alison Krauss, while others say the style of her ballads remind them of songs by Lady Antebellum.
After a successful CD release concert in 2013, Kristen began singing her originals in and around the northwest area of Florida, including Panama City and the Scenic 30A area near Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, and Seaside. This popular destination along the panhandle of Florida is known as a hub for rising musicians, and offers many opportunities for singer/songwriters. Along with local venues, in 2014, Kristen was invited to sing as a showcase artist at the Florida Music Festival in Orlando, at the Spring Festival of the Arts in downtown Panama City, and the Furry Festival at Gulf Place Amphitheater in Santa Rosa Beach. Kristen is also an active member of the Music Matters! initiative in Panama City, a partnership among musicians, restaurant owners, and the Downtown Improvement Board to revitalize the downtown area and encourage patrons to support local businesses while enjoying the sounds of local musicians. With a recent move to Tennessee, Kristen has been expanding her live performances to include venues in and around the Nashville area.
Along with live venues, Kristen has had success on the radio. Her first radio interview and first official spin of “Halfway to Tennessee” (title track) was on 100,000 watt country radio station WPAP. In addition, she has had radio airplay on dozens of independent radio stations in the U.S. and around the world.
In February 2014, Kristen was added to the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) "Ones to Watch" list as a songwriter who is recognized by NSAI evaluators as a writer who is "on the rise." Kristen got the attention of NSAI evaluators for her "unique and promising writing skills." Kristen’s style of writing seems to strike a chord with a wide range of listeners, which may attribute her success with a larger age range than might be expected, and among both men and women.Kristen is heavily involved during the production of her music. From identifying which instruments to use in each song and assisting with mixing of the resulting tracks, to singing lead vocals and working with background vocalists for just the right sound, Kristen immerses herself in the entire process.
"I didn't have to create a sound for her. She already knew that. That was the uniqueness about Kristen Barkuloo. Kristen was very young and knew already what she wanted it to be. All I was was a vehicle to try and help her get what she wanted. That's a neat – a very neat thing to see happen in an artist that young."—Calvin Gann, Producer
Kristen grew up on stage, spending more than twelve years in musical theater. She has worked with the FSU film department, and in 2010 also appeared in the feature film “Lifted” (starring Trace Adkins, Ruben Studdard), in which she was credited for writing and performing an original song titled "I'm Thinking of You." Kristen is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).Kristen has played the piano for years, and has always loved to write. But things suddenly changed when she was 15, when she picked up a guitar for the first time. All of the elements came together and she began songwriting. The first song that she recorded, "Sit on the Pier Alone," was written that year. Now at 20, Kristen never puts her pencil down, constantly writing new songs. "I can't wait to share these new songs with everyone. It is always my goal to grow as a musician, so I'm excited to get back in the studio and continue making music."
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