Crystal Brandt

Crystal Brandt makes rock music that's south of folk and north of country. Her songs reflect both the soundtrack of her childhood, which was set to a steady soundtrack of Elvis Presley, 70's-era country music, and classic rock, and the more obscure and modern artists she's discovered along the way. It's hard to pinpoint a specific influence in her self-taught guitar and lyrical songwriting; her sound is unique and identifiable as her own, but there are also unmistakable traces of the music she's inspired by.

It's hard to pinpoint a specific influence in her self-taught guitar and lyrical songwriting; her sound is unique and identifiable as her own, but there are also unmistakable traces of the music she's inspired by. Loose rock and country rhythms are layered beneath seemingly simple chord and melody changes, and her voice can't decide whether it wants to be at a honky tonk or a rock club.

Placed side by side, her songs are as dynamic as the moods that instigate them. Her songwriting is as much inspired by her own experiences as those of the people closest to her, making for performances that feel tailored to each audience member, even if they've never seen her before. That effect is particularly noticeable these days, as she mostly performs solo, accompanied only by her acoustic guitar.

Originally from Maryland, she now resides in Brooklyn, New York where she writes, records and produces her own music as the co-founder of Mungler Winslowe Records. She spent a few years performing in bands in rural Maryland before making a move to just outside Washington, DC in 1998. In DC, she headed a three piece group as the singer, songwriter and guitarist until moving to New York City in 2000 to pursue a solo career.