With “me, myself and i” out now, we took some time to hear from crixtyal. Read below to learn more about crixtyal, the story behind “me, myself and i,” and what’s to come.

Hi crixtyal! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

Hey! I got my name as an inspiration from the Aphex Twin song, “Xtal,” which is just the word, “crystal,” spelt differently. So, I put my own spin on it, and I came up with the name “crixtyal.”

What city are you from, and where are you based now?

I come from Leeds, England, which is in the north of the country. I am still based there.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I’ve always had an interest in music. Around September 2021, I uploaded my first song under a completely different name. Back then, I made a lot of shoegaze inspired songs as I was much more into rock music back then. I only started making rap/electronic music June of last year. I started out on SoundCloud and until a few days ago, that was all I had for the past 5 years.

How has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound?

My upbringing was alright, I wouldn’t say that itself would define my sound. However, my time through high school and especially college was rough, and I think that that factor bleeds into my music, whether I intend for it to or not.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

My sound changes depending on the time of year when I record the song. For example, during the autumn and winter months, my sound is much more akin to witch house and underground rap, whilst during the spring and summer months, my sound is very inspired by cloud rap and even some elements of alternative trap music.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

I love to skate. Not much right now because I have a foot injury as well as the weather over here being terrible, but when I can it’s my favourite thing to do. I also play video games especially horror based games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. I upload gameplay of these on my YouTube channel sometimes.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

Drain Gang, Yung Lean, Black Kray, Gucci Mane, Lil Ugly Mane, Salem, Lil B and Daniel Johnston.

Who would be a dream to collaborate with?

My dream music collaboration would be with Drain Gang or at least with Yung Lean or Bladee. They both really changed my life and it’s because of them that I started to make the music I make now.

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

Probably when one of my songs (“switchup”) got to 300 streams – I was very happy.

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

No matter how tempting it is when nobody is listening, never quit what you love doing. People will listen soon enough.

Now onto your release, “me, myself and i.” What inspired this song?

The day before I got diagnosed with bipolar. And, this song is me reflecting on that and how the signs were always there.

What is “me, myself and i” about?

It’s about how throughout my life I have battled with depression and the loss of people who I thought I could trust. Therefore, I say it’s just me, myself and I because at the end of the day that’s all that matters.

What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “me, myself and i?”

I know that the artwork is supposed to have deep meaning, but it is very simple – it’s just a photo of me bowing my head down, and I have applied filters onto the photo. So, yeah, it’s not complicated at all, haha.

What was the creative process like when making “me, myself and i?”

The beat was made by my best mate (shoutout ryan) and it took me about 20 minutes to rap over it. Which for me is pretty quick – it usually takes a few hours with most of the songs that I have put out.

How long did it take to complete “me, myself and i?”  

Yeah 20 minutes. Very simple.

What do you hope fans take away from “me, myself and i” and your music in general?

I hope that fans resonate with my music because I genuinely put my heart and soul into every song. Same goes with my music in general like if you have an interest in the underground rap scene, you should give me a listen as I take heavy inspiration from that crowd.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

One day, I would love to do shows. Unfortunately, I don’t think I am big enough to do that yet, but hopefully soon, you know. Anyways, I am thinking of releasing 1 or 2 more singles before I start to make my very first album. It’s gonna be hard, but I’m ready for it.

Where can we follow you on social media?

My Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/crixtyal

My TikTok is: https://www.tiktok.com/@crixtyal

My Spotify is: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QKnNTmZb3KH206hYjsSr7

Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!