Cristale: “Living in London taught me to be grateful”

On ​‘Never Leave Me’, the latest single from Cristale’s upcoming debut mixtape Clear Intentions, the rapper leaves some of her usual swagger behind. Over sparse piano, her lyrics take centre stage as the Brixton-born artist reflects on vulnerability and the feeling of being worn down by people coming in and out of her life: 

“Somebody switches on me, every 6 weeks I’m just about done / Throw me a retirement party, cook up white rice, mutton, and pour out the rum.” 

The stripped-back production gives way to the kind of lived-in storytelling that has defined Cristale’s rise, from bedroom freestyles to millions of streams – an apt introduction to a project built around self-examination and figuring out what keeps you moving.

For Cristale, the answer hasn’t always been obvious. Before music became a career, she studied art and illustration, while rapping began as something she did for fun – freestyling in her bedroom and recording demos on a cheap podcast mic. Her dad took her to the studio, her mum now manages her career, and what started as a hobby gradually became something she realised she had to take seriously. Now, with a MOBO nomination, roles in Top Boy and Queenie, a Royal Albert Hall support slot and a feature on Skrillex and ISOxo’s ​‘Smoke’ behind her, she’s still following wherever curiosity takes her. 

That instinct sits at the heart of Clear Intentions, out on 6^th November. The project takes its title from Cristale’s belief in knowing your ​“reason why” – not just what you want to achieve, but what makes you want it. From Brixton Splash memories to the influence of her family, faith and football, she traces the experiences that taught her to recognise an opportunity when it comes, work at what she isn’t immediately good at, and keep moving forward. We asked her ​“what made you”?

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Before becoming a known artist I’ve always loved art, I took art GCSE and A‑level, I even went on to study illustration at uni with the hopes of becoming an architectural designer (or something else as long as I can draw/​create.)

Rapping was always a hobby that started with a genuine love for words: I loved English in school, I was a bookworm. I used to take a new book home practically every day, still managing to stay on top of my homework (if I hadn’t already done it at school). The transition from hobby to passion to profession came from multiple reality checks that allowed me to open my mind following a path if I hadn’t planned out myself.

Matthew 20:16 says ​“Many are called, but few are chosen” as a firm believer and worshipper of God, I know that God chose this path for me simply because of how naturally it all happened. And as this path chose me, I chose it back. Freestyles turned into songs along the way, my dad took me to the studio to record a few songs, my mum manages me, my family supports me, and I get messages from supporters about how my music has helped them get through the day on days I’m struggling to get through myself. I figured it was time to take myself as seriously as everyone else is taking me.

I went from freestyles in my bedroom, recording demos into a cracked copy of logic on a cheap podcast mic, to millions of streams and followers all over the world, just by shifting my perspective. What started as a fun way to catch a rhythm and play about with my words turned into a career. My love for Spider-Man made me realise that ​“With great power comes great responsibility” can and should be applied to everything. Acknowledging how much influence I’ve gained simply by having something valid to say in an easily digestible way fuelled me to keep going not only for people that support me, but for myself.

I’ve got to live and feel to make the music – my music is made in real time about my real life experiences. When I was younger, I remember going to Brixton Splash with my family; the memory is quite foggy, but the feeling is unforgettable. The vibrant colours, loud music, and sense of community is unmatched, I was in awe, and still am till this day. Living in London made me tough, and taught me to be grateful, as ​‘few are chosen’, opportunity for young black people comes in rarely so if you get a shot, you need to hit the ground running, for all the people that will never get the chance, and hopefully try to open some doors for them on your way up.

Regarding acting, I’ve always loved movies, but it was also another path that God chose for me. I followed through because I can’t be scared to try. Being too scared to try is worse than trying and failing, luckily I succeeded, and learned that acting helps me explore layers to my own personality through the characters that I play. Acting always helps add more structure to my life, the early mornings, needing to remember my lines, timed meals, hits the reset button in an unpredictable life of a musician.

Football also started out as a hobby. But like acting, it’s linear. You’re either good at it, or you’re not. I never started out good at football, and I’m not the best, but I went from playing for my secondary school football team to Crystal Palace football club and having my player fees sponsored, by practising. Football taught me that practice makes perfect, it taught me how to work hard, I wasn’t always good, but I know that with time I would be – that same ethos, I apply it to everything I do. That’s how I got to where I am today.

Clear Intentions by Cristale is out 6 November. 

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