Have you ever been through a soul-crushing, body-aching, mind-boggling heartbreak? Well, Cristal B. has, and she wrote the ultimate self-elevating breakup song and finally unleashed it onto her listeners.
As a pop-inspired singer/songwriter from Fort Lauderdale, FL, Cristal B. has garnered quite the experience of relationships, especially those that don't work out. As a well-seasoned musician, Cristal B. applies her musical tactics to generate goosebump-worthy songs. This means that Cristal B.'s music is flooded with melodies that work to create a strong emotional response.
The title of Cristal B.'s infamous breakup song is "Bittersweet." The track was written five years after Cristal B. experienced the worst heartbreak of her life. She describes many realizations that she came to during a not-so-good relationship, especially the devastations that followed the end of it. "Bittersweet" ended up being a road of closure for Cristal B.
She got out all of those hard feelings, along with the more refined thoughts that came after some hardcore reflection. The lyrics themselves are affecting themselves, but once you add the articulated vocal performance by Cristal B., the flavor will inevitably spill out. She is genuinely in turn with her heart, soul, and mind, which is felt through the strength of each word she sings. Cristal B. has honed into her true worth and isn't looking back in the slightest.
All in all, "Bittersweet" ended up being the right kind of breakup track to listen to when you need to feel all those breakup feels. But, it's also the kind of song to listen to when you need that self-motivating push in the right direction, the direction where you realize your worth and know what you deserve.
Thanks for joining us at BuzzMusic, Cristal B.! How are you feeling knowing that "Bittersweet," a vulnerable heartbreak story, can be listened to by any listener now?
Every time I release a song, it feels a lot like I’m putting my mind or diary on display for whoever encounters it. “Bittersweet” is extremely personal to me, but I’m happy to share it, especially if it helps someone else feel seen and understood. This song isn’t just for me anymore, it’s for everyone who has gotten heartbroken.
What kind of message were you wanting to get across to listeners of “Bittersweet?"
I really want my listeners and whoever relates to “Bittersweet” to know that they are stronger than they think and that they deserve to let go of the person that hurt them, even when it still feels like that person is a part of who they are. I want them to know that they deserve better and they deserve to move on. “Bittersweet” was inspired by my own experience with crushing heartbreak. It took a long time to really process those feelings and get closure. I never actually got real closure from the person that broke my heart, but I had to learn to give it to myself and move on with my life. This song gave me that and I hope it gives that to whoever needs it.
Can you share the emotions surrounding "Bittersweet," especially the emotions you had writing and recording the song, and especially the emotions now that the song has been revealed to the music world?
By the time I wrote “Bittersweet,” several years had already passed since I got heartbroken, and I thought I had fully moved on. In reality, I had done what a lot of us do: I shut that part of myself away and avoided thinking about it because of all the shame, anger, and resentment surrounding the experience. If you’ve ever been with someone who you thought was perfect for you, just for them to walk out on you and become someone you don’t really know at all, then you’ll understand how devastating that can be. To have someone you deeply care for suddenly acting like you mean nothing to them and call you crazy to all your friends. “Bittersweet” felt like being liberated from that time in my life. It was the closure I never got. Now that “Bittersweet” is out in the world, it feels a little scary to open myself up to judgment and questions. Mostly though, I’m really proud of this song because it’s about finding the strength within ourselves to heal, and recognizing our value doesn’t come from anyone else. It’s an anthem for the broken-hearted and I’m happy to share that kind of vulnerability with my listeners. We can all scream-cry together.
With a compelling voice, your music holds a real affecting aspect to it. How did you go about strategizing the tonality presented in "Bittersweet?"
“Bittersweet” consists of only piano and vocals, allowing the story and emotions to really shine through. The piano builds as the story builds. If you know me, then you know one of my biggest musical influences is Adele. She has some of the best ballads I’ve ever heard, and my favorites are the ones with just her voice and a gorgeous piano backing her. That highly influenced the tonality of this song. When I was recording “Bittersweet,” I actually had a really hard time putting the right emotion behind my voice. I wasn’t in that mental space anymore, so I felt a little bit disconnected from it all. I think part of that was some sort of defense mechanism to keep myself from reliving all the sadness. I had to tap into those old feelings again to really get the right tone for the song. It left me feeling sad for a couple of days after, but not in the way you would think. Not sad because of the person who broke my heart. I felt sad for the younger version of myself who had to endure all of those feelings alone. She didn’t feel “good enough” to be loved back then. I wish I could have consoled her in some way and told her it would all work out the way it needed to. That’s what I hope this song does for whoever hears it.
What's next for you?
“Bittersweet” is the first of many singles I have lined up for release, including a couple of collaborations. Up next is a song called “You’re The Worst,” which is essentially a continuation of the story behind “Bittersweet” and the aftermath of the breakup. As of right now, I am planning for a potential EP to be released in the fall. I’ll be sharing more details and progress on my social media as I work on it. I’m very excited to connect with more of my listeners and do more live performances as well. This is only the beginning!