Singer-songwriter Kristy Chmura blends heartfelt lyricism with atmospheric acoustic sounds, rooted in a lifelong love of journaling, poetry, and music. What began as a creative outlet in her youth evolved into a full-fledged songwriting practice during her time studying music in college. Whether working solo or collaborating with her bandmates Damien Musto, Christian Eigner, and Niko Stoessl, Kristy uses music as a way to process the world around her, from personal growth to environmental activism. Her recent reimagining of “Wake Up,” inspired by the eerie skies over New Jersey during the Canadian wildfires, reflects both her artistic vision and her deep connection to nature. In addition to her musical work, Kristy serves as Vice Chair of Chatham’s Shade Tree Commission, where she’s been a passionate advocate for urban forestry for over a decade. Read below to find out more about Kristy’s songwriting journey, creative collaborations, and how her music and environmental work go hand in hand.

Where are you based?
I am based in New Jersey.

What inspired you to get into songwriting?
Since I was young, I’ve always liked to journal and dabble in writing short poems. Similarly, my love for music developed at a young age. Eventually, these two passions came together, and I started writing songs while studying music in college.

You also compose instrumental pieces. How do those differ in process and intention from your vocal-driven songs?
I don’t consider myself a composer; I haven’t written any instrumental pieces yet. When I write, my songs all start in a skeleton form, with just my vocals and my instrument, the harp. At that stage, I can hear and feel the overall vibe of the song, and envision where it can go. Once I have a solid song structure that resonates with me, I share the song in its raw solo acoustic form with my band Damien Musto, Christian Eigner, and Niko Stoessl. From there, we all create the sonic world for the song together.

Do you consider your songs as personal journal entries, universal reflections, or a bit of both?
I consider my songs a bit of both, but leaning more towards personal journal entries.

Your debut album, “Stained…Glass Heart,” received acclaim for its emotional depth. How do you approach songwriting to evoke such powerful responses?
My songwriting process is driven by my own intense emotions. I use songwriting as a way to deeply process what I’m feeling, which means my music truly stems from an honest place within me.

“Wake Up” emerged as a response to the Canadian Wildfires’ impact on New Jersey skies. How did that surreal moment influence the song’s creation?
This new version of “Wake Up,” released in April 2025, emerged from experiencing the extreme natural occurrences affecting us all – like the Canadian wildfires a couple of summers ago. These events sparked my inner activist, compelling me to speak up in the way I feel most at home: through music. I had actually written and recorded my original version of “Wake Up” with Damien, which we released as part of my debut solo album, “Stained...Glass Heart,” back in 2018. I was initially inspired to write “Wake Up” in its raw form by observing the destruction of wildlife and various ecosystems on a global scale in the media.

This extended to witnessing what seemed to be a local lack of care and consideration for wildlife habitats, such as seeing plots of land clear-cut for commercial development. Things like this have always deeply upset me, and writing this song was my way to process that discomfort and reflect on these issues. So, when the skies were covered in a smoky orange haze from woods burning hundreds of miles away back in 2023, it broke my heart to think of the damage to so many acres of forests ecosystems and how out of balance things had become in the environment. This moved me to want to bring new life to my original version of “Wake Up.” It was then that Damien and I reached out to Christian and Niko and presented them with the idea to reimagine “Wake Up” into this new version that we just released on Earth Day this year.

Love your music video for “Wake Up”. What do you hope your fans get from the song and the music video?
Thank you! My hope is that people will feel inspired to contribute to the healing and care of our natural world in ways that resonate with them. It’s important to remember our profound connection to everything, understanding that we are not separate from nature. Personally, I’ve always felt a deep bond with trees, recognizing their vital role in both healthy ecosystems and our own health. While many aspects of our planet need attention, if each of us contributes in our own way, even in small gestures, we can collectively help each other live better on this beautiful Earth.

Collaborating with artists like Christian Eigner and Niko Stoessl has brought a cinematic quality to your work. What was the collaborative process like for “Wake Up”?
It’s always a positive and inspiring experience when Damien and I collaborate with Christian and Niko. We’ve really become a band in this process over the past few years. There’s a chemistry between the four of us that’s magical, and when we presented the idea of reimaging my original version of “Wake Up”, they loved the song and were completely on board.

You’ve served on your town’s Shade Tree Commission for over a decade. What inspired you to get involved in urban forestry at the grassroots level?
I was inspired to get involved as a volunteer member of my town’s Shade Tree Commission after attending a council meeting. There, I, along with numerous others, spoke up about saving one of the town’s old scarlet oak trees from being taken down. At the time, I didn’t know what a Shade Tree Commission was, but when I learned about it and discovered there were other people just as passionate about trees as me, it piqued my interest. My dad also encouraged me to get involved. He’d see how upset I’d get when a tree was taken down, so he was basically like, ‘Kristy, do something about it! Don’t just get upset; go apply to volunteer for the Shade Tree Commission.’ So, I did just that, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I’ve always liked the saying ‘think globally, act locally” and being a part of this is one way I feel like I’m helping take care of the Earth.

Serving as Vice Chair of Chatham’s Shade Tree Commission, you’ve been instrumental in urban forestry efforts. Can you discuss a project that stands out to you?
Assisting in educating the public about the importance of trees in our town is one of the key functions of the Shade Tree Commission. As a Tree City, we recognize Arbor Day by organizing an event to raise public awareness about this national day of tree planting. This provides a great opportunity to share information about the importance of trees and offer tree care tips. For a few of our Arbor Day events, I put together a public harp concert, performing songs that were either about or inspired by trees. As part of the program, I also invited people to read tree inspired poems. One year, I even debuted an original song of mine called “The Tree Song,” which I wrote specifically for the Arbor Day concert event. On the programs handed out to attendees, I included facts about the importance of trees along with practical tree care tips.

What makes trees such a powerful symbol and tool for healing — both ecologically and emotionally?
Trees truly are powerful symbols and tools for healing, offering so much to learn. They teach us that we all grow at our own pace and that biodiversity is essential for good health, encouraging us to embrace our uniqueness. Symbolically, trees also guide us to let go as we watch autumn leaves drift to the ground. They teach us to bend with the wind while staying grounded. Just like a tree in winter, seemingly dormant but still growing slowly and steadily underground, we too go through seasons in our lives and should never stop growing, even when days get cold. There’s a remarkable steadfastness about trees; they’re like an old friend you can simply sit with, allowing yourself to slow down and take a breath when life gets crazy. Trees literally and figuratively help keep us cool.

With the current administration ripping away environmental protections, what do you feel we can do as lay people to help protect our planet?
As I mentioned earlier, I truly believe in the saying “think globally, act locally.” It’s all about doing what you can within reach. If there’s an organization championing a cause you’re passionate about, support them if you have the means. If not, donate your time to an environmental initiative. Check if your town has a Shade Tree Commission or an Environmental Commission and see how you can lend a hand. Above all, keep caring deeply about the natural world and let others know you care about the health of our planet. While current environmental protections being dismantled is certainly disturbing, they can’t take away our feelings about the importance of safeguarding nature. That’ s why we must keep caring and taking as many small, actionable steps as possible. These seemingly minor efforts can collectively lead to big change and help create balance.

Do you ever feel a tension between the environmental footprint of music production or touring and your values as a sustainability advocate?
Simply existing in a modern world means we can’t avoid creating a carbon footprint. While complete avoidance isn’t realistic, I try to do what I can to minimize my impact and create some balance. I understand that living in our current culture means we all contribute to the environmental footprint, but I remain committed to making a conscious effort to support sustainability.

Looking forward, what is your vision for combining your music and activism? Are there new projects, partnerships, or causes you are hoping to champion?
At the moment, I don’t have any new projects that combine my music with activism. However, I will be releasing new music in the future from my upcoming album, “Inner Solstice.” This new version of “Wake Up” is the third single off “Inner Solstice” and I’m really looking forward to sharing more of my work with the world.

It has been a crazy past few years, and we suspect at least four more. How have you been staying positive?
It’s certainly not always easy to stay positive, but the way I try to shift my thinking is by focusing on what I can control and staying present by practicing mindfulness. I continue to take care of my health and well-being by doing things like walking outside, writing new music, and simply pursuing the things I love. I also have a gratitude journal, and I try to write down five different things every day that I’m grateful for.

What is your motto in life?
Be true to yourself.

To learn more about Kristy Chmura, please check out the links below:
www.kristychmura.com
YouTube
Instagram: kristy_chmura
Facebook: kristychmuramusic

Rooted in Harmony: Kristy Chmura on Music, Mindfulness, and Environmental Activism