Krystofer performing at Pianos- Sean Jamar

Krystofer Maison is an artist who doesn’t play by the usual rules — and that’s precisely what sets him apart. With a sound that blends raw emotion, striking lyrics, and a fearless approach to genre, he’s been steadily building a name for himself as someone who creates music that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. In this interview, Krystofer opens up about his creative process, the stories behind his songs, and what drives him as an artist.

Where are you based?
Upper West Side, NYC!

You have a beautiful voice, how did you get into music?
Thank you, that means the world. To be honest, I don’t quite remember the moment I got into music, I just know from my earliest memory, I was singing and performing all the time. I started doing musical theater in my small town shows when I was six years old, and that was that. Once I discovered music, it was an enormous part of my identity and therefore an enormous part of my childhood. It’s really baked into who I am at this point.

Can you tell us a bit about your new song Armour?
Armour is the power ballad for authenticity. I actually wrote this song at the end of last year in response to the heartbreak and fear I (and the LGBTQ) community have in our current political climate. I beautifully accepted myself as a gender-expansive person in 2021; over the last three years performing, I’ve experimented with a lot of fashion to see what really called to me as an artist and where I felt most like myself. Armour is really the “why” behind that.

You released Armour in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Please tell us a little bit about the significance of this.
The lyrics of any good song, in my opinion, don’t just deal with the singer, but also inspire the listener to identify their own story within the music. I hope with Armour, LGBTQ+ folks and allies will be inspired to own the authentic parts of themselves. It’s about taking the true parts of you that were shamed by society and using them as your greatest strength.

You released Armour at the inaugural gala of Project Blackbird. Can you tell us a little bit about this experience, the short film, and what Project Blackbird does?
Yes! Project Blackbird was started by a friend from college, Alexandra Milewich. We met in accounting class, of all places, both had corporate careers, and separately came back to our art (music for me, film for her). In 2022 she produced a short film called “Blackbird” based on her time at an eating disorder treatment center; and because I was starting my own recovery journey at the time, I wrote, produced (with collaborator Maxwell Bailey), and performed the signature song for the film. Alex then formed a charity around the film, which tours university campuses, film festivals, athletic events, and treatment conferences to show the film, conduct a celebrity-driven mental health panel, and do a short clinician-approved prompt that allows anonymous peers to share their struggles — allowing all of us to #shedshame. The organization had its inaugural gala at the Watergate Hotel in DC earlier in May, and I was thrilled to premiere Armour during the program to amplify the mental health message.

We hear you also serve on the Advisory Board and as an Ambassador for Project Blackbird. Can you tell us a little bit about this role?
I help wherever I need to! The organization is still young with a small shop, so as an Advisor I help out where I can. I have a background in corporate fundraising so sometimes I’ll consult on that, or I’ll perform at an event, or a concert of mine will have a portion of profits go to Project Blackbird, etc. I have ten years experience working in nonprofits so it’s easy to plug in when I can lend a hand, and it’s humbling to be part of an organization that has such a great impact.

You have had some of your own mental health struggles — panic attacks after a car accident. Can you talk to us a little bit about his experience and how you are doing now? What helped your recovery?
Yes, I have, which is why I know how important it is to advocate for mental health awareness. In 2017 I got into a car accident while on the back roads of Connecticut trying to get somewhere faster than I should have… I appeared to be fine, but a week later I had my first full-blown panic attack. I was already a big drinker, but this exacerbated it and the panic attacks and self-medication got stronger over time until it was a crippling addiction I was trying to hide. In all this darkness however, was the moment I identified as my call to go back to music — it’s hard to explain, but I suddenly felt like I was living the wrong life. I had been in corporate fundraising and gave up entertainment altogether — but my journeys in anxiety/depression, alcoholism recovery, gender expansive identity, and coming back to music all paralleled and compounded on each other to heal a lot of past trauma I didn’t realize was there.

What advice would you pass on to anyone struggling with mental health and/or addiction?
Everyone’s recovery journey is unique, but I think the unifying remedy is community. That can look like many things: AA, an online group (like I did), in-patient and out-patient treatment, etc. One thing I noticed is that when I started my recovery journey, the universe kept pushing new friends into my life that were also sober from alcohol. It’s also important to acknowledge you’re going to be uncomfortable, in the beginning it’s going to feel like a fight. In alcohol addiction (and this is typical for many mental health struggles), I experienced a sense of self-loathing I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. That sense of shame often keeps us from seeking help, but finding community allows you to realize you’re not alone. And then the personal healing begins... Life is basically recovery, we’re all healing from something.

You have an 18-month release strategy for your debut album. Can you tell us a little bit about what your fans can look forward to?
It’s ambitious, but we’re rolling with the punches in this industry! The album is made up of my favorite and most personal songs from my catalog around the idea of cyclical change, constant evolution, and healing. The record in many ways reflects my journey in becoming an artist again. It’s a drama-pop album with classical music references, spiritual motifs, and accompanying lore. There are two more singles dropping this calendar year: a dance track called “Glitter Rinse Repeat” (which will get music video treatment) and a pop-rock track called “Endless Summer”. When I write music I have rather intricate visions of how they should be performed on stage and where the musical energy comes from — a few members of my team are supporting the development of this fantasy-adjacent ‘world’ in my mind to complement the record. When the album drops, an accompanying “program book” will introduce the world of the record and the stories of its characters, while weaving in my personal lyrical meanings and exclusive ‘making of’ content. I want people who love art to love this record.

What made you want to self-produce your debut album?
I really wanted to take control of my own career. When I left the 9-5 world a few years ago, a lot of people didn’t understand why. The simple answer is that I was called to. It’s extremely hard to explain, but music for me is not a choice; it’s a purpose, it’s my life, it’s as natural and necessary to me as breathing. Leaving a fast-growing fundraising career where I managed a cumulative $20 million in sponsorship revenue to enter the music industry was confusing even for me. I thought there was a full world of logistical knowledge I didn’t know so I tried everything. It took two years of reinventing myself, trusting the wrong people, and sticking with it for me to get to a place where I feel confident enough in myself. Corporate fundraising was the ultimate experience in sales, budgeting, project management, event planning, marketing campaign development, account management, press campaigns, etc. I’m recreating that cross-functional role for myself as the CEO of my brand: I have a team of talented people who complement my strengths and support my weaknesses while maintaining self-management (for now). We have a growth strategy for my brand around single releases for at least a year, budding relationships, and partnerships in various stages of development. It’s difficult to be the product and the CEO at the same time, but that’s what being a musician is.

Krystofer performing at Chelsea Table, shot by TJ Ferrari-Sung

Any fun plans for Pride?
My keystone Pride partnership this year is with Make Music New York! Make Music NY is the outdoor festival on June 21 when thousands of musicians take over parks, streets, and storefronts to play for the people of the city. I’m leading the “Glam Groupe” as one of their official special events for the day. We’re bringing a group of LGBTQ rock/indie musicians to tour through Stonewall National Monument, Flatiron Plaza, Astor Place Plaza, and Hunter’s Point South Park with songs to tell the history of queer New York. We’ll end with an after party that is more of a traditional rock show/set in the evening, supporting Make Music NY and other indie-forward organizations that support the independent musicians, necessary for the lifeblood of New York’s culture. www.makemusicny.org

We loved that you used to work as the Director of Corporate Partnerships at the LGBT Center. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Me too! It was a great place to work. I had been in corporate development at the Boston Symphony and Museum of Fine Arts prior, and moved back to New York (I’m from the burbs originally) in 2019. When I interviewed for the role, I was upfront about wanting to explore a musical career so they were fairly supportive. The challenges rose in the pandemic, but I was grateful to be a person that secured funds for programs that directly supported our most vulnerable community members. To get the “we’re in for $100,000” email and then three months later talk to someone in person directly who was helped by the program was so rewarding. It kept me going during the pandemic (recall I was going through mental health/recovery, identity, and second music career struggles simultaneously). In many ways working there allowed me to explore and become truer to myself. They do incredible work and deserve as much support as possible, for anyone out there wanting to make a donation. :) www.gaycenter.org

You have an upcoming partnerships with the Hard Rock Cafe and the Newport Pickleball Club. Can you tell us a little bit about these?
Those are still semi-in development, but with my business background I also love working with venues to create experiences that support the music community and charitable causes. With each of these (adding a theater in Vermont to this list), I’m serving as producer, in some cases performing; and we’re inviting corporate and organizational partners. The partners I work with are very supportive and will donate a portion of proceeds to charitable organizations, Hard Rock for public school music education and Newport for youth community development.

We love that you carry public work into everything you do. Why is this so important to you?
I think it should be important to everyone. Working in corporate fundraising for so long, I got to see a lot of corporate inner workings, and watching how money moves around is appalling. We have an abundance of resources on this planet, and I think no matter how small or large your impact footprint (whether your neighborhood or on a global stage), we should all be doing our part to make the world a better place. You don’t even have to change that much, just incorporate compassion into your routine.

It has been a crazy past few years, and we suspect at least four more. How have you been staying positive?
SINGING!

What is your life motto?
Hope is an infinite resource. (And sometimes “rub some dirt in it and keep it moving”)

Please list any websites and social media you would like Jejune to promote?
www.krystofermaison.com
Instagram: krystofer_maison

Courage in Full Color: Krystofer Maison on Art and Activism