Kristina Train (born January 17, 1982, in New York City as Kristina Beaty)[1][2] is an American singer-songwriter and musician who lives in Nashville, having previously lived in London, United Kingdom.[3][4] Her music blends influences from country, soul, gospel, blues, folk, and jazz.[5]
Performing in Warsaw, Poland, in November 2010 with Herbie Hancock
Kristina was born in New York City and raised in Savannah, Georgia, where she and her mother moved to when she was 11 years old.[6][7] She is of Norwegian, Italian, and Irish heritage. At the age of four, Kristina started studying classical violin. She sang in church and school choirs. In 1999, she joined the soul outfit The Looters, often backing vocalist Rosa King on tour.[8][9]
In 2001 Train played a showcase in New York City for Blue Note Records. Executives Bruce Lundvall and Arif Mardin subsequently invited Train to sign to Blue Note.[10] Train left school to pursue music full-time, moving to New York and signing with Blue Note.[11]
Career
2009: Spilt Milk
Train's debut album, Spilt Milk, was released on October 20, 2009.[12] Blue Note had initially been interested in pairing her with Norah Jones producer Lee Alexander, but Train instead went to London and asked Jimmy Hogarth to produce the album. Train co-wrote eight songs on the album, collaborating with Hogarth, Eg White, and Ed Harcourt. Train also arranged and overdubbed strings on three tracks. Kristina Train possesses a singing voice from another era... Her sound recalls Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, and Laura Nyro… she lives up to the legacy of the great voices that inspired her. -NPR Music[13]Spilt Milk is poised to make a big splash in the pop music world. Train's voice is husky, rich and dark with a big range and maturity of style that belies her age... She's confident – and with good reason. She's got game. -Blurt[14]
2012: Dark Black
On October 26, 2012, Train's album Dark Black was released for online purchases in the UK,[15] and on November 5, 2012, the CD was released in the UK.[16] The album, where she collaborated mainly with Ed Harcourt, Cherry Ghost's Simon Aldred, and Martin Craft,[4] features "Train's dreamy, intense and intoxicating Southern American vocals."[17] The BBC reviewed it as An extraordinary record from a singer previously overlooked.[18]If you aren't in love with Train's voice by the end... there is something seriously wrong with your ears. -Huffington Post[19] The album was released by Mercury Records (UK).
2021: Rayon City
Train announced via her Facebook page that she was working on her third album, Rayon City.[20] She also posted two photos, including a black & white one of an exhibition-room marked "Rayon and Synthetic Yarns". Producer and composer Skylar Wilson is among those who worked on the album.[21] The album Rayon City was released digitally on July 20, 2021.[22][23]
2022: Body Pressure
Train announced on her Facebook page that she had released her fourth album, Body Pressure on October 31, 2022.[24]
Other projects
Train often plays with the band Scrapomatic and contributed vocals, violin, and songwriting on their 2006 album Alligator Love Cry, under the name of Kristina Beaty.[25]
Train contributed vocals to Marc Cohn's 2010 album Listening Booth, and contributed vocals and fiddle on Collin Rocker's 2010 debut album Milkbox Love, Jukebox Blood, & Other American Favorites.[28]
Train is the voice of the LexusAmazing in Motion 2013 global campaign, singing the song I'm Wandering previously released by Jackie Wilson (1958) and Aretha Franklin (1962).[35]
Train is listed in as one of "10 New Artists You Need to Know Right Now" in the May 2014 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine.[31]
She performed five songs on the soundtrack of the 2015 film Jenny's Wedding: True Love Avenue, Chase Me Away, Lost in Love, Sunny Side of the Street, and Baile Baile.[36]
Kristina Train sang the songs "When the Shy Star" and "Sleep Now" (with Julian Lennon) on the album Goldenhair by Brian Byrne released in 2017.
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