Reflections of Beautiful Souls

by Kristin Alise

Wow, it is hard to believe that this day has come.  I clearly remember laying in bed, having a moment of clarity in which I realized that I had something to say.  I knew that I was called to share my heart with the world. When I wrote my first song, I was at the beach, one of the places where I am most connected with my true self.  I took the first four chords that I learned on the guitar and turned them into a melody. The words came out effortlessly and became the tune, Sunshine from the Gray. This is how each of my songs came about.  Typically, I went to songwriting as a form of therapy, a way to express or cope with whatever I was experiencing at the time. Every song was written while seeking refuge from pain or anxiety, or to share joy.  So because each one came from an authentic place, it flowed with ease. I knew the music that I heard in my head, and was always determined to find it. Creating this album became a personal goal and was something that I had to do, no matter how long it took.  When I randomly learned of Scott Smith and his wife Jen, at the Wood and Stone Room in Baltimore, MD, I knew it actually wasn’t random at all. It was a powerful and precious moment of my steps being guided. When I arrived, I felt an instant sense of comfort and realized that my music was placed in the hands of those who would nurture it.  Working at the studio wasn’t really work at all. It was more a safe haven to vulnerably reveal my soul and just enjoy the journey.

The songs on this album really began to document the last fifteen years of my life and “The Sky” while written several years ago, was the last to be recorded, pointing me in the direction of a new chapter.  The theme of the album reflects a message of having faith, letting go, lifting up, and remaining in present moments, rather than worrying about what may come. It also serves as an “ode” to the influential souls in my life.  Throughout the process, there were moments that finishing felt far away, concerns that I would not represent my music as I would like or temptations to pick apart what I had done. In growing, I learned to be happy and content with each completion of a project…just letting each song be what it is and accepting myself as I am.  The process continues. And so I share this work with you, beautiful soul, remaining eternally grateful and honoring the light in you that is the same in me.

With Love, Kristin Alise