Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristofer Murray.
Hi Kristofer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been writing music for almost 30 years. My first love was rap. I was like eight years old with my cousin recording my own mixtapes in our bedroom through the stereo headphones. I started getting real serious around 13 years old. I would write raps in my room every single day and accumulated books of lyrics. I kept that pace up in my teenage years and when I was 19, I was introduced to the producers Dre and Vidal (Usher, Ciara, Jill Scott) by my late cousin who was my first manager at the time. I was a part of their camp for about a year before breaking out and doing my own thing as a rapper. It was around that time I started becoming a songwriter of other genres too (R&B, Pop). I frequently collaborated with Carvin and Ivan and my managers at the time, Mike Mac and Jay Hipps. They were the ones who got me my deal with Kobalt. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to work with some of the top producers/artists in the game (Bryan-Michael Cox, DJ Camper, Chrisette Michele, Raheem Devaughn, Estelle).
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
For me, it hasn’t been the smoothest road. I would write hundreds of songs before I got my first placement in 2013. In addition to that, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder when I was 21. I would spend about 12 years in and out of hospitals and going through different medications before I was stabilized. For a while, I couldn’t even write music anymore. It was terrible. Through the grace of God though even when I was hospitalized in 2014, I signed my publishing deal with Kobalt Music Group when I was in the hospital! My goal now is to be a voice for people with similar stories to show them that they can still go after their dreams and that there is life after the diagnosis.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a lyric and melody songwriter. I specialize in R&B and Pop but I also do Rap hooks and have recently done Gospel too. My biggest accomplishments so far are my songs “You Mean That Much To Me” by Chrisette Michele and “Burn Out” by TGT. Both of the albums those songs were on were nominated for Best R&B Album of the Year in the 2013 Grammys. What sets me apart from others is my versatility. I grew up listening to all types of music and I enjoy trying my hand at different genres.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see artists becoming more independent and less dependent on record labels. I think artists will embrace NFTs more and take more control over their works and how they will get paid off of them.
Pricing:
- Songwriting $500 per song
Contact Info:
- Email: krismurray513@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/dopaminedreamz
- Twitter: twitter.com/dopaminedreamz
