In this interview spotlight, we chat with TRISTN about the newest project, influences, navigating the digital world and more.

Full Q&A along with links and streams can be found below.

Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

I was born in Detroit, raised in Thailand, grew up in New York. I can’t exactly put my finger down on the style of music I make, but I know it’s quite mainstream with a commercial writing structure that I learned from Steve, my producer. We listen to a lot of music that I can relate to.

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?

Passion. Music is the only thing that helps me feel without the need to understand anything. I believe I can convey a certain “feeling”. Music is a universal language after all.

How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?

This new release has more of a pop/dance sound than the usual rock sound on the record. And yes, I wrote Sky Wide Open for a friend of mine, and I hope he gets the point, haha.

Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?

Yes, definitely. I love challenges, they push me to do better, be better, and try harder, especially in the digital age where we have access to everything and everyone. The challenge in the digital age is that we can publicize our art at the push of a button. There’s no filter. If we want to publish our music independently, we need to be more careful with the content that we choose to release since there’s no one to tell us that it’s not that great, haha.

Where can we follow you online and hear more music?

My website www.TRISTN.net is updated daily. You can find my releases on iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, and YouTube under my username @TRISTNMUSIC. It’s easier to go to my website, everything is linked up to it.

Anything else before we sign off?​

Yes!! Just want to thank all my fans for all the love and support. 🙂