Newmarket, ON singer-songwriter Kristina Dervaitis is excited to release her highly anticipated debut album, “Overdue,” out into the world today – on her 46th birthday, no less. Kristina is equally excited to share a fabulous music video to accompany her current single, “What’s Coming,” which we are delighted to premiere here today – on the album release day, no less.
“Don’t know why I’m holding my breath / There’s plenty of air here / What if I inhale much, too deep? / What if my lungs fail? / Don’t know why I’m holding this umbrella / Is that thunder I hear? / What if this clear blue sky turns to grey? / What if the clouds hail?”
As a full-time gynecologist in her local Newmarket community, Kristina has delivered thousands of babies, has performed hundreds of surgeries, and is currently an IUD specialist with a thriving part-time private practice. But outside of her medical career, Kristina has nurtured a strong passion for creating music, and with the guidance of her vocal mentor (recording artist Emm Gryner), delivers her own bundle of joy today.
Born from a personal labor of love, and her midlife pursuit of this creative outlet, Kristina now finds herself happy to split time equally between gynecology and music. “We are still writing our life’s story. We each have the power to push boundaries and explore new chapters in life,” she shares. “I’m a big believer in pursuing dreams and not the ‘perfect’ image of perceived expectations.”
“These days I’m feeling too happy / Is that a thing? / These days if you ask me what’s missing / The answer is nothing / These days I’m learning to walk ‘stead of running / These days won’t last, or will they / What’s coming?”
Recorded at Villa Sound in Singhampton, ON, the rapid taps of the snare from husband Barry Atack and Kristina’s peppy piano notes from “What’s Coming” establish a positive tone from the offset. Such positivity is reinforced within the visuals of the accompanying video, capturing snapshots of Kristina in the lush confines of a fenced yard, and other natural surroundings. Yet lyrically, the artist presents doubts to burst her bubble, bouncing happy thoughts and memories against the fear and uncertainty of what lies ahead.
The visual element matches these competing views in perfect time, as sunny skies momentarily turn cloudy, as the skies and greenery become muted, hinting of those unknown changes potentially on the horizon. Images captured to offer in-focus clarity one moment, before flickering to green hues, faded exposure, and a sunshine-loving protagonist under her umbrella, silhouetted by that cloud cover at times. All of these nuances accentuate those fears of doubt, and begs the question: for Kristina Dervaitis, what’s coming?
“Don’t know why I’m holding onto this / The damage is done here / What if I just floated on? / What if I set sail? / Don’t know why I’m holding my tongue / So what if they hear? / What if I reach for the high notes? / What if I don’t fail?”
This is a great choice of song to become acquainted with the music of Kristina Dervaitis, and with the fabulous music video, perfectly complements the release of the album today. I’m sure that some listeners may yearn to find a deeper connection with the personal tale Kristina is projecting, or a stronger desire to dissect both lyrical messages and visual cues. For myself, however, I’m content simply sitting back and enjoying the moment; detecting cues from the lyrics with which I can resonate, but not have to overcomplicate – formulating my own interpretation from the visuals presented to me. But, most importantly, my curiosity draws me to the music, and with it a longing to delve into tracks from “Overdue.” Kristina may be the one celebrating her birthday right now – and on this special day, we wish her many happy returns, but when all is said and done, the very fact that Kristina is showering us with the gifts of her music today gives each and every one of us our own reasons to celebrate too.
“Feels like I am winning these days / My head is spinning these days / Life’s beginning these days / Time to start living these days.”
Photo Credit: Juris Kornets
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
