She had secretly informed two friends, but for all the other people close to her, Karista had been walking around with the secret for a month. Because she had The voice kids won. “Very strange,” she laughs. “Everyone asked me questions or wished me luck when everything was already canned.”
In the final Karista impressed with the song Joyful joyful. “There was more stress than during the preliminaries. I had instilled in myself that I had to really empathize with the song. That went fine. It was my best performance. However, it is not an easy song, because the rhythm is difficult to follow in the beginning.”
second home
Her course was not flawless. Julia from K3 did not think the blind audition was one hundred percent well sung, because Karista gave a whole show on stage. “I thought she was right. But in the music world, it’s not always about the best voice. The overall picture must be correct. In that respect I was satisfied with my performance.”
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During the workshops, coach Duncan Laurence insisted that Karista felt comfortable. “He knows well how to defuse stressful situations. And he thought it was important to keep your individuality on stage. Looking back on the game, I think I came out stronger. Not only in character, but also musically. Beforehand I didn’t think I would get very far, but when push came to shove I felt what I was capable of. I became more confident. I’m shy and quiet, but I throw myself on stage because I’m in my element. The podium is my second home.”
Gospel
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: in Karista’s family, singing is a daily occurrence. “My mother used to sing as a backing vocalist for Will Tura, and that singing bug was contagious. Our whole family sings in the choir of the church of which my father is pastor.”
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That is the End Time Harvester International Ministries Church in Antwerp. There is a service every Sunday. “On Wednesdays there is a Bible study. Faith is important to me. Because of my home situation, gospel music is ubiquitous and also one of my favorite genres.”
Karista knows that young people listen a lot to hip-hop or R&B. “But gospel evolves with the times. That way you also have r&b and soul songs in a gospel outfit.”
Single
The Antwerp student takes Latin at the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-College, but switches to the humanities. “Because I’m interested in how people think, what goes on in the brain. Latin is a tough subject and those exams in June are going to be a challenge. But I think I will succeed.”
How does Karista see the future? “If I get the chance, I want to continue in music.” She herself is a fan of Chandler Moore. Or Whitney Houston. I thought her voice was unique.”
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The victory is accompanied by a scholarship of 10,000 euros, and Karista was allowed to record a first single, which will be released after the final. “A proprietary version of Shackles(praise you), Mary Mary’s hit, produced by my assistant coach Remko Kühne. A song about that you don’t always feel good about yourself, but that you sometimes have to dare to let go of everything. That kind of music makes people happy.”
Before Karista was The voice kids impressive. “In the beginning I was afraid of everything. Those interviews, singing with those earphones in… I’d never done any of that. But in retrospect that was so much fun! And I can always call coach Duncan if I need tips.”
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