Crystal Autumn is a singer, songwriter, producer, and performer. Born in Hollywood, California, she grew up in well-known artistic communities— namely Atlanta and Oakland. She attributes the fluidity of her music to a multitude of geographic and generational impressions.
Crystal started singing jazz standards at the age of 15 and went on to be formally trained under the tutelage of Dr. Paul T. Kwami as a member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. As a student at Fisk University, she was crowned Miss Fisk University, won the title of Miss HBCU and was honored with a day in her name by the city of Nashville. She graduated in 2018 with a degree in business administration and went on to independently pursue a career in music and philanthropy.
Crystal earned her first Grammy in 2021 for her contributions on the Fisk Jubilee Singers album “Celebrating Fisk”, where she’s featured as the lead soloist on “Wade in the Water.” Crystal’s own music blends classic, ancestral, and futuristic textures, enchanting listeners with the sweet familiarity of home and the candid freedom of youth. With influences spanning from the negro spirituals and the stirring lyricism of Nina Simone to the lullaby-like rock and roll tunes of Lianne La Havas, Crystal Autumn has become known for injecting the sensuous intimacy of soul music into an array of experimental contemporary sounds.
In 2021, Crystal released her first single, Internet Friends, a lo-fi hip hop infused ballad sampling Eddie Kendricks's Intimate Friends. She hopes her music inspires listeners to stay in touch with their emotions, despite our ever-digitizing reality. Aside from music, Crystal aims to use her platform to educate & mobilize fans to live sustainably and protect the earth.