Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist
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With a hunger to be one of the globe's most talked-about lead guitar players, armed with fierce competitive chops and a fantasy to fulfill, 16-year-old Kristen T. Clark has finally made the transition to pounding rock/metal music that better suits her style of guitar playing.
As her guitar skills become more intricate and sophisticated, the need to learn more complicated pieces that require knowledge of shapes and scales, riffs and sweeps is driving her forward. Natural harmonics and pinch harmonics that prove to be too difficult for some guitar players, are finding their way into her original riff writing as well.
Listening to and communicating with her fans has turned Clark more and more towards heavier, more furious guitar and lyric writing which she says is much more enjoyable. Challenging herself to play pieces of music that many would not even attempt, Clark was able to master a few classic pieces such as "Midsummer's Daydream' by Rik Emmett and 'YYZ' by RUSH which bring her huge accolades on stage. More recently, she has challenged herself to learn many passages by other influences such as John Petrucci, Guthrie Govan and Orianthi/Steve Vai. "I want my fans to know that they do have an influence on what I choose to learn and play for them", Clark says. "When they come to my shows I want them to feel my music and experience what I feel and 'get it' through my lyrics".
After winning a Supernova Battle of the Bands contest, and getting a Carparelli Guitar Co. endorsement, Clark debuted her first rock single 'Meant To Be', a head-pumping, heavy rock song that has thick bass lines and a riveting lead guitar solo that forces you to listen right to the very end.
"Because I was immersed in the world of teen relationships, I thought 'Meant To Be' would be a twist to what teens think every relationship should be like. It's about liking someone and trying so hard to impress them and proving that you're worth their time but shows sometimes you can't force things into being what you think they are meant to be".
"I worked with my bass player to conceptualize what we wanted to say and then got to work. Using the songwriting skills I learned from Rik Emmett (Triumph) and Blair Packham (The Jitters), I came up with the chorus and built the rest of the story around that. Writing this song was so much different than the country/folk songs I was used to writing in the past".
Clark has twice attended SongStudio (a professional Songwriting Workshop in Toronto), co-writing and performing at some of Toronto's most prestigious venues such as C'est What and the Gladstone Hotel. The weeks concluded with a showcase in which Clark performed two original songs 'Not My Type' and 'Jump' at Hugh's Room with Rik Emmett! With encouragement from faculty and other SongStudio alumni, Clark continues to write new material infusing mind-bending lyrics and exhilarating lead guitar solos into her work. An album is in the works, and it is sure to turn some heads when its done!
Whether performing with her rockin' three-piece band or as a solo artist, Clark likes to leave her audience always wanting more. She wants them to have a good time and rock out with her, but always likes to leave them asking 'where are you playing next?'
Clark's career continues to see her perform with headliners such as Rik Emmett (Triumph),The Blushing Brides (New York, Montreal, Toronto), Allister Bradley (Kitchener, Ontario) and Steve Goldberger (The Niagara Rhythm Section). She has opened for Caught Off Guard (Calgary, Alberta), Colfax (Brockville, Ontario) and one of Val Halla's (Regina, Saskatchewan) 'Bad Girl Touch' Canadian tour gigs. She has also opened for Canadian greats Tom Wilson, George Fox, Jamie Warren and Carroll Baker.
Fundraising efforts have included the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Terry Fox Cancer Research, Kids Help Phone, Smitty's Christmas Wish Foundation, the US Humane Society, Calling Cards for the Troops and the woundedwarriors.ca organizations and numerous others.
For bookings or press, email kristenclark8@hotmail.com. For social networking visit her website at www.kristentclark.com and connect with her many links there. Her Facebook page is www.facebook.com/kristentclarkfanpage.
