Crystal Aikin

 “My first appearance at GMWA was with a group called Soul.  We travelled and performed extensively in the 90s, and we received a lot of amazing visibility and opportunities.  Before that, I was in a local group called Heaven Sent Us, and that is when I really developed as a vocalist and stage performer.  But my time with Soul was when I first began getting singing exposure outside of Tacoma,” says Crystal.

After leaving Soul, Crystal returned to singing in and around her hometown.  It was also during this time that she lost her father.  “His words were embedded in my spirit - to make sure I could take care of myself –and that’s when I made the decision to go back to school.  In 2005 she returned to college and obtained a nursing degree, following in the footsteps of her mother - a Registered Nurse and a Professor of Nursing at Crystal’s alma mater, Pacific University.

Crystal’s kind hearted nature and love for helping people is what drew her into nursing.  Her desire to lead people to Christ through her music ministry is what keeps her singing gospel music.

 “I am a worship conductor and singing for me has so much purpose; I don’t play around with it.  We all have gifts and talents. Sometimes we take them places we shouldn’t.  But for me, it is so important to covet my gift and to use it wisely.  I believe that God has put a spiritual anointing on my voice to awaken the spiritually asleep and for deliverance and healing.”

Crystal’s debut release gives her the perfect vehicle to minister with her honey dipped crystal clear voice and awaken souls.  The 10 song CD was produced by a bevy of heavy weight producers from gospel and urban music, including PAJAM (J Moss, 21:03, Karen Clark Sheard), Dre & Vidal (Alicia Keys, Usher), Gerald Haddon (Deitrick Haddon, Damita Haddon, Bishop Noel Jones’ City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir), Derek Clark (Z’iel), Lamb & TJ  and Asaph Ward (Kim Burrell, Maurette Brown Clark).

When asked to describe her album’s music, Crystal says, “It’s a potpourri of musical sounds. And we’ve got something on it for everyone.  I am so glad I’m from Washington State, one of the least churched states.  We’re not in the Bible belt.  So we don’t get gospel styles so heavily ingrained in us.  We are a grunge and rock alternative state, the home of rock legend Jimi Hendrix.  And with that, we are so well blended and open to appreciate it all styles of music.  So I couldn’t help but make sure that a variety of music was captured on my album.”