Music in Isolation with Krystal Millie - PINNED Podcast: Episode 28

Lights! Camera! Isolation! This year feels like something out of a movie, and for individuals in the arts.... the struggle has been real. Join in as I speak to Krystal, a South Florida Actress & singer. We chat about her journey in isolation, and the beauty that came from it.

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About  Krystal

Krystal is a Cuban-American Indie folk songwriter and professional film and AEA theatre actress with regional and international credits. Theatre: Brighton Beach Memoirs (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), The House of Blue Leaves (Palm Beach Dramaworks), Amparo (Broadway Factor/Bacardi) among others. Film: 93 Miles (Cannes Film Festival 2018), Pompano Boy (One County Films, 2021) among others. Krystal is a founding member of New City Players, has a BFA from New World School of the Arts and got married one month before the pandemic! She has released two singles on all streaming platforms and is completing her first album, Honey Girl (2021 release). 

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For more information
Spotify/ Apple Music artist name: Krystal Millie Valdes
Insta: @Krystalmillie
Website: Krystalmillievaldes.com


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Transcript

Miss Pinup Miami: 0:04

Hello, and welcome back to the pinned podcast. podcast is a place where we talk about modern topics with a vintage flair. I'm your host Pinup Miami. And if it's your first time clicking on this podcast, or video if you're listening to us on YouTube, welcome, I hope you stay and enjoy what we have to offer here. And if you're a returning listener, thank you so much. I appreciate all your support on the messages I've gotten. If you didn't know you could reach out to me on my hotline at 183348 pinup questions for a guest or if you want to be a guest on the show. Anything is greatly appreciated even to say hi, Merry Christmas. Happy New Year, at least now. And you could check us out at the pin podcast official on Instagram or my Instagram Pinup Miami. And today's episode is sponsored by at the Luna Miami. She is an artist based here in South Florida. She does these really bright artworks. And it's so funny because I actually see her artwork when I went to college at USF there was this Gator portrait that I loved. And she's actually the artist of it. So it was really cool that years later I found out it's her. So she's actually doing custom earrings, purses, a lot of the fascinators I wear he has made. So make sure to check her out at the Luna Miami on Instagram, or on Miami calm and I'll put her link down below. Now today is the week of Christmas. And we all need something positive in life. And I have to say that these are very hard times and I feel like we all push through it in our own way. So today I have somebody that I follow online and that I've asked to be a guest on this show. Krystal she's an actress a singer. Um, she does a little bit of everything. She's into vintage she's super cute. It's crystal Milly, also have her information below. Welcome. Tell us about your your acting and singing what you're about?

Krystal Millie: 1:59

I'm sure absolutely Well, yeah, I'm I was a professional. I am a professional actor for the past seven years. I went to college for it and then graduated seven years ago. And I've made thankfully, even during this pandemic, all of my income through acting, which is so wonderful. It's my livelihood, and it's my passion. But yeah, this this year kicked my butt. I started a theatre company with four friends, they do more of the leadership roles. I'm company manager for new city players, and it's something I'm really proud of. And I just love being part of her community. And I love seeing how I guess before this year, I loved exploring, like what the possibilities were. But I have hope maybe I can keep kind of pushing some boundaries. And I feel like I've tried to make the best of this year for sure. But I love vintage stuff. I collect mainly 50s and 60s. And it makes me so happy. And if I was better at my hair like you, I definitely do more 50 Lux.

Miss Pinup Miami: 3:08

Is your acting, um, your company? Is it all types of acting? Or is it? Like, I don't know, there's different types of acting. I don't know, genre. I mean?

Krystal Millie: 3:20

Well, the Sony CD players is a theatre company in Fort Lauderdale primarily. And we actually did an audio play, which is really cool called Little Montgomery during this, I guess, crazy year. So primarily, we just do plays without music. Usually, we would like to do a musical somewhere along the line. But definitely our mission statement is to I love musicals. They're so cute. But I also I don't, I don't know. They're, they're not like, for the most part going into like the hard gritty parts of humanity. And we tend to want to do straight plays that like have one Pulitzers that maybe haven't been done down here very often and give that exposure. So it's kind of like theater education. And the whole goal is to like transform our audience through our art, like through theater, which is really lovely. I think I've been in a theater and cried my eyes out and realized something about myself or understood someone that I didn't really understand that much before. And now more than ever, I think it's just such a wonderful thing that we need. It's just empathy and humanity, compassion.

Miss Pinup Miami: 4:31

How about opera is that's how I feel when I watch an opera. It's very emotion thing.

Krystal Millie: 4:38

I've only seen one Opera in my life. It's called tamarindo Tarun died. No, I've only been to the opera once and I was so like, I felt like I wasn't prepared. I wasn't prepared. I didn't know what I was going into. I didn't know that. I'd be like reading subtitles the whole Time and trying to understand the plot and like five acts like a Shakespeare play and it was so cool. I'd love to go to one some other time. Whenever that starts up again, too.

Miss Pinup Miami: 5:14

I'd love that. I felt like it was a villain novella playing out in front of you, but more dramatic, and I never thought there'd be anything more dramatic.

Krystal Millie: 5:24

I didn't either. Oh my gosh, I didn't either. Also speaking of like, dramatic telenovelas, I grew up with my grandma, like, specifically, like, that was my introduction to most just TV and film was just watching novellas and my grandpa's. And they are, I can't imagine something be more dramatic than that. They literally like I, I just, I can't. So I'm ready to go to the opera. I'm ready. We'll be munching on our popcorn like, Oh, my God, can you believe I did a tour once at the Adrian, our center in both houses, the belay house and the other one. And they are like, literally built acoustically so beautifully. Like there's even like a big space in between what you think like the wall you see, and the outdoor wall to create this like beautiful sound to get the voices to project to get the instruments to, like, reach the back of the house. So it's so amazing. It's like, and you also have to have like power alongs. I can't imagine. opera singers are probably like killing it just singing like that. So I guess. Not loudly but passionately. I know, I'm just not very cultured in opera. I just was really honestly overwhelmed. When I was like, God, how do we follow this plot?

Miss Pinup Miami: 6:44

How did you get out? What am I list? One of my viewers on Instagram asked, When did you find out you're good at music.

Krystal Millie: 6:54

I still don't feel like I'm good at music. But I started playing the violin when I was four and a half. You know, they get like get your kids to do that. And actually became really passionate about it. And it was my main thing. So I was an orchestra up until orchestra wasn't available in my public school anymore. So when I went to high school, they didn't have it anymore. And I always wanted to act and I did like, I was scared of the drama kids. I felt like they were so much.

Miss Pinup Miami: 7:21

So

Krystal Millie: 7:22

I would do acting camps during the summer. But I was too shy to act in front of my classmates. So that's how, how I started with like, music was just that was that was what I loved. That was my thing for very, a very long time. And acting was my thing when I was like, seven and I was watching Lizzie McGuire. Me too. And like my mom tells me that when I was a little girl, she was like amazed because I would just watch The Little Mermaid and Anastasia over and over again and just learn all the words and recite them. So when I saw when she'd walk into the living room One day, she was just like really surprised because all of a sudden, I was just reciting a two hour long movie. Um, but yeah, musically, I just started with the violin. And my uncle taught me the guitar when I was like, I don't know seven. And I've just kind of been doing the thing.

Miss Pinup Miami: 8:21

Yeah. And you will play guitar violin Anything else?

Krystal Millie: 8:26

Yeah, um, so I think

Miss Pinup Miami: 8:29

why violin and,

Krystal Millie: 8:30

and the ukulele so my life just kind of threw me into the ukulele which is supposed to be easier. It mean it is easier than the guitar technically. And the violin, but I work for the Miami Children's Museum and I write songs for little kids there and kids love ukuleles. My boss who's lovely Bree she plays and then me and my friend Robert, we started learning and now it's like one of the main instruments I'd say the guitar and the uke I kind of abandoned the violin.

Miss Pinup Miami: 9:05

You know, it's so funny because the violin is my favorite instrument, and I hope to play it one day. It's on my bucket list. Oh, you should take classes I have found out.

Krystal Millie: 9:15

I still play but I'm not very good. I feel like I'm not very good. I got hired in for a play to play the violin, like three years ago, and I was surprised just how rusty I was because I had sold my violin out of just like, I go to college Eddie money and I regret it so much. So like five years, six years of not playing. I was like, What am I doing?

Miss Pinup Miami: 9:42

I'm gonna hit you up for that to learn friends that know so they could teach me

Krystal Millie: 9:50

I got you. I got you girl.

Miss Pinup Miami: 9:53

Another question that somebody asked me online was, what is your singing style and how did you find doubt your style. I don't know, do you have a singing style? I guess that's the question they're asking.

Krystal Millie: 10:06

Um, yeah, I feel like I do. So. My whole life, I've been really self conscious about my voice. And I love singing and would never, like, feel comfortable singing in front of people just because I have a weird little voice that says, I'm like, a smoking Disney Princess. So, I was like, okay, like, how, how can I do? What I what I enjoy doing, like, that's an art form that I love. And I've taken lessons and I just land naturally, unlike, I guess, a jazzy folksy kind of place like, I don't have like a power of voice for opera. I could just like, sing to the back of a house, I can act to the back of a house, but I can't think to the back of my house, saved my life. But also with the instruments that I play. Specifically folk music complements that really well. I would love to do more jazz, but I'm just trying to figure out how I can get some piano lessons and get that going. But yeah, so I guess that's my vocal style.

Miss Pinup Miami: 11:07

And then what got you into acting?

Krystal Millie: 11:12

Lizzie McGuire? Well, like sort of, like, I don't want to say she was like, I saw Meryl Streep and she changed my life or like Philip Seymour Hoffman was this, like, amazing role. And I was like, I want to be that. No, I was a little girl. And I was learning. Like I said, All my all the lines to all my favorite movies. And Lizzie McGuire came out I was like seven. And I was in PE and I started directing the episodes like a cast them and start directing them and be like, you're gonna be this character and you're gonna be this character. And I'll be lazy today. Everybody want to be lazy. I'll be lazy today. But next week's episode, you can definitely be lazy. I'll just sit back. I'd like put on these productions instead of exercising in PE.

Miss Pinup Miami: 12:04

you entertain the whole crowd because everyone. I'm sure all the girls loved Lizzie McGuire back Oh,

Krystal Millie: 12:08

my God. Yes, yes. And the boys didn't like to admit it. But when I start, they'd be like, I want to be Korto. I want to be Gordo. Like, you want to act cool.

Miss Pinup Miami: 12:19

guys want to front first. And then they want to be like, Hey, I'll be in it.

Krystal Millie: 12:22

Exactly, exactly. They're like, Oh, look at the girls. They're so dumb. And then they flocked over.

Miss Pinup Miami: 12:30

So tell me about the latest single single that you think. Yeah, single that you took out? Or Udemy? What inspired that song?

Krystal Millie: 12:38

Oh my goodness. Um, well, I've been trapped in quarantine. And I've been kind of looking looking at my life and the path that I've taken and what's built me as an artist, why I do what I do. And, um, musically like some of my greatest influences. And some of my best childhood memories are music that's in Spanish. So specifically whenever he does social club, and saleya obviously, it was like, how, how can I incorporate that in my like folksy kind of stuff that I usually do. So I started messing around, and my dad gave me his gladly. I got a little drum from the Children's Museum. And I just started messing around and I just looped to be and from that I I made a song I used them is so it's kind of like a marriage of my I'm Cuban. My whole family's Cuban. And then I was born here. Um, of course, there they had these, like big hopes and dreams. I decided to be an actor for a living, but I think I'm making them proud. I really genuinely think that now they're like, Wow, look at her go, which is good. But I know there was some hesitancy in college. They're like, really? Um, yeah. So I wanted to see how I could create something that was just felt like me. If that makes any sense. I don't feel like I get to hear a lot of things that that make me feel seen and whole. So I just wanted to create it

Miss Pinup Miami: 14:09

on I didn't know that you did the beats to do you do all the beats to your song. Do you love to be through your song? Oh, um, for most of them,

Krystal Millie: 14:17

yes. But then I take them to my girlfriend Bradley. And he just like judges them. So he like adds on Beyonce under them. Or he'll like add like a warrant or something. And he tends to like work some little beats into and I really appreciate that because, again, I'm a stringed instrument person. So I I need him. I literally need him before I knew them at the shell of it was just me and then I sent it out and then that's it.

Miss Pinup Miami: 14:49

And then the music videos do you also like your Lizzie McGuire moments you put it all together and pick everyone and then have a video person and a button and you have everything set up?

Krystal Millie: 15:02

So quarantine has made me really like tap back into this like create your own work kind of a drive that have I guess had my whole life. But thankfully, I was so busy doing plays doing what I love that I didn't have a lot of time to like create stuff because I was busy saying the words other people created. So yeah for I don't know, this this year has lit a little fire under my butt to create and I have a lot of wonderful friends that are so talented. So I literally for the dear john shoe, I was like I that song is about Abigail Williams in the crucible, and it's just like a famous play. And it's just a dream roll of mine. So I was like, I want like a witchy video. I don't know how I'm gonna pull it off. So I found a location and I called my friend I was like start quarantining right now, and will be masked the whole time except for twirling around a fire. And I contacted my friend that just started a film company like a producing company called Magic media. Oh, Magic City media. And he helped me out tons. He's like, Yeah, sure. Let's do it, whatever. And I talked to my neighbor and Hialeah, there's a bunch of vintage cars, which I love. So yeah, I just reached out to all these people that I know is like, do you want to make something they said? Yes. And we made it and the same thing happened with our youth. I mean, the dancer in that video is my college dance teacher.

Miss Pinup Miami: 16:34

Oh, it's amazing because Okay, so tell us your story from or a quick a quick synopsis of you'd in the beginning of because it seems like quarantine got like your creativity going? So how was it in the beginning guys, I know you got married like a month before quarantine? And then just walk me through your phase of like, your high and your low and then your high. It seems like that's what happened. So just talk us through it.

Krystal Millie: 17:01

Sure. Oh my god, it's been Oh my God, what a year. So, uh, you know, I started the year off surfing in Costa Rica with my best friends for my bachelorette party. And, um, I was in a film pumping Oh, boy that like a small role in that that my friend made with one county films and I was gonna do, I did the biggest contract theatrically that I've gotten so far. I joined the actors union, I did all these big things. I made awesome friends. My roommates were amazing. I even made a friend like from New York, Emma. Like, it was just such a great, like, it was a high I literally got married to like the cutest human being in the world. And then I moved away a day after the wedding, to do my contract to do that big play. I come home, like he visited me maybe twice, I come home. Finally. It's like March 8, or ninth or something. And three days later, there's the government shutdown. And I'm just trapped at home. And we thought we were gonna go on a honeymoon, I thought I was gonna do two other plays I had been contracted for. Which is a story of like, basically, every artist friend that I have. It's just everything just kind of hit a horrible standstill, like, life really had built all this momentum. And then it just stopped. So it was really sad. And at the beginning of quarantine, I don't know any of my neighbors still because we moved in, like during this pandemic. But you know, it was like getting drunk on my lawn multitasking. Trying to figure out what to do. And like, I take my record player outside and I just, I was at a loss. And thankfully, it was still working for the museum. But it would, it was really hard to be like, how do I cope with this. And I think through the chaos and the stress. I was like my only way of staying sane is just making stuff, whether it's what people want, or what they don't want. So I wrote a one woman show. This was like early on. And then I realized oh, theater is not coming back for a really long time. Um, but at least I have a draft of that for whatever it does, you know, but like, I did that. And then I started just playing my instruments again, out of like loneliness and sadness. Because he inserted going back to work and stuff. And I started writing songs like crazy and I'd mainly write them like, in the middle of the night. I don't know, I just couldn't sleep I'd be sad and I'd write whatever I was kind of feeling at that time. Um, or thinking back to like, when I had the opportunity to miss my husband because no hard together all the time, sort of, you know, like, we were both at one point working in separate rooms constantly for like four months. He's a teacher. So now he's like back in school, and I'm back to being lonely but I'm also back to class. Reading a ton. So yeah, that's, that's what quarantine kind of did. To me. It's been weird, I didn't think I would, I would end up writing. And like, making writing music and getting it produced, I just didn't think that would be something I ever did. But here I am.

Miss Pinup Miami: 20:17

I just love how you took it into, like, you know, you took, I just love how you made something out of it. You know, there's a lot of people that just would stay in this, you know, sad, lonely part, but I love that you look at the positive and I mean, not that it was positive at the time that you were thinking of it, but you know, just trying to create and getting out of your mind scape of just being alone. So I really do admire that. Oh,

Krystal Millie: 20:39

thank you so much. How have you been dealing with quarantine and, and the like, ups and downs because sometimes I'm really sad. And I've been like vulnerable on social media, which is like really weird to be like, I'm sad, but like, I need human interaction, you

Miss Pinup Miami: 20:53

know? Well, for me, it's been really sad because I love doing the events and events going out there. Everything I did was putting things together. And I had big plans this year, I was going to travel with it. You know, I had events that I was hosting out of the state. So I've been really sad on my job, my I do have a job. But it's become toxic. They don't even wear their mask and they don't believe in this quarantine. And it's been really sad. I've I'm still dealing with it. But I tried to look into the positive. And that's why I started this podcast, because I missed the world that I was trying to like bring people together in so I'm trying to do it virtually no. Well, you know what, though, you are like, like you I'm trying to stay positive. And

Krystal Millie: 21:39

you're, you're connecting us all like, honestly through the light the pinup South Florida community, because I never got to go to the events because I was thankfully busy with things that I devoted my life to. But now it's like I genuinely get to feel like I'm part of this community. Like I've never had that before. And I've always wanted to be part of it. You even like, I got a Christmas gift today from my secret santa for the pin up. I just like those little things, I think, give you a sense of community even though we are forced to be apart from each other, if that makes any sense. So even though we're not physically together, yeah, you alone are making community happen. And it's just so beautiful. It's like it's just something to look forward to do be like, I'm gonna wear a cute dress and my little friends are gonna like it And oh, like all their little things. And I'm going to go to this little Christmas event and I get to be a calendar girl. I've never been a calendar girl before that's a major goal. And yeah, it's a dream come true. I love it. I love it.

Miss Pinup Miami: 22:53

This July, the pins calendar. I forgot. I don't know why I look at these calendars every day and I sell them and I just I just I don't know why. But yeah, crystal is Miss July and I was so happy when I met you at one of the brunches one. Yeah, one you came to one. And I thought you You are so amazing when I first met so I was so happy that you applied.

Krystal Millie: 23:18

Oh my god, I'm so happy that

Miss Pinup Miami: 23:20

I got to be part of it. I really happy to hear that. And I'm so I'm so happy that to hear that people are you know, feeling like they're united even though they're not because I do get the pressure of some people that want to meet up and do things, but I don't think it's the right time. And I know I've been judged for it, but I'd rather wait than be sorry.

Krystal Millie: 23:39

So I agree. Yeah, I agree. I think it's better to be safe than sorry, in a very literal way. Um, and for me, it's enough. It's enough to just see the posts and get to do the Secret Santa and see you do your hair by the way. So creepy. I've spent a couple of I think Sunday's just trying to like do my WhatsApp with you or if you've posted on I think it's like rockabilly.

Miss Pinup Miami: 24:10

recommend that you

Krystal Millie: 24:11

Yes, yes. And I've loved it. I've loved it so much. It's made. Again, it's made this really art art whether it's Hi this is how I style my beautiful hair and look at this like historic interpretation of an outfit in the modern day or whatever it may be or hire wrote a random song do you want to hear it everybody's? Everybody creating is what's keeping us human. If that makes any sense. Instead of us separating from each other and falling into our little holes. Because it's so easy. I I've lost months in total of this year. Just like being sad and watching TV, you know, like, kind of just giving into the the weeks so like, you know, I'll lose a week of Oh no, and it'll be like I need to make something Make something and I feel like you're the same you're constantly trying to find ways to create it so inspirational

Miss Pinup Miami: 25:09

right now I'm working on a three dresses because I this year I really like gone really creative on dresses. So,

Krystal Millie: 25:18

what dresses are you working on?

Miss Pinup Miami: 25:20

I am working on the first dress that it's not it's gonna be the last one I finish is going to be for Christmas. I'm making a dress completely out of paper. I saw one on tik tok a couple of them and nobody made it wearable it was all on a mannequin. So I said I'm gonna make a wearable. No wallpaper wrapping paper dress. And I should be fun. Oh my gosh, no. Dress for Yeah. And then I want to make like a two other dresses that are Christmas themed. Just with one with love. I forgot what the red Christmas flowers called. Oh, my gosh, I forgot.

Krystal Millie: 25:53

I need to. Like, why does my grandma loves those.

Miss Pinup Miami: 25:59

I love it. Because when I was little I used to love breaking them and seeing the white stuff come up. It was fine. It's like aloe vera and other dresses. I it's just I want to embroider like, yeah, I want to make a dress with embroidered ornaments on it. Because a lot of people like to my embroidered Zoo dress that I made with embroidered birds. So I'm working on those three, hopefully before Christmas, they'll all be done. Just because I wanted to, you know, push myself and it helps me escape like sewing this year has really helped me escape. And I think about anything.

Krystal Millie: 26:31

Well that it's like, I feel like through art, like you're acknowledging there's a problem. And you're also fixing it instantly by thinking something. So like you're literally working on 3d. We are so close to Christmas. And you're telling me you're working on three dresses. Your Hispanic Heritage dress was so amazing. By the way, I was like, how is this woman making? How How is she making this? Because I can't I can't so for you know, I won't say any bad words, but like I can't, I can't so I Nope. Big nope on that I can embarrass myself and write songs but and I've been learning 16 cocktails, but I cannot

Miss Pinup Miami: 27:08

open Hispanic hair. It was amazing. Because I wanted something I've never seen anything glamorous done for Hispanic Heritage Month. Well, I haven't seen it. So I wanted to make a gown that was inspired by like a flamenco dancer. And then I wanted to hand paint all the flags on it. And it took a while but that one was really interesting. You did? Well,

Krystal Millie: 27:29

my reaction was I freaking loved it. So scrolling.

Miss Pinup Miami: 27:33

Scrolling. I've learned I learned a lot that this year, just do what makes you happy. And that really helps with your mental health

Krystal Millie: 27:43

scares you exactly. If even if it's something kind of scary. Just Just do it. Just do it. I finally started believing that like really no one cares. Like I started thinking like, things that really mattered to me a couple years ago, I can't really remember where I was mad about or what people were mad about. I just doesn't matter. Do what do what you want, I guess is my latest motto. I've gained all this confidence. I've always carried myself very small. And I think I still do but this year surprisingly. It's been weirdly there have been blessings in here have some kind of like, Oh, I'm taking ownership over who I am. Like I could do this just like you are like you're creating like crazy. And it's because you have the time one. But number two, it's because you can like were you making this many dresses last year? Maybe you were but to whip out three dresses right before Christmas. Like damn girl. You know what I mean? Like I really feel that some like that's 2020 pushing you. So there are benefits to this. poopy Kaka year, you know,

Miss Pinup Miami: 28:52

I hope one day One day I was just thinking and I've also been dreaming a lot like I'm like cool. Maybe if I get really good at designing my own, like create like something for a movie.

Krystal Millie: 29:04

Oh my god, you should you should look into it. Like all it takes is a quick Google search to look up like stuff in Atlanta that's happening and if they need any, like costume designers like for theater constantly people need people like people to help so so they'll do the design, but then eventually you end up being the person that designs that could literally be you like how amazing would that be? I also like surprisingly, as much as this year has like kicked my butt and made me feel like you know a lot of things got in the way like I I joined the union and lost a bunch of contracts at the same moment because of 2020. And then at the same time, I'm finding myself like you were saying dreaming so much more. It's that like, kind of fearlessness because it's like I can't get any worse than less So since it can't get any worse than this, it's like, Well, okay, what if this or that and I'm finding, like, this is dumb, I'm just gonna talk about it. But like, I, I had this massive insecurity that like, I wasn't pretty enough to do film or whatever. Um, and then all of a sudden, I started auditioning for it. And I was like, Oh, look at me, during a pandemic, I booked like four things, and it felt nice. And it was like, oh, if during a pandemic, do it, maybe you can incorporate this, it doesn't just have to be theater. And, you know, a lot of the time I'm my own worst enemy. And I feel like that's the case for a lot of people. And now I'm learning that whatever, even if I am, I'm aware that I am. And then I can try not to be number one. And number two, you'd be like, okay, sure, I may suck at this, or I may think that I suck at this, but what if, and then I'll dream about it. And that's my favorite part. Because it's like, now what's gonna happen in 2021, I want to make an album, and I want to do my one woman show, even if it's on zoom, you know what I mean? Like, I'm, I'm dreaming little dreams, but I don't think I would have even let myself dream them. February.

Miss Pinup Miami: 31:11

Doing it. Now. I understand that rockabilly cue, for example, I hosted their pinup contest in Florida. And that was one of the events. I was supposed to fly out to Charleston to host. But that didn't happen. So I'll do Saturday lives. Oh, about I mean, Sunday lives, that's how I became, I was like, Okay, now I'll do that, because I love that project. And I want to make sure they remember me. But also, I have big plans on that. And then I have, you know, other things, because my dream has always been to host in other cities, or, you know, a travel with teaching the hands on classes that I do. And I was I had so many more, but now I with these lives, I'm able to connect it and create new connections and people more awareness of myself, and just spread positivity, because you're listening and watching and doing it with me. You know, that really means a lot, because that's what I want. I want people to feel like they could do it themselves. And that's why I'm doing it live. It's like you're seeing in real time because zoom and people are doing it like, oh, here and then skip to the end. I'm like, whoa, whoa, what

Krystal Millie: 32:14

did you do? Exactly, exactly. Well, that's pretty much my biggest thing. And there's a lot of like, I don't want to say amateur videos, but they are like, there's a lot of videos around. Like, I want to learn how to do a victory roll. And then what do I see? Um, no one's telling me where I'm supposed to tease. Or if I'm teasing, they're just like, running through steps. Like they but they put it in, like, fast forward, and they're like, and then you hairspring this is the hairspray museum. Like, what the heck did you just do though? He didn't show me how to do it. You just promoted the hairspray at me, you know? So I love what you do. It's so great. What a great community we have down here. Honestly, it's so lovely. I love my little pinup community. Everybody's so cute. It's just, I had this hobby on my own. I was like, I don't know anybody that likes this stuff that I like. And finally I found like, a solid clump of really awesome humans that also like what I like.

Miss Pinup Miami: 33:10

It's really nice. You did that? Oh, I'm so happy. He. And let's see back to back to you. We went on to tell. So do you. I know you wrote your one woman show? Do you write any other stories? Or any other place I'm writing? Sometimes. Yeah. So

Krystal Millie: 33:32

what I do is with the company that I'm one of the founders of new city players, I actually run an event called New City players lab and CP lab, where you just write like a 10 minute play. And what that means is it could be like a scene like a 10 minute scene, or it could be a screenplay, like just a 10 minute short. And we've built this like massive community in that way of people that I look forward to seeing every two weeks, and they've become some of my like, good friends over this time. So that's been super cool. So yeah, I do, right. Like, sometimes it's kind of scary to but honestly, that community motivates me because I'm the one just hosting it and organizing it with my friend Ernesto. But like, Oh, no, no, no, like seeing my friends become more and more prolific because my goal is to make as many of my art artists friends, multi hyphenate which means like, you could do multiple things like this is a time for you to learn the violin, missy. This is a time for me to be like, okay, whatever, I'm gonna I'm gonna make my own music, but maybe I can write a play and you know, I want to brush up on my French because I used to before and I'm not anymore like this is the time I think. So I'm trying to push that on all my friends to like spreading that positivity and it seems to be working. So So I have a lot of my acting friends that have tried to write plays and the average in place, they are playwrights and I have playwright friends that has started reading the plays and gotten more comfortable. And it's just so fun. It's so fun to see my friends grow while I'm growing. It makes me so happy. It's so silly to talk about, but it makes me so so happy. So, yeah, and CP live has definitely been a blessing because that was something that we used to do in person. And it was like, tricky to get a lot of people and it wouldn't happen as often. Um, and then during this pandemic, when we went virtual, it was like a chain of like, wingfeather let's just make work just for the sake of making it and it's okay, if it sucks and it's okay if it's great. Something in there is going to be great. And little by little people are getting better what they like to do. And I don't know, I don't think that there's anything I can honestly be happier. I love to eat and I love it because they push me. I see someone do great and I'm like, Oh, crap, I should try. I try

Miss Pinup Miami: 36:05

so hard system.

Krystal Millie: 36:07

It is it is it's such a good support system. So man, I don't know where I would be without these like little communities that have found in this. Cuz it really has been such a poopy Kaka year. That's the second time I say probably Gawker.

Miss Pinup Miami: 36:25

That's a very Cuban American. Like, I'm just like you my family's Cuban. And I was born here. So I understand. Oh, my God. So I'm going to ask you two more questions from on line. What was the most difficult role that you had? Oh,

Krystal Millie: 36:41

the most difficult role I had? Um, okay. I'd say difficult, technically, because the lines were really, really hard to learn was clybourn Park, which is a famous play, it won a Pulitzer Prize. It was in New York. And they did the show, I think it closed and then they brought it back, right, basically, or they did it like in one city. And then it went to New York. Basically, the cast did the show twice. And they said that they felt like they never really got the lines, right, like fully cleanly, up until the second time that they did the whole show, like the second round of doing the show for months. Oh my gosh, it was just so hard. Because everybody was speaking on top of each other of all these random non sequiturs, talking about their vacations, and then talking about politics. And the whole thing is actually about race in America. Like, so. So difficult. The first act took place in the 1950s. And it was like a cute sitcom, and they loved it so much. And it wasn't like a Lucy dress. Oh, it made me so happy. And then the second act was modern day and I was I was a sassy lady. Very different from the 1950s. So I'd say technically, that was the hardest just because like, wow, that was hard to learn. The whole cast would get together two hours before rehearsal to just grill lines. And I've never done that for a play before. And then I feel like a challenging like, performance wise, the hardest role I've ever done, which is also one I'm like, weirdly very proud of is. There's this play called The Glass Menagerie. And by Tennessee Williams, and I played Laura. Um, and she's just like, she's this fragile, beautiful character that's just like, wanting to shine her light in her whole family's sheltering, sheltering her in. So she doesn't know what her like capability is. She does and and like, I weirdly relate to her so much. I also see a lot of my mom and her. Um, so it was just like a super personal piece, but it was just hard because I had to dive into this nasty place. And really find it and, and let myself be almost like too vulnerable, like really just exposing myself. Emotionally, not physically, guys. I wasn't naked, but to everyone. And, I mean, it ended up being really beautiful. I think. Definitely. I think my favorite role aside from Molly and Peter and the starcatcher, because I left Peter Pan so much because I'm five years old. But yeah, so those, those I would say also, how cool that you had people like send in questions that makes me so happy. Cool.

Miss Pinup Miami: 39:27

Yeah. I have one more. One more. Hit me with it. What is your dream? What is your dream role? Oh,

Krystal Millie: 39:39

my dream role.

Miss Pinup Miami: 39:41

Okay, Scarlett O'Hara and

Krystal Millie: 39:46

the drama. No, I'm my mind. Oh, boy. So my dream role as the person that I am right now like the age that I'm aging out of in a couple of years. Yours would be Abigail in the crucible which is what I base a song dear john on. Um I just love really complicated characters I love I love people that are not 100% good. But they are good. You know what I mean? Like, more good than bad if you really think about it, but they're, they show their their kind of horrible sides. Just because I feel like that's everyone nobody can be 100% great. And to acknowledge that and learn from it is so important. So those are the lessons I like to like teach, I guess. I love like coming of age stories too. Which is why I love Laura. But yeah, so I digress. Dream roll right now would be Abigail Williams in the crucible dream roll like also right now but I could definitely do it like in 10 years, I think. And I'd still be good is Maggie the cat and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. All these all these like little vintagey ladies. Yes. And then my when I am older dream role would be Blanche in streetcar. All these women are so complicated. But I love them. I love them. I live for it. I live for the drama. Yeah. Those are such great questions. Thank you. Oh, yes.

Miss Pinup Miami: 41:22

Hi, Crystal. Make sure you follow crystal crystal Amelie I'll put her every all her info down below her website crystal Millie valdez.com. I want to say thank you, Crystal for coming on to the podcast. I can't wait to see all the music. You have an album coming up next year. Yeah, girl, honey girl. And I can't wait to see that because I'm really loving everything that you put out the videos. Hopefully one day I'll make a little cameo on one of them.

Krystal Millie: 41:52

Oh my god. Yes, please. I want to do a vintage video so bad. I wrote a song called toward the moon. And I want just like a bunch of vintage ladies with cars. How do I pull this off?

Miss Pinup Miami: 42:03

I got you. And do you have anything else that you want to tell the listeners or ask me? I mean, I want

Krystal Millie: 42:11

to tell you once again, just thank you for keeping me driven and happy during this time. Just by giving me an outlet through our community because again, it was something I felt very lonely on and it was so lovely to be like, Oh my gosh, there's really kind human beings that like the same thing that are in my area that can like gush about like Oh, look at this beautiful dress from I you know, White Christmas, you know, and then we're all looking at the sisters blue dresses, just like gawking at them. And that just makes me so happy. Like I never had that in my life. Or like, I have 15, berets. And I found someone like last week that was like, What That's ridiculous. There was something I personally thought was ridiculous about me. And I'm like, I'm not alone. So I yeah, I just want to thank you so much.

Miss Pinup Miami: 43:06

And the girl down here that makes braids.

Krystal Millie: 43:10

Tell me who she is. Send me her information make her my friend.

Miss Pinup Miami: 43:15

caliber last year. Oh, I wonder what month

Krystal Millie: 43:19

she was a look. But yeah, thank you for having me. And I don't know, I'll keep creating and hopefully people listen to my little things. And

Miss Pinup Miami: 43:29

on Spotify or Spotify in the description below. So thank you. And next week, I have it's going to be me and I'm bringing back. Vivian from Attica, Luna Miami. We're just going to chat about this year. Since it's going to be the last episode of the year. We're just going to chat about all the events, the ups the downs, talk about guests that have been on the podcast, in the beginning of everything was this year with the podcast. So I'm excited for our last episode next week. And this one, I hope, wish you all a Merry Christmas. And stay blessed with your family. Stay safe. And just remember that I love you all and I really do appreciate the best gift that you're giving me right now is listening in and I appreciate it. I will see you all next week. Have a wonderful day. Happy Holidays.