Live For Live Music sat down with Caitlin Krisko, lead singer of The Broadcast, before the group took off for their first European tour. Based out of Asheville, North Carolina, and with a deep seeded groove stacked full of Americana rock and soul in every tune, this band has really taken off since the release of their latest album, From The Horizon. The album was produced by Jim Scott, well known for his work with such acts as Tedeschi Trucks Band and Tom Petty.
L4LM: Who influenced you musically, and were your role models, growing up? When did you realize that this was what you really wanted to do with your life?
CK: I grew up in Detroit. My early influences were very heavily Motown in those days. We’re talking Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye. You name it, I loved it. That was a huge part of my upbringing in my developmental years. Then when I was 13, my mom relocated me to New York City. I went to high school in NYC, which was a really big change for me. I knew I wanted to be a singer probably starting in 6th grade, because I had a really awesome choir teacher. I had a mentor at a really young age and he basically took me under his wing and said, “you’ve got a really special gift. You’ve got a really strong voice and I can help shape that for you.” When I moved to NYC, I had incredible teachers there who really helped shape, and guide, my vocal vision.
It took me a while to realize that I wanted to be in a band. I was set on musical theater, film, and television. As I got older, I started to get really into music around 18-19 years old. I got super into classic rock – Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, all those bands. Then I really fell in love with the festival world. It was this place that made me feel like I was shot back to the 60’s and 70’s. I loved it. That’s what planted the seed of wanting to pursue a different lifestyle. As I got older, musical theater faded for me, and I lost the passion. Why sing somebody else’s words when I can sing my own? 
L4LM: Now that you’ve been doing this for a while, have you had any major performances with people that you’ve joined forces with and couldn’t believe you performed alongside?
CK: Going back to the Motown thing, we’ve had the opportunity to play with some incredible Motown artists. We got to open up for Mavis Staples. I grew up listening to Staples my whole life. I also got to sing on stage with Charles Bradley, and George Porter Jr. There’s definitely been some “I can’t believe I’m here right now” moments. That’s what’s beautiful about this industry, and this job. There’s the golden opportunities you set out for yourself. Some of them you reach and some of them you don’t. Then there’s this other side of it where these beautiful, magical things happen to you that you could never dream of because they are obscure and surreal. I think that’s my favorite part of making music and being a musician. It’s all the unexpected surprises.
L4LM: What would you say is your proudest accomplishment to date?
CK: Definitely our new record, From The Horizon, without a doubt. That record symbolizes so much in my life, personally and professionally. There was a lot of work that went into it. I went through a pretty intense transgression between 27 and 30. I feel like I went through a really significant change when I turned 30. It’s been a really nice grounding experience for me. From the Horizon almost feels like a token that I can take with me forever that shows the change I went through in my life.
L4LM: As a woman in the industry, what are some obstacles you may have faced and overcome just because you are a woman?
CK: I have never been denied for being a woman. I’ve never been disrespected for being a woman. I’ve never been talked down to. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen in the industry, because I know it does. I’ve absolutely been subjected to it, and privy to it in my every day life, no question about it. In the industry, no I don’t think so. I don’t know why. There’s nothing you can’t do as a woman. There’s way more that you can do as a woman in the world. Luckily in the music industry so far there hasn’t.
But, I’m going to flip this in there. One thing I do notice, that is a general gender issue in the music industry, is women being undeniably underrepresented on music festival line-ups. I can’t believe the lack of women on festival line-ups. It’s really unacceptable. At this point, I’ve toured enough to know that there’s plenty of female fronted bands and artists that could be playing these festivals. 
L4LM: Tell us about your European tour that you’ve got lined up (and are currently in the middle of)?
CK: It’s really exciting. It’s so exciting, and super surreal. I think I assumed it was going to be sweet little pubs and stuff. There are a couple of those, but we’re playing some crazy beautiful theaters and this insane outdoor amphitheater in Spain that’s enormous. It’s just crazy. I have a feeling that the experiences I’ve really wanted to have on stage, with audiences and energy, we will have for the first time over there.
L4LM: How did you put this European tour together?
CK: We were contacted by an agency over there that does bookings. They contacted us almost a year ago and said that they loved the band. Basically the owner of the agency wanted to know if we would like to come to Europe. They set up everything and we just had to show up and play. The whole thing is handled. It was really amazing to have someone else do the work for me. It’s so surreal I can’t even wrap my head around it.
L4LM: Which stop are you most looking forward to?
CK: There’s this place in Aviles, Spain that we’re playing. It’s a crazy, gorgeous amphitheater. The city itself looked absolutely incredible. We’re playing this white amphitheater with a yellow back wall, called the Centro Niemeyer. It’s the craziest shit I’ve ever seen.
Ten years ago I was lucky enough to travel for five weeks through southeast Asia. I remember being away from home after just a few weeks and everything being super different from America. Having the chance to travel is so amazing, and eye-opening, because you really get a chance to see different planets on planet Earth. You realize how huge this planet is and that there are so many things that are different about culture. There are things like music which really translate throughout all languages. How cool that I have the opportunity to go over there and represent who I am through music. I’m so excited.
L4LM: When people think of “touring Europe,” they generally think of England, Ireland, France and places like that.
CK: The only place I’ve ever been in Europe is France. When I went over there a couple of years ago, I went to two places. I went to Paris and I went to the french countryside for a wedding. Then my favorite day of the whole trip was when my boyfriend and I took an adventure to the suburbs outside of Paris. It was so incredible to go and see where people just live, and it’s not a city, and it’s not a place where tourists would ever go. I really like going to places like that.
What’s cool too, is that this agency that we’re working with generally works with more indie rock. I’m the only girl on their whole roster. They have a pretty big roster of artists and I’m the only woman.
L4LM: That’s a huge compliment.
CK: It is a huge compliment. Our music is kind of different from the music they normally book, but the owner was so geeked on our music that he made it happen.
I’m actively, and consciously, not freaking out. I’m nervous, but it’s like anything that’s the unknown. Anytime you’re about to do something in which you have no idea what it’s going to be like, your psyche goes crazy a little bit.
The Broadcast is currently in the middle of their European tour. For more information on the band, including tour dates, please visit their official website.
Words by Sarah Bourque