At the 1987 WEA sales meeting in Miami, Elektra Chairman/CEO Bob Krasnow introduced his newest find, a young African-American singer/songwriter named Tracy Chapman. The Cleveland-born folksinger – who would have fit perfectly on Jac Holzman’s early Elektra roster – stood at the podium, alone with her guitar, and sang emotionally resonant songs with provocative titles like “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution.” Those assembled were blown away by Chapman’s passion and talent, but mainstream commercial potential? Not so much.

Krasnow, on the other hand, heard in Chapman an authentically original voice and personality, fresh and distinct from the current music scene. By the time the two returned to the annual WEA gathering the following August, Chapman’s self-titled Elektra debut album had proven an unlikely #1 phenomenon on the Billboard 200, highlighted by the top 10 pop hit, “Fast Car.” Ultimately certified six-times platinum by the RIAA, Tracy Chapman also earned Chapman her first two Grammy Awards, for “Best Contemporary Folk Album” and “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.”

The album should have been impossible to follow, but 1989’s Crossroads proved an inspired, platinum-certified second act. Matters of the Heart was released in 1992, followed three years later by New Beginning, featuring the platinum-certified single, “Give Me One Reason,” a top 3 hit on Billboard’s “Hot 100” and 1996 Grammy Award winner for “Best Rock Song.”

Two further Elektra releases followed before Chapman made her Atlantic Records debut with 2007’s Where You Live. Hailed as being among the most powerful works of her career, the acclaimed collection fully ratified Tracy Chapman’s continuing status as pop’s preeminent folk voice.

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The spirit of trance and progressive in the United States has long been amplified and embodied by DJ/producer Kristina Sky. From the early days of the genres, she was first integral in bringing the music’s top DJs to the West Coast masses, often for the first time, then ultimately stepping behind the booth herself in 2002. “KSky,” as she’s known to one of the most loyal and passionate fanbases in the biz, has been tapped to play all the top festivals around the world, from Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance, sharing the stage at Coachella with Daft Punk and Madonna, multiple sets at Electric Daisy Carnival, as well as consistent appearances at the trance-focused Dreamstate and many more top one-off events. Kristina Sky has also held many coveted residencies including America’s first weekly trance event at Arena called “Heaven,” Spundae at Circus, Insomniac Events’ “Awakening” at Exchange LA, as well as the mighty Avalon Hollywood since 2010. It was in these rooms she honed her distinct sound.

Kristina Sky is revered for her unique style of high energy, melodic trance combined with her signature blend of deep & progressive house. Hailed as “one of the best progressive DJs in America,” by scene superstar John O’Callaghan, the top DJ/producers in the trance world are more than happy to sing her praises. “Kristina is living and breathing dance music,” says Dash Berlin. “Having finally met her in person on the Groove Cruise a few years ago proved to me that besides having a big heart for electronic music, she is an amazing and caring human being as well,” he says. “Kris has been there from the start, standing her ground firmly in a male-dominated industry, as where in the future she can be of great importance not only musically, but also on stage and in guiding new talent.”

In addition to her prowess on the ones-and-twos, she carefully crafts remixes and original tracks that have found their way into the hearts of both fans and fellow DJs. Her first release in 2006, “EnMass – CQ [Seek You] (Randy Boyer & Kristina Sky Remix)” debuted on Armin van Buuren’s “A State of Trance” imprint on his world-famous Armada label, plus received massive support from Paul van Dyk, Markus Schulz, Agnelli & Nelson, John O'Callaghan, Darude, and Sander Van Doorn. The track then held the Beatport number 1 spot for 13 consecutive weeks, followed by another 10 weeks in the Top 10. She then teamed up with Boyer again for their 2008 hit on Paul Van Dyk’s “VANDIT” — “Kristina Sky & Randy Boyer - Set It Off”. Other production accomplishments include Randy Boyer & Kristina Sky ft. Cari Golden “No Limit” on Ultra Records. She’s also collaborated multiple times with Menno de Jong, such as on the Armada release “Signals.” In 2018 she was tapped to mix “Pure Trance Volume 7” which also featured a debut collaboration with Balearic king Roger Shah, “Ocean Flame”, and currently holds a spot on Solarstone’s globally respected “Pure Trance” roster alongside Solarstone, Factor B, Activa, Gai Barone and more, regularly playing the Pure Trance brand nights in London, Miami, Amsterdam, Las Vegas and beyond.

One of the genre’s original groundbreakers, Christopher Lawrence, has experienced many of KSky’s sets as both a fan and on the same lineups. “Kristina Sky is one of the most successful and respected DJs to rise out of the massive Los Angeles club and festival scene,” says Lawrence. “Having spent years in the trenches holding down residencies at multiple clubs and events including the world-famous Avalon in Hollywood, Kristina has earned her place in the international circuit. I have had the pleasure of playing alongside Kristina heaps of times over the years and have always been impressed with her performance and professionalism behind the decks,” he says. “Kristina Sky is a truly gifted DJ able to read a crowd and deliver exactly what the dance floor needs.”

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