Kyrsten Johns
Kyrsten’s a songwriter, bass player, and founding member of the Nashville based band, The Young Escape.
Growing up in Riverside, CA, and now building her dreams from Nashville, TN, Kyrsten’s had a front row seat to a life of faith. Whether it was signing with Capitol Records at 17, moving across the country with her family, or going out on national tours, Kyrsten’s kept her eyes on what matters most - People.
With lots of faith, tons of action, and a great team, Kyrsten and The Young Escape’s first two radio singles, “Good Life” and “Love Me Like You,” secured the #1 spot on the Hot AC Billboard chart, while their latest radio single, "So Alive,” made it to the top 5 for over 20 weeks.
Anchored by her faith, Kyrsten has found the courage to step outside of her comfort zone, push past her fears, and discover her purpose.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
I play bass guitar in a pop-rock band called, The Young Escape, with my brothers and sister. Growing up, our parents took us to Christian music festivals, and we always came home feeling inspired.
We started bands in our garage for fun, and eventually played shows up and down the West Coast with original songs. In 2017, we signed a record deal and moved to Nashville. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of touring with the same artists we watched at those festivals when we were little kids.
Every day, I stand in awe of the way God moves to bring this dream to life right before my eyes
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
Years ago, after playing at a youth camp, a girl came up to me with a smile on her face saying she loved our music because it gave her hope. She pointed to her arm, which was covered in scars, and shared that she had been in an abusive relationship. Through tears, she said when she first got to camp, she was afraid to let go and be herself because she was worried about what everyone else would think, but somehow, our music made it easy for her. She was able to experience joy and freedom for the first time in a while, and I could see it radiating in her eyes. It was an experience that completely broke me down and made me realize that this is what I wanted to do. At that moment, I saw how God could use music to help heal broken people, and I felt so humbled to play a small part in that.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
Because I started my career in music so young, I find that a lot of times, I feel unprepared, insecure, and afraid.
Right after signing our record deal, we left behind our home in California when I was seventeen. From there, we immediately recorded our first radio single, pulled together a photoshoot, filmed a music video, and started tour rehearsals. Before I knew it, we were on the road for a month straight, playing a show in a new city every night.
I realized the dream we had been working towards was finally happening, but I remember lying awake in my bunk on the bus feeling like I didn’t belong on the same tour with so many talented artists and musicians.
My mind always runs wild at night, and the only thing that can bring me peace and help me fall asleep is praying.
Now, when I look back on every sleepless night, I can honestly say that I don’t remember the darkness; I remember the presence of God lighting up the darkness. Without my faith, I wouldn’t be able to continue stepping outside of my comfort zone, overcoming my fears, and pursuing my purpose.
What’s one or two practical steps you take to keep moving forward?
Journaling has always helped me maintain an atmosphere of awareness and growth. Getting my thoughts out of my head and onto a piece of paper allows me to process everything. I have several journals that represent different seasons of my life that I love revisiting. My handwriting is like a timeline - in some entries, it looks nice and clean, while in others, I can barely read what I wrote. But, in a beautiful way, the words and the way they are written capture all the emotions I was feeling. When I look back on where I’ve been and recognize how far I’ve come, I can keep moving forward.
What encouragement would you share with someone who’s going after their dream?
Remember the hope you had when you first discovered your dream. When you keep hope alive, obstacles transform into stepping stones, failures lead to victories, and impossible dreams become reality.
Surrender every fear and doubt, and know that the moment you feel like giving up is the moment you need to keep going - The dream God put in your heart is worth pursuing.