Meet Kirstie Kraus | Nashville Recording Artist, BMI Songwriter, Host on the Backstage Pass & Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kirstie Kraus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirstie, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Routine habits are key. I have a pretty regiment morning routine. Just like the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People I start by making my bed, drinking a glass of water, meditate, write in my gratitude journal and do some form of exercise almost every morning. As a musician, songwriter and the many hats that goes into Kraus House of Entertainment – I run my weekly schedule in blocks of when I am going to certain tasks. For instance songwriting is scheduled on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 11-5pm.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an artist what sets me a part is my unique melodies and songwriting. Also my stage presence, charisma and a true passion to be around people.

I am excited about being accepted in the songwriting community and performing at 3 Florida based Songwriter Festivals. I am also excited to have written with and for so many artists from USA, Canada and the UK. Looking forward to getting my first cut and then the next one and the next one!

Running your own business is never easy. The best way to overcome the ups and downs is to keep your head looking at the bigger picture. You only have so much time in a day so when something doesn’t work out just think of it as a player on the football field getting taken out and you bringing “someone” or something else onto the field and work with the entire team to move forward up the field.

I’d love for the world to know that I am an artist who wants to move people, inspire them – lift their spirits and encourage them. If I can do that then I am happy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For a week long trip I would recommend the following!

Dallas neighborhoods with great food & walkable stores:
-Klyde Warren Park: beautiful park in the middle of downtown Dallas
-Bishop Arts in Dallas: Neat neighborhood you can walk around to shops & restaurants
-Lower Greenville: Start at Truck Yard (outdoor venue) for drinks, then go to HG Sply Co rooftop for brunch
-Deep Ellum: walkable boutiques, restaurants, bars. Check out Jade & Clover and go from there.
-Uptown: take the free Trolley from downtown to West Village.

Craft Brewery Tour:
-Rahr & Sons Brewing, Fort Worth
-Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Dallas
-Community Brewery, Dallas

Great restaurant in Klyde Warren Park: Mi Cocina. Order a Mambo Taxi

On the Park

Kid-friendly:
-Fort Worth Zoo or Dallas Zoo
-Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden
-Dallas Aquarium

Restaurants:
-Sixty Vines in Dallas, beautiful restaurant & wine bar
-Sushi: Oishii Dallas (SMU Blvd)
-High End Steak: Town Hearth Dallas – neat experience & YUMMY but expensive (like $50 delicious steak)
-The Rustic
-HG Sply Co.
-Standard Service

Fort Worth Restaurants:
-TexMex: Joe T. Garcia’s in Ft Worth (they do not accept credit card)
-Burgers: Rodeo Goat in Ft Worth
-BBQ: Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ or Risky’s BBQ – both in Fort Worth Stockyards
-Reata Restaurant in Ft Worth

Sports:
-TopGolf: fun, outdoor venue that doesn’t require all the walking that comes with golf.
-Sports in Arlington: Texas Live is a cool venue full of restaurants and giant TVs, Texas Rangers Ballpark & AT&T Stadium (Dallas Cowboys).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to send a shoutout to Victoria Vox! She was the first person that handed me a guitar, showed me some chords and taught me how to play some of the songs I wrote at age 15!

I’d like to give a shoutout to Mr. Flury my elementary school teacher who believed in me and was very encouraging and later helped book us a show at the local fair to perform my songs!

I’d like to thank the girls; my sister, Aunt Terri, and my mom for believing in me and seeing an opportunity to help make it happen.

I’d like to thank my OG Thirsties including Gator for banding together and making my first record possible!

Website: https://www.kirstiekraus.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstiekraus

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstiekraus

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirstiekraus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirstiekrausmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KirstieKrausMusic

Other: LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/KirstieKraus TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirstiekrausmusic

Image Credits
Guitar photo: Arian Stevens Photography