Kristine Veil remembers her father dragging her into the spotlight, forcing her to sing her heart out to “I have Nothing,” by Whitney Houston in their living room during family gatherings. Passionate about music, her dad, Joseph supported her musical ambitions from the start, buying her first instrument—a guitar—when she was 7 years old.
“Filipinos are also known for community,” says Veil, age 21. “That’s how my dad learned guitar, through sharing his guitar when his barkada [friend group]. My dad really was the one who pushed me into music.”
All these years later, Veil, a music minor in her final semester at The City College of New York, eagerly anticipates how far her music career will take her as she prepares to graduate with a bachelor’s in advertising & public relations. Performing frequently during her Philippine American Organization club (PAO) events, Veil has gotten more experience on stage and is working toward securing gigs at different venues.
Veil grew up in an apartment in Washington Heights with her parents and younger brother, listening to her greatest inspirations like Mazzy Star and Carole King. Always a lover of music, she began her journey as a musician at age 15 in her sophomore year attending Notre Dame School on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being at home gave her ample time to pick up the guitar her father had given her as a little girl instead of twiddling her thumbs. “High school and quarantine was a really weird time for me,” says Veil, “I found it was quite nice to have an outlet to put all my worries and frustrations into.”
Taylor Swift’s 2020 album Lover (Live from Paris) inspires Veil. She especially feels motivated when listening to the song “Folklore.” “The songs were stripped from all its pop production and sung acoustically, and it was there that I really focused on how strong her songwriting and storytelling was.” said Veil.
Veil confesses she isn’t a belter like Swift. She goes for a softer approach with music, traveling down the more folksy and indie-pop route. Clairo, Beabadoobee, and Lizzy Alpine are some of her favorite artists to draw inspiration. She enjoys the artistry of songwriting and looks forward to a full schedule of music courses, such as, songwriting workshop, during her last undergraduate semester at CCNY. “I’ve been a bit stubborn to actually take a songwriting class because I didn’t really want the way I song write to change,” explains Veil. “But I’m excited to see how my writing improves.”
Veil manages to make time for her passion while juggling being a full-time student and trying to secure a stable job to support her dreams. Karina Dominguez, 21, a friend and classmate of Veil’s, admires her work ethic. “I’m really excited to see her success,” says Dominguez. “It’s really inspiring, the way she puts herself out there and dedicates herself to music.”
Veil has learned to view her future in the music industry more positively. After feeling discouraged by the challenge of making it in the music industry, she recognizes that not everyone gets the chance to sell out stadium tours. “I just remind myself that my path is different from everybody else’s,” Veil says. “I’m doing the whole ‘fake it till you make it’ thing, it makes pursuing music so much more fun.”
