"The name of the band is 'Kristeen Young'," claims Kristeen, who at 25 has already earned the right to ascend to rock-star status. This is a woman who has certainly paid her dues. Half-German, half-Apache, born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Kristeen began studying opera and piano in college.

After fronting a couple of successful local St. Louis bands during the early nineties, she eventually met drummer and partner-in-crime Jeff White. In 1997, she released Meet Miss Young and Her All-Boy Band through the now-defunct World Domination label. Even without the use of guitars, Meet Miss Young was well-received, gaining top-ten college radio airplay across the country. No mere riot-grrl, Kristeen Young was already proving to the world that her music was far more progressive and open than the grunge culture surrounding her.

Kristeen's vocals have been compared with the likes of Kate Bush, and upon closer inspection, one might try to imagine the beauty and range of Bel Canto's Anneli Drecker fused with the intensity of Diamanda Galas, but even that would be short-changing Kristeen's talent as a singer. As for the Tori and Fiona comparisons, Kristeen admits that "it's only because of the female-piano-singer thing." Aside from her phenomenal vocal range (Kristeen can snarl, whisper, wail, and still hit that high F all in one breath)-her lyrics delve much deeper, revealing a dark and delicious intellect which rarely seems to cross over into mainstream music these days.

Last year marked the self-released CD, Enemy, which led to Kristeen and Jeff's emigration from the Mid-West to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, along with bassist Brian Ion. There, the trio began playing shows and developing a reputation in both the Philadelphia and New York City areas. Backed by the foundation of Jeff's driving rock beats and Brian's pulsing bass riffs, Kristeen Young has managed to build quite a following. Kristeen can sing, and she can play those keys as if her fingers were made for that purpose, and no other.

More than just a singer and stage persona, Kristeen Young was recently featured on a spoken word compilation called What's the Word Vol. I, available through Invisible Records. Amidst contenders such as Jello Biafra, Jarboe and Alan Vega, Kristeen displays her control of language with a mind-bending piece entitled "The Last Thing You Need to Hear."

Upon hearing "Night Blindness," the second song on the album, Tony Visconti, best known for his work with Marc Bolan and David Bowie, called Kristeen, and an agreement was made to record and produce a new batch of her songs. Fame is just around the corner for Kristeen Young.