Kristiane channels the tension of change in her song “Good & Ready,” a raw yet anthemic exploration of uncertainty, self-discovery, and the empowerment of living life on her own terms.
Stream: “Good & Ready” – Kristiane
Relocating to a new city is often depicted as a thrilling, transformative experience, but for Kristiane, the reality was much more complex. Upon her arrival in New York, the LA native found herself caught between the momentum of progress and a lingering feeling of inertia, suspended in the balance of excitement and isolation, independence and doubt. This tension—where restlessness and determination meet—became the essence of “Good & Ready,” a track that turns the chaos of transition into an intimate and confident anthem. Composed in just 15 minutes, it represents a moment of realization: an acceptance of the unknown, a reclaiming of identity, and a commitment to being defined solely by her own timeline.
Good & Ready – Kristiane
When we sit on the train
And my hands touch your face
You say, “Baby, I hate that mess
And there’s dirt under your nails.”
Atwood Magazine is proud to premiere “Good & Ready,” Kristiane’s first single of the year (now available via FADER Label). Released nearly a year after her third EP, Stray Dog, “Good & Ready” explores the internal and external fallout from her recent move to New York City, in collaboration with producer Jos Kuhn to craft an emotionally charged sonic landscape—full of intense and relentless energy—where her voice serves as both a guiding light and a fortress. With similarities to artists like Charli Adams, Kristiane’s indie rock style is as striking as her lyrics are candid.
I was born digging myself out
And I think that you get now
That I’ll clean up my act once
I’m softer and intact
Once I’m good and ready
Good and ready
Good and ready
“I wrote ‘Good & Ready’ in August, just two weeks after I moved to New York,” she shares with Atwood Magazine. “I had talked about this move for a long time, but when it finally happened, I wasn’t ready for the conflicting feelings of momentum and stagnation. A new chapter had begun without the structures or foundations to support it. I felt restless, isolated, and strangely anchored all at once. ‘Good & Ready’ emerged from these bubbling contradictions.”
Kristiane © Mallory Idoni
That tumultuous mix of unrest and expectation found a swift expression in songwriting.
“It was one of those songs that just flows out in 15 minutes,” Kristiane explains. “I began singing, ‘When we sit on the train, and my hands touch your face, you say baby, I hate the mess,’ and then the rest followed. I was reflecting on a conversation with my partner about how mess is present both physically and emotionally (hence the ‘dirt under my nails,’ but also internally—‘I was born digging myself out’).”
“I wanted to express how some parts of myself feel deeply ingrained in who I am—they’ve always been part of me—for better or worse. But rather than focus on my flaws or insecurities as I tend to do in my music, I aimed to shift the narrative and approach it with a sense of fun. As I was writing the chorus, I found myself laughing. I loved the idea of coming to terms with a new phase, embracing new facets of myself, the experience of growth and loss; when I’m good and ready for it. The song embodies a sense of agency and a refusal to be constrained by others’ expectations, asserting my authenticity unapologetically.”
I turned red under the streetlight
Ran across, didn’t think twice
You said, some things are worth the wait
What if there’s a high-speed chase?
Then we drink until our minds clear
Spilled on me, all of your fears
Oh I’ll clean up the stains
I’ll be right there
Once I’m good and ready
Good and ready
Good and ready
What began as a raw, instinctive expression in her room swiftly transformed into something greater as Kristiane witnessed her musical vision come to fruition in the studio.
“When I brought the song to producer Jos Kuhn in Nashville, I expressed that it needed to feel anthemic, cathartic, and grand—to encapsulate the depth of emotion I experienced writing it alone in my unfamiliar sublet that evening,” she elaborates.
“He made it come alive beyond what I could have imagined; collaborating with Jos and later with songwriter Hannah Cole in Nashville provided me with the musical clarity and community I had been seeking. This song stands as a testament to that collaborative ease and marks a significant development in a new sonic realm that inspires and resonates with me entirely. This new direction is more extroverted while still grounded in themes of introspection
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Kristiane transforms the strain of change into “Good & Ready,” a powerful and candid exploration of uncertainty, self-discovery, and the strength of living life according to her own ideals.