Crashing Through The Floor with Kiara Mullins

Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with Kiara Mullins (and her band Crash Through The Floor) about their latest single "Imposter Syndrome"

Mustard had the pleasure of speaking with Kiara Mullins (and her band Crash Through The Floor) about their latest single "Imposter Syndrome" and so much more!

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1. Mustard is grateful to have you join them at On The Shelf. How are you doing today? 

Thanks for having me! I’m doing great and I’m joined by my band (Jacob B, Bre H, James D, Jared B), they all say hi! 

2. According to your Instagram biography, your current status is set as imposter. Can you confirm that Mustard is speaking with THE Kiara Mullins?

… no comment.

3. Kiara Mullins (and Crash Through The Floor) get the opportunity to perform a set in an Among Us map. What map do you perform at? What does the setlist look like?

Well, any average Among Us fan would choose The Skeld (the airship), but that ain’t us. So we’ll have to go with The Polus because the pyrotechnics would already be supplied (matches the aesthetic too). The set would be exclusively “Imposter Syndrome.” Just kidding, we’d include new/old Kiara & Crash stuff and… maybe some Paramore. 

4. Thank you for that confirmation. Do you still like you're in disguise? How do humans like to blend into their environment? 

Imposter Syndrome is a daily struggle but finishing the song has really helped me fight it off, and I hope that it has the same effect for those who listen to it. It’s very similar to my song “People Pleaser” in the way that it’s meant as an anthem for anyone struggling with those emotions. To answer the other question, my guitarist, Jacob, would like to answer. He says: “Unlike mustard, being in a sandwich isn’t an option for us, SO we have to find some other methods. We’re all a little lost, so it’s just a matter of being with people who are also finding themselves. It’s a group effort. I think every member of Crash would agree that’s what we have with each other.” 

5. Has Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson ever pressured you into buying their tequila Teremana?

Yes. I love him but he can be a little pushy. 

6. Earlier this year, you welcomed Lorelai into your family. If you could play this guitar anywhere in Stars Hollow where would it be and why?

I would LOVE to play it in the iconic Stars Hollow Gazebo. We have gazebos at Belmont and they’re my favorite places to play/write. They’re nice, covered, and you’re still outside. It’s a nice little main-character moment. Fun fact, “Imposter Syndrome” was written in a gazebo! If not the gazebo, then Luke’s, obviously.

7. Mustard has observed that a human's environment can play an important role. What was the music scene like in Arlington? How did this influence you creatively growing up?

The evergrowing music scene and people in Arlington shaped me and my music. Growing up surrounded by major stadiums (AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field/Park, American Airlines Center) and many esteemed venues (Levitt Pavilion, Arlington Music Hall, Texas Live), I knew there was no limit to my dreams. Additionally, the beauty of Arlington is that it’s rich in SO many musical genres from Country to Rock to R&B to Pop to Latin - all of which are deeply integrated into my own music. Also, the people of Arlington are some of my greatest influences and cheerleaders. I cannot thank my support system enough - Guitar Studio of Arlington (Rest in Peace, Brian Lacy), Destiny Studio, my family, and my parents. They saw my music dreams and made them their own. It’s the greatest gift I could ever receive. 

8. You recently were awarded Texas's multi-city wide "Start the Journey" voice competition. Could you share more about this experience?

Yes! It was such a surreal experience because it quite literally opened doors for me in Arlington and the North Texas music scene. I humbly won with my rendition of “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5 at the Arlington Music Hall in 2021, to which I opened my set with the same song at the Levitt Pavilion in 2022 as one of the awards. Little full circle moment! Again, it was surreal because within just a few months I was playing venues that I grew up going to. Additionally, I was invited back to the Arlington Music Hall where Crash and I headlined Light Up Arlington (a 4th of July event) in 2022 and 2023. The voice competition was such an honor and I’m so proud to represent my hometown.

9. Some of your influences include Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, and Paramore. Which album from each do you consider essential listening? 

Those three are my holy trinity! An essential listen from each would be “Rumors” by Fleetwood Mac (call me basic but it’s a no-skip album), “Reputation” by Taylor Swift, and “Brand New Eyes” by Paramore.

10. You are currently a student at Belmont University, pursuing a B.S. in songwriting. What is a lesson that you have learned that has stuck with you throughout your career? 

Be a nice human!! It’s true that the music business is a people business. Make friends and find people who share the same goals because we can lift each other towards them. #Networking. That’s how I found my band, my management, and my best friends. We’re told SO many times at Belmont that the people we sit next to in class will be the people we work with in the future. I wouldn’t doubt it because I already am! 

11. Bruiser The Bruin is Belmont University's mascot. The University has asked you to come up with an anthem for Bruiser The Bruin for students to sing. What would this anthem sound like? 

Something along the lines of “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” by Henry Hall… A classic. 

12. In 2021 you released your debut single "teenagers." Were you inspired by a specific teenager when writing this song?  

Yes and no. It was originally about my first boyfriend and our struggles of dating during the pandemic. Now, it’s a young love anthem and has more truth to it now that I’m not a teenager anymore. LOL. 

13. Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance is scared of teenagers. Do you share their fright? 

Now I am. Yes. “They could care less as long as someone’ll bleed.” Terrifying. 

14. As a condiment, Mustard wonders what it means to be a people pleaser? How do you know you are a people pleaser? 

Well, I think mustard pleases plenty of people. However, I think being a people pleaser is when you push your own needs aside to make others happy (“give you my self-esteem while I’m running on empty”). How do you know? Are you running on empty? If yes, then you are a people pleaser. 

15. Mustard wonders if you are still making memories in the moonlight? 

Yeaaahhhhh…. I’m blushing just thinking about it. :)

16. These singles would eventually end up on your self-titled EP. Could you share what it was like to work on this project? 

Well, I produced the songs with Luke Johnson (of Life After Youth, go check them out) during my junior and senior years of high school. I would go to school (or at least online school, thanks covid) and then go to the studio for a few hours. That was my life and I loved it. Creating music was and still is magical. Looking back on the creation of this EP, I’m reminded of how it encapsulates a period of time when I was learning who I was as a person and as an artist. It was my first ever major project and I’m so fond of how it turned out. It’s also funny to listen back and hear how young I sound compared to my latest single. 

17. On the cover art, you are looking to the side. Mustard is curious what you were looking at? 

A burger with just some mustard. Wait…. Unless that’s weird. Then, just a burger. 

18. Mustard loves your mashup of teenagers and teenage dream on this EP. When did this idea first spark? 

First, thank you! Second, we (my original producer, Luke Johnson, and creative director, Shleby Johnson) wanted to do an acoustic version of the song for fun. We started recording and someone started humming the “Teenage Dream” chorus on top of the “Teenagers” and it worked PERFECTLY! So we HAD to record it and now we have a sick mashup. 

19. In addition to your solo work, you are also in the band Crash Through The Floor. What type of floor is the band crashing through? 

Hardwood.

20. Crash Through The Floor joined you on your newest single, "Imposter Syndrome."  Did you or your bandmates feel like an imposter when working on this song?

Kiara: This was the first song I had given the band to let them run wild, creatively speaking. Showing new songs is always nerve-wracking. They can attest to this. It took me about 5 tries to actually show them the song (I’m great at stalling). Once that hurdle was jumped, we hit the ground running on ideas! So to answer, yes, I very much felt like an imposter. 

Crash: Working on this song was a wild experience. The baseline Kiara provided had lots of potential, so the ideas were limitless while reimagining it. We’re all in college or at least college-aged, which is the stage in life where the feelings explored in the song are at their strongest. So yes, we did feel like imposters; but being able to relate with the message was very cathartic, and it helped us pour as much creativity into this project as possible. So much like Kiara, this song helped us combat our own imposter syndrome. 

21. Mustard has observed that humans sometimes feel like imposters. What causes humans to feel this way? 

Insecurities. If you let them, they can completely rule over your life. I think that’s why I write “anthem” songs like these. I hope they give me and others a platform to help battle those emotions in an empowering way. <3

22. What advice do you have for those who may feel like an imposter? 

As we mentioned before, find people who get you - creatively, emotionally, someone you share interests/goals with. You can help each other start to feel like you belong where you are, even when you try to convince yourself you don’t. 

23. Someone invites their friend to see Kiara Mullins perform. What four words best describe your live performance? 

Energetic. Genuine. Raw. Suspicious.

24. Do you have any upcoming shows? 

Yes! I’ve got a few in Nashville, TN and in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.
Nashville:

Dec 16th, Grease Monkey, 9PM, Full band

Jan 5th, Troy’s, 9PM, Full band

Jan 6th, El Primo’s, Full band

25. What is next for Kiara Mullins?

Writing, writing, and more writing. Another EP with Crash on the way??? Stayed tuned. 

26. Where can readers listen to your music? 

All streaming platforms, baby! Here’s the link: https://ffm.to/impostersyndrome

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