Karina Nistal

Singer/songwriter Karina Nistal is known to align herself with diverse and solid collaborations to showcase her extensive range. Her work consists of emotive jazz vocals on downtempo tracks, rapping in Spanish for the worldly sounds of reggaeton, or fusing soulful Latin vocals with lively dance music. Most significantly, it is a vibrant charisma that carries over her poetic musings in either English or Spanish, or her self-assured flirtatious rhymes. There’s a very fine line between poetry and rap, but it’s one that only Karina interconnects with finesse.
Music captivated the native Houstonian at an early age. Karina indulged in old school hip hop, rhythm & blues, soul and jazz. It was Karina’s mixed Hispanic heritage (Mexican and Cuban) that spotlighted Latin styles-traditional mariachi folk music and the Afro-Cuban beats of salsa.
After several years of featuring on numerous Dance and Hip Hop releases, Karina made her first full-length bilingual debut album, Nistyle on (Starlightbeats) which introduced the term “Reggaetron” (Electro-Reggaeton). Nistyle gives a fresh face to the growing “hurban” dance scene and earned Karina various accomplishments in 2007. That spring, Rock River Music pushed two singles off Nistyle, “Viviendo” and “Solido” that were used for Dodge Avenger promotions. “Viviendo” was featured at the 2007 Latin Billboards Music Awards & Conference in Miami while “Solido” is shown on various sites online and commercials sponsored by Barrio 305. In the fall, Karina and her collective, Rebel Crew toured the Middle East with Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) to provide support and morale for our troops.
The following year, the video for “Viviendo” premiered internationally on MUN² bilingual video network. Meanwhile The Karina Nistal Band performed the SXSW Music Festival in Austin and the Mayor’s Tree-lighting Celebration televised on KHOU Houston channel 11. In 2009, Karina teamed up with DJ Fly Girl T to record mix tape versions of their favorite Hip Hop instrumentals. “Fly Nice Vol.1: J Dilla Tribute” and “Fly Nice Vol. 2: For the love of…” are available for free download online.
Karina also earned the Houston Press “Local Rap/Hip Hop Award for 2007” and the “Best Latin Contemporary Award for 2008” and nominated again for “Best Latin Contemporary Award” for 2009 and again in 2010. Her sophomore album, Nistalgia (independent) was released October 2010. This album showcases a more soulful side of Karina along with some of her best songwriting. Nistalgia carries her Latin Fusion sound with a mixture of Soul, Hip Hop and a few hot Dance remixes.
Karina stays on the grind, performing regularly, free-styling over DJ’s sets, recording, making videos, collaborating with various producers in the studio, emceeing reputable events, and working on voiceovers which include commercials for Telemundo Spanish network.
With seemingly a lot on her plate, the sultry, multi-faceted vocalist admits, “I want to do so much more!”