Brixton rapper Cristale channels football and acting into debut mixtape

Cristale, a Brixton-born rapper who has also played football, studied art and acted, has released her debut mixtape, *Clear Intentions*. At 25, she has nearly half a million monthly Spotify listeners and says finishing the project took three attempts; her varied path reflects her determination to pursue music despite pressure to choose a more conventional career.

She played in Crystal Palace’s academy before leaving football over financial uncertainty, and later chose an art degree over teachers’ suggestions that she apply to Oxbridge. While studying and working long hours, she began posting freestyles online, encouraged by her father, and signed a record deal at 21. Her song “Bong Bing” went viral, she received a Mobo newcomer nomination, and she took roles in *Top Boy* and *The Kitchen*.