Crystal began as a duo when lead vocalist Anna Shields joined forces with guitarist Blair Crichton, but soon expanded to a quartet after enlisting a drummer and bassist to amplify their creative ideas.

With barely a handful of gigs under their belts, Crystal caught a remarkable break by beating nearly 500 other acts in a public vote to support Paolo Nutini at one of his Hogmanay concerts in Edinburgh in 2016. This was followed by an invitation to take part in a Chris Difford songwriting retreat and a special performance for legendary producer Tony Visconti. The band have built on that early momentum, honing their skewed grunge sound and backing up a couple of singles - Sugar Sweet and The Fall-esque post-punk of Sex Rich - with striking promo videos.