Today's Business Highlight: The Just Imagines with Tyler and Carina Cressman
- rosajaviersales
- Jul 6
- 21 min read
Updated: Aug 8
The Just Imagines are the first guests of Season 3 of Business Highlight, a season that is especially close to my heart because it focuses on a type of business that helped me connect with my community more than almost anything else: music.
As a teenager growing up in the Lehigh Valley, I played with several local bands. Through music, I met people from different backgrounds, formed lasting friendships, and learned how to connect with others. The local music scene played an important role in shaping who I am today.
One misconception that musicians often face is the idea that they should create music solely for the love of it and not for financial success. I couldn't disagree more. Musicians are entrepreneurs. They invest countless hours developing their craft, writing, rehearsing, recording, performing, marketing themselves, and building relationships with their audiences. Their passion happens to be music, but it is also their business.
We don't question professionals who turn their passions into careers, whether it's medicine, law, baking, conservation, teaching, or countless other fields. Musicians deserve that same respect. Their creativity, talent, and dedication provide value to our communities, and supporting local artists means supporting local small businesses. That is why I chose to feature musicians as businesses throughout Season 3.
To begin this journey, we began with The Just Imagines. Founding members Carina and Tyler Cressman, share with us their love story, perseverance, and a shared passion that refused to be limited by geography. After meeting online, they didn't let an ocean stand between them or their dream of making music together.
During our conversation, we explored the stories behind their songs, the themes that inspire their music, their love story, and how those experiences continue to shape the band they are today.
My hope is that this season helps you discover the talent we have here in the Lehigh Valley while encouraging all of us to support the artists who help make our community so vibrant.
Without further ado, I invite you to join me for this conversation with The Just Imagines.
Business Information:
The Just Imagines
Person of Contact: Tyler Cressman
Email: thejustimagines@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_just_imagines
Bandcamp: https://thejustimagines.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thejustimagines
Meet The Just Imagines
Rosa: Hi. Can you guys hear me? Hello? Oh, hi.
Tyler: Hi, Rosa. You can hear us and see us?
Rosa: Yes, I can. Did you guys get the little message that I was recording?
Tyler: Yes, yes. Once I clicked it, everything locked in.
Rosa: Awesome. How are you guys doing?
Tyler: We're doing great. How about yourself?
Rosa: Good. It was a really good show the other night. You guys were great!
Carina: Oh, thank you so much.
Tyler: Yeah, we appreciate that.
Rosa: Okay, let's get started. First, tell me who you guys are and what each of you does in the band.
Tyler: My name is Tyler Cressman. I'm one of the founding members of The Just Imagines. I'm the guitar player, producer, and one of the songwriters for the band. And this is...
Carina: I'm Carrie, or Carina. I'm the lead vocalist and singer. I also write lyrics, and I do most if not all of the visual artwork for the band.
Tyler: I say all of it.
Carina: Yeah. I play a few little instruments here and there, too.
Rosa: Last time I saw another bassist and a drummer. Am I missing somebody, or are those the other two members?
Tyler: No, that was everyone. Our bass player is Dan. He's been with us for a few months now, and he's a great guy. Then our drummer is Tim, who you met the other night as well.
Music & Love Across an Ocean
Rosa: Awesome. So, individually, how long have you guys been doing music?
Tyler: Go ahead. You started before me.
Carina: I think around 2018. That's when I pretty much started making my own solo stuff. Before that, I was with some bands and other people who did different things, but I was mainly a vocalist. I explored lots of different genres in my solo music, and I did a lot of collaborations before we met. Then I released a little album all at once. That was also my first time doing promotional work online for my music—social media and all of that. And that's actually how we met.
Tyler: Yeah, I started doing my own individual stuff in 2020. At one point, I was in a German Twitter group with her, and I asked her to sing on one of my songs. That's how we initially met.
Rosa: Oh, that's cute!
Tyler: Yeah. We ended up aligning on a little bit more than music. She came to America, we formed this band, and now we're married and band members together. It was a crazy story how it all worked out.
Meeting of the Creative Minds
Rosa: Are you guys professionally trained, or did you teach yourselves how to play music?
Tyler: I took lessons when I was a teenager, but I was always more of a hobby guitarist before. Honestly, I learned a lot of what I do now through YouTube and by being self-taught. I still take a couple of lessons every now and then to keep myself sharp and learn more music theory. But for the most part, I'd say the internet and teaching myself.
Rosa: Nice. What about you, Carina?
Carina: Yeah, it's pretty much all DIY. I never had any lessons in anything. YouTube videos and stuff—you can learn anything. Everything has been self-taught and just learning by doing.
Rosa: So how did you realize music was going to be more than just a hobby? How did you decide this was something you really wanted to do?
Tyler: For me, even as a little kid, I always thought it was something I wanted to do. I can remember thinking about it when I was five or six years old, but for whatever reason, I never got around to it. Then the pandemic happened, and I was home all the time. I had recently bought some recording equipment, so it was kind of like, "Well, I've got nothing else to do, so I might as well start making music." One thing led to another, and once we formed the band, we started playing live. We found something we truly enjoyed doing.
Rosa: That's really cool. What about you, Carina?
Carina: The same!
Rosa: That's fine. When you started writing and performing together, what came naturally, and what took time to develop as creative partners?
Tyler: That's a good question. I think our chemistry on stage came naturally because we're not up there faking anything—we're a real couple. I think that's something unique about the band. What didn't come naturally was everything behind performing, like the sound equipment and all the technical aspects. Neither of us was really trained in that, so it took a lot of research and a lot of trial and error. It took us a while to get it down. We still have issues every now and then, but I think we've made a lot of progress in that area.
Rosa: So how long has The Just Imagines been around?
Tyler: We officially started at the end of 2021. Before that, we did some collaborations under our solo artist names and even released an EP with some friends. But when we officially became The Just Imagines, it was around 2022 that we released our first single under the band's name.
The Just Imagines Sound
Rosa: I think it's really cool that you guys do original music because that's not something a lot of bands do around the Lehigh Valley. If you were describing the sound of The Just Imagines to someone who has never heard your music, what would you tell them they're going to hear?
Carina: It's a whole mix of different genres, lots of different styles. We have our own signature vibe. Even though every song is different, they all have their own psychedelic signature style.
Tyler: Yeah, they really do. On our first album, we purposely wrote songs in thirteen different genres because we wanted to see what we could do. We love so many different styles of music. But we always try to include something memorable, like a catchy guitar hook or a catchy refrain that sticks with you. And really, our goal is to have a song for everyone.
Rosa: One thing I noticed when I was listening to your music on YouTube is that there's a recurring theme of connectedness, humanity, love, and even the emptiness of not having that connection, a kind of shared existence. Was that intentional from the beginning?
Tyler: Oh, definitely. That's just who we are as people. That's how we live our lives. We feel connected to the whole human race, and we want to portray that in our music and our lyrics. Music is a really special avenue for sending a message because you never know who's going to hear it, how it might help them, or how it might bring them comfort. That's what we want our songs to do. I'm really glad you picked up on that because that's exactly what we were hoping people would hear.
Rosa: I did my homework, guys.
Tyler: I can tell. No doubt about it.
The Music, Art, & The Message
Rosa: I listened to your song "The Price," and I have a few notes because there's so much to unpack. Even the artwork is really interesting. Let's start with the main theme: war, greed, and the human cost of conflict. What inspired you to write this song, and what do you hope listeners take away—not just from the music, but from the artwork as well?
Tyler: Do you want to start with the artwork?
Carina: Yeah. I actually had the image in my mind before I painted it. It's digital art, but I felt like that picture says everything we were trying to convey with the song. I wanted to show what would be left at the end. It's a sad scene where everything has been destroyed, but there's still a mother with her child looking out over what looks like a graveyard. All they see is destruction.
Rosa: I actually took notes about the artwork because I paid close attention to it. One thing that stood out to me was how clean everything looked, even though it was a war scene. The tombstones didn't have names, but they still carried a message. I noticed the red cloak, the mother kneeling while holding her daughter, and the little girl pointing toward the tombstones.
Even though the buildings were destroyed, the ground looked clean. The overall scene was gray, but around the tombstones everything was lush and green. What inspired those different themes throughout the artwork?
Carina: Thank you for noticing all those details.
Rosa: Of course.
Carina: I'm a very detail-oriented person, especially with art. I love hiding little messages and symbolism throughout my work. The clean surroundings were intentional, and the bright green was meant to represent hope. Even in the middle of chaos and destruction, there's still something to hold onto because the earth is still there. Nature keeps growing. It's us as humans who fight and destroy each other, but nature continues.
The red symbolizes blood. That's why the cloak is such a bright, striking red. It's meant to represent life.
Rosa: I love that. It's almost like hope rising from the ashes. That's really beautiful.
Now, musically, I noticed something interesting. The song has a punk feel in places, but it also mixes in classic rock influences. Then the spoken dialogue at the end reminded me—not exactly of Pink Floyd—but it felt inspired by them, especially The Dark Side of the Moon. Were they an influence when you created this song?
Tyler: Oh, absolutely. We're definitely influenced by Pink Floyd and a lot of those psychedelic bands from the '60s and '70s.
Before we even had a title for the song, we actually called it "Hendrix Rage" because we thought the opening sounded a little like Jimi Hendrix. Another influence was Rage Against the Machine. They write a lot of politically driven lyrics that touch on similar themes.
When we saw everything happening in Ukraine, and more recently in Iran, we started looking into how many conflicts are happening around the world. That's when we learned there are around fifty-five wars taking place right now, and so many of them never make the news.
That became the message
behind this song. It's not just about the wars we hear about—it's also about all the innocent people suffering in conflicts most of us never even know exist.
Rosa: When people experience the artwork, the lyrics, and even the spoken dialogue at the end, what do you hope they take away? Sometimes people feel helpless, like they can't do enough. What do you hope this song gives them?
Tyler: First and foremost, awareness. So many issues become politicized and turn into one side versus the other. I don't think this is one of those issues. I think everyone can agree that so many of these wars are unnecessary and that there are better ways to solve our differences.
I hope people walk away realizing there are alternatives to war, and that almost all of those alternatives are better than what we're doing now.
Rosa: One last question about this song. What made you decide to end it with spoken dialogue? Most songs end with lyrics, but you chose something different.
Tyler: How did we even come up with that news broadcaster part? Do you remember?
Carina: I think it just came naturally because the music changes there. The time signature changes, the melody changes, and it felt like something different needed to happen.
Tyler: Yeah. Somehow the idea for a spoken-word section just came to us. We always joke that when I go on one of my rants, I sound like a news broadcaster.
At first I just let it flow almost like a freestyle. After I figured out exactly what I wanted to say, I wrote it down so I could perform it the same way every time.
Rosa: That's awesome. I also listened to "Cosmic Convergence" and "I Dreamt Last
Night." Those songs feel much more intimate and personal. How do you balance writing about these huge universal themes while still keeping your music emotionally personal?
Tyler: Those songs are from our first album, which is really the story of how we met and what it was like waiting two and a half years for her visa so she could move here. We wrote that entire album while she was still living in Germany, sending music back and forth to each other.
Those songs are very personal because they're our love story.
Actually, "Cosmic Convergence" was written specifically to be our wedding song. We used it for our first dance, and if you watch the music video, you'll see actual footage from our wedding.
Rosa: Yes! I noticed that.
Carina: That's definitely our most personal song because it really comes from our wedding. We waited until after the wedding so we could include all of the footage we received and make it part of the video.
Behind the Music:
Love & the Creative Process
Rosa: So when you guys are writing together, what does the songwriting process look like? Does one person typically bring the lyrics, the melody, or the concept first, or is it completely collaborative?
Tyler: There's really no one specific process for us. Sometimes Carina comes to me with some lyrics and an idea for a theme or what the song should sound like, and she gives me those ideas while I mess around on the guitar until I come up with something. Other times, I'm just sitting here playing guitar and she'll say, "Oh, that sounds good. Let's turn that into something."
There have also been times when we sit down and say, "Hey, we're going to write a reggae song," and then we just work through it. That's what's neat about our creative process. Even now, when we're doing warm-ups with the band, sometimes we'll hear something and think, "That sounds really cool. Let's turn that into a song." We just try to stay open to ideas whenever they come because you never know when inspiration is going to strike.
Carina: Sometimes we've even had songs where we both came up with the whole vision together, the melody, the lyrics, everything.
Rosa: So in one night of jamming, how many songs do you usually create?
Tyler: I think that depends on the night, but we've definitely had one or two songs come out of a single session before.
Because we've had a lot of turnover in the band over the past year, a lot of our practice time has been spent getting the new members caught up. This is our third drummer and our fourth bass player within the past year, so recently we haven't done as much creating during rehearsals. But now that Tim and Dan are with us for the foreseeable future, we'll have plenty of time to start writing more this summer.
Rosa: When I was listening to your music, I noticed there are so many different elements to it. The atmosphere and texture feel very cinematic—almost spacious, like you're floating through space. How would you describe your sound in your own words?
Carina: Cinematic definitely fits a lot of our songs. We were aiming for that. Like we said, we have lots of different styles and a fusion of genres, but they all come together into our own psychedelic, epic style.
Tyler: I'd describe our music as epic, original, diverse, and from the heart.
Rosa: I love that. There was one piece of artwork that really caught my attention. I forgot the name of the song, but it had a woman in a flowing dress surrounded by colors that reminded me of the images NASA releases from its space telescopes.
Carina: The cover artwork?
Tyler: Yeah, that's Surreal.
Rosa: That's it! I thought it was really beautiful. How important is the visual side of storytelling for The Just Imagines?
Tyler: It's incredibly important because it reflects the colorful bouquet of things we try to offer through our music. Every album cover is different, but they all have something in common: they're colorful, eye-catching, and they reflect the music. We don't usually keep things gray or plain.
Carina: We love colors. And the one you mentioned is actually supposed to be a self-portrait.
Rosa: You know, I actually wondered that when I saw you perform.
Tyler: Now you recognize her.
Rosa: I thought so, but I didn't want to make assumptions. So yes, it was Surreal. I have it written down in my notes.
Carina: It's supposed to be me as a goddess because the lyrics are about a love goddess.
Rosa: That makes perfect sense. The music and the artwork go together one hundred percent. That's really cool.
Tyler: Thank you.
Rosa: Looking across songs like "The Price," "Surreal," and "Cosmic Convergence"—I wrote "Coverage," but I knew that wasn't right.
Tyler: Convergence.
Rosa: Convergence! The artwork is such an important part of the storytelling. Does the music inspire the artwork, or does the artwork inspire the music?
Tyler: Usually the artwork comes second. We have the song and the lyrics first, and that gives Carina a feel for what she wants to create. I mostly just say, "Yeah, that looks great." The music definitely inspires the artwork, and she always tries to create something that matches the vibe of the song so everything fits together nicely.
Carina: Exactly.
Rosa: Let's talk about music as your partnership because you two are the original members of the band, right?
Tyler: Definitely.
Rosa: What are some of the greatest joys of sharing both life and this project together?
Tyler: That's a great question. There are so many that it's hard to narrow them down. I get to do what I love with the woman I love, who's also my best friend. That's pretty awesome.
Of course, we have artistic disagreements sometimes, but they always come from a place of love and creativity. Those are some of the best parts of being in a band together and sharing this journey.
Carina: We love creating together. We've been doing that since the very beginning when we met. Now we get to create with the rest of the band, too. It's so much fun when we're jamming and suddenly something comes together that you really love.
Rosa: What is the most important thing you've learned about each other through music?
Tyler: I always knew Carina was strong and creative, but now that I've seen everything she can do, and watched her dance for three hours straight during a show, I think I've realized just how strong she is, both emotionally and physically. When we were writing music across the ocean, I knew she was amazing, but I hadn't seen all of that yet.
Rosa: Very cool.
Carina: Before we met in person, we already knew each other really well. But once we were finally together, everything was even stronger than I had imagined. I never thought it would be possible to fall in love over the phone through video chats.
Then I realized even more how well we fit together, musically and personally. I met his family and friends, and you just learn so much about each other.
Rosa: Even through the music, it's almost like writing your story in a book.
Tyler: Exactly. We have our story to tell, and then we have other stories we want to tell about the world and humanity too.
Music That Spark a Conversation with the Community
Rosa: When it comes to humanity, what kind of conversations do you hope your music brings up? Since you were talking about awareness...
Tyler: First of all, I hope it brings people into civil conversations with one another. I think there's a lack of meaningful conversation right now.
The kinds of conversations we hope to inspire are about peace, understanding, and acceptance. It's not us against each other, we're all in this together, and we all basically want the same things. The best way to get there is to work together instead of putting each other down or failing to understand where someone else is coming from.
Those are the kinds of conversations we hope people have when they listen to our music and connect with the message we're trying to share.
Rosa: Have there been any reactions from fans or audience members that reminded you why making music matters so much?
Tyler: Oh, definitely. Whether it's comments online about how much a song meant to someone or hearing people talk about what the lyrics meant to them, those moments really stay with us.
Playing live has been just as rewarding. We played a couple of shows at the Sherman Theater where we had our own crowd there, with around a hundred people singing along and cheering us on. Moments like that remind you that the music really means something to people.
That's what means the most to us because we don't create music just for the sake of creating it: we create music with meaning behind it.
Rosa: What do you hope stays with people after a show?
Tyler: I'd say our tip jar and our Venmo account... No, I'm kidding.
Rosa: Honestly, that's a valid answer. My series is called Business Highlight, and musicians are businesses too. You're supporting yourselves and your families through something that's incredibly personal and vulnerable, your music. That's important, and it's part of the story.
Tyler: Absolutely. I totally agree. But beyond that, I hope people leave with the good vibes and positivity that we try to put into our music. That's what we hope stays with them after they listen to us or see us perform.
Rosa: You guys are based in Kutztown, but you perform all around the Lehigh Valley. What has the local music community meant to you throughout your journey?
Carina: It's been wonderful. Everyone we've met—different bands, different musicians, has been really kind and supportive. People genuinely want to see each other succeed, and we've found so many opportunities here. That's not the case everywhere.
Rosa: That's true.
Tyler: I agree. It's a tight-knit and supportive community. We're fortunate to live in an area that really embraces music and gives local bands opportunities to perform.
Of course there's Musikfest, but there are also so many great music venues throughout the Lehigh Valley. It's a community that's constantly growing, and there's so much talent here. There are a lot of great musicians and bands doing really good things.
Rosa: I agree. One thing about this area is that it really supports original music, and that's not something you find everywhere. Speaking of the local scene, what has been your favorite venue to play?
Tyler: Definitely the Sherman Theater. We played one of their Indie Rock Showcase nights and got to perform on the same stage where so many national bands have played. That was an incredible experience. Between the professional lighting and everything else, it really made us feel like rock stars for the night.
Let's Talk Business
Rosa: That's awesome. Like I said, you guys are a business. For venue owners, event organizers, festivals, or private clients who may be listening, what kind of events are you available to perform for?
Tyler: We can do all kinds of events. We actually started as a duo, so we can perform full acoustic shows with lots of covers. Obviously, we also have the full band.
Our music is pretty diverse, so if someone wants a more relaxed set, we can play our chill covers and original songs. We've also opened for hard rock bands, so we can lean into that style as well. And for anyone who enjoys classic rock covers, we do those too.
We can adapt to a lot of different events. I don't know if we're the ideal wedding band just yet...
Carina: We wouldn't say no.
Tyler: We wouldn't say no. We can definitely learn and do anything.
Carina: We can play all our love songs.
Tyler: Exactly.
Rosa: That's true, you even have your own wedding song.
Tyler: Exactly.
Rosa: If someone wants to book The Just Imagines, what's the best way to reach you? And what should they know about the experience you bring to an event?
Tyler: The easiest way to reach us is at thejustimagines@gmail.com, or through Facebook or Instagram. Our DMs are always open.
When people book us, they're getting an epic, high-energy, and really varied show. Like I mentioned earlier, we always try to include at least one song from a genre that everyone can enjoy. We want there to be something for everybody.
Rosa: I appreciated that you guys played Amy Winehouse, and she's one of my all-time favorites.
Tyler: She absolutely kills that song. She's really, really good at it.
What's Next for The Just Imagines?
Rosa: I loved it. So, do you have any upcoming performances, releases, or projects you'd like people to know about?
Carina: Yeah. We'll be in Germany for a few weeks, and after that we'll be back for a couple of shows in July.
Tyler: Our next show is at The Nail in Ardmore, where we'll be opening for a band out of Nashville called The Hungry and the Dangerous. We also have some duo shows around the Lehigh Valley in July, and then in August we'll be playing at the Weyerbacher Beer Garden.
We have a lot coming up this summer, so people can keep up with everything through our website and social media.
As far as projects go, we have a new song that's almost finished. We'll wrap that up after we get back from Germany. We also have five or six more songs already written and ready to record, so we're hoping to finish those over the summer and release a full album by the end of the year with our new band members.
Rosa: That's amazing. Two more questions. Where can listeners find your music online, follow your journey, and stay connected with The Just Imagines moving forward?
Tyler: Spotify, Apple Music, and all the major streaming platforms. We're also on Instagram and Facebook. We're not on X anymore, and we're not on TikTok.
Our website is linked through all of our social media accounts, and that's where we post our upcoming shows. People can also subscribe to our newsletter there. Once we have enough subscribers, we'll start sending it out regularly.
Rosa: And what's your website again?
Tyler: It's a Wix site. If you search "Wix The Just Imagines," it'll come right up.
Final Note: Hope
Rosa: Last question. If you could leave listeners with one idea about humanity, love, and our place in the world through your music, what would that message be?
Tyler: Great question. I'd say patience and acceptance. Those would be my two words.
Rosa: What about you, Carina? Tyler said patience and acceptance. I feel like your music and your lyrics are really centered around love.
Carina: Yeah... I was thinking love.
Rosa: I read your mind!
Carina: Love and freedom.
Rosa: Love and freedom. I love that. This was a great conversation. Thank you both so much for being part of my little project.
Tyler: We had so much fun. It's been so nice meeting you, talking with you at the show, and we loved all the pictures and videos you took.
Rosa: I just sent you everything.
Tyler: We downloaded it all. They're great.
Rosa: I think I took almost two hundred pictures, and instead of sorting through them all, I figured I'd just send you everything. It was around midnight, and I thought, "Let me send these now so I don't keep thinking about it."
I finally found a way to send the videos too, so I'm really happy about that. You're welcome to use any of it however you'd like. I'll also send you everything about a week before the interview goes live. If there's anything you'd like changed, just let me know. I won't be offended at all.
Tyler: Sounds good.
Rosa: The Just Imagines, thank you again for being part of this project. We'll definitely keep in touch.
Tyler: We certainly will. Thank you, Rosa. It's been a pleasure meeting you.
And to everyone out there... peace. Take care. We'll stay in touch.
Rosa: Sounds good. Take care. Bye!
Tyler: Bye! Take care.
Supporting The Just Imagines Means Supporting Local Music, Creativity, and Community.
As part of Season Three of Business Highlight, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tyler Cressman and Carina Cressman of The Just Imagines, an original Lehigh Valley band whose music blends a wide range of genres with thoughtful storytelling, striking visual art, and messages centered on humanity, love, and connection.
Throughout our conversation, we explored their remarkable journey from meeting online across an ocean to building a life, a marriage, and a band together. We also discussed their creative process, the inspiration behind their music, the symbolism woven into their artwork, and their belief that music has the power to inspire meaningful conversations and bring people together.
Supporting local musicians means supporting small businesses, local venues, and artists who dedicate countless hours to creating experiences that enrich our community. I hope this conversation encourages you to discover the incredible talent we have here in the Lehigh Valley and inspires you to attend a show, stream their music, and support the artists who help give our community its soundtrack.
Business Information:
The Just Imagines
Person of Contact: Tyler Cressman
Email: thejustimagines@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_just_imagines
Bandcamp: https://thejustimagines.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thejustimagines
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Fox & Roach Realtors
Pennsylvania
3465 Nazareth Rd., Suite 103, Easton, PA 18045
484-274-8696 - Cell
610-258-0808 - Phone
610-258-7699 - Fax
Fox & Roach Realtors
New Jersey
54 Old Hwy 22, Clinton, NJ 088089
484-274-8696 - Cell
908-735-9700 - Phone
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