Kirsten spent her early adult life as a classical singer, songwriter, yogi and nutritionist. She recorded two studio albums, significantly called Bare (2014) and Breathe & Repeat (2016). She performed her soulful work regularly in Melbourne clubs while studying music and health sciences.

In 2018, Kirsten travelled to Italy to work as an au pair and English tutor. While there, she began writing a blog about her experiences living with mental and physical illnesses. Readers connected with her unique voice and candour. Her raw honesty was always sprinkled with a wry humour, making even the darkest topics accessible. 

In 2021, Kirsten won the Nillumbik Artists in Own Residence grant for her writing. The funds allowed her to workshop her manuscript for Gutter Glitter with several notable Melbourne mentors. She was later encouraged to assemble a community performance of her music and readings from her newly completed memoir.  Kirsten’s first-hand experiences, as depicted in her memoir, make it an important body of work in a time of increased anxiety and mental illness.