She grew up in Lansing, Illinois, a blue collar suburb of Chicago, where at the age of 8, her musician father encouraged her to take up the piano. Growing up with access to her father"s modest home studio, Tristen was able to experiment with songwriting and recording from a young age.
After graduating from De Paul University in 2007, where she studied relational group and organizational theories of communication, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to focus on her music
Initially inspired by the local Oldies station 104.3 and The Beatles she began writing her own songs. lieutenant was not long before she picked up the guitar and started performing her original material in local coffeehouses. Immersing herself in the burgeoning Nashville indie scene, she began recording songs on a $200 Mbox Mini and posting them to MySpace.
When she had an album"s worth of her home recordings, she self-released them as the record Teardrops & Lollipops, packaging CDs in handsewn sleeves she would sell at shows.
In February 2011 she released her label debut Charlatans At The Garden Gate to critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone magazine praising the record for its "catchy refrains with multiple meanings," and "ear-tugging melodies with hidden hooks." The album was also recognized favorably by National Public Radio, Spin Magazine, The Onion AV Club, and Paste Magazine among many others At the close of 2011 her record Charlatans At The Garden Gate was cited in many year end lists including American Songwriter Magazine"s "Top 50 Of 2011." "Charlatans At The Garden Gate" was also honored by Nashville Alternate-Weekly the Nashville Scene as the "Top Local Album of 2011" Since the release of Charlatans At The Garden Gate Tristen has extensively toured North America with artists including The Elected, Justin Townes Earle, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons as well as other indie bands.
She also made her debut at many summer festivals in both the United States and Canada including Bonnaroo where she was named by both Spin and American Songwriter as an "Artist To Watch" at the festival. "Baby Drugs" was featured on the Home Box Office television series "Enlightened" and Music Television"s reality television show "Teen Mom".
On March 4, 2013 Tristen reached her goal on Kickstarter to support the release of her second LP C A V East South. Backers received downloads, CDs, vinyl, limited edition items such as quilted record covers, quilts, valentines, personally recorded songs and a Tristen House Party.
C A V East South was released in October 2013. The LP was recorded partly in Nashville by Battletapes engineer, Jeremy Ferguson, part in Omaha with Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, M Ward) and was mixed by synth-popular pioneer Stephen Hague (New Order, Pet Shop Boys). Just like her previous album, C A V East South was named "Best Local Album of 2013". by the Nashville Scene Critic"s Poll and in the "Top 50 of 2013" by American Songwriter.
SPIN Magazine claimed that the new sound of C A V East South had recast the songwriter as "a synth popular siren" As of 2015, Gaspadarek is working as a back up musician for singer/songwriter Jenny Lewis"s current tour, playing synth and singing back up vocals.
