In an alternate universe where Murphy’s Law did not exist, Kristina Train might have become a star almost a decade ago.

Passionate about music since her mother taught her the violin at age 4, the Savannah native scored a deal with Blue Note Records (the legendary jazz label that’s been home to everyone from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Herbie Hancock and Amos Lee) when she was in her teens. But her mom insisted she go to college first, so she put her career on hold until after graduating from the University of Georgia. Sent to London to work with producer Jimmy Hogarth (Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae) and songwriter Eg White (Adele), Train suffered another setback when a nearly completed version of her debut album was forever lost to a computer glitch.

Undaunted by the obstacles, Train returned to the studio and delivered the cheekily titled “Spilt Milk,” a stunningly soulful jazz–pop album that’s earned favorable comparisons to icons like Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield. We recently caught up with the 27-year-old singer-songwriter in the middle of her tour with Keb Mo to discuss her long, winding road to success.

JEZEBEL: You’re originally from Savannah, which isn’t exactly a musical hot bed. How did you get discovered?

Kristina Train: I was playing in bands and a producer heard one of our demos. He brought me to New York, and I showcased for the Blue Note guys. My mom said, “You’re not going to do anything until you go to college!” So there were a couple of years where I fought for it, telling her I didn’t want to waste my time going to college because all I want to do is music. My Blue Note A&R rep said, “When you decide what you want to do, please come to me,” so [after college] I did. They arranged another showcase and invited me to sign a deal at that time.

JEZ: Why didn’t you rebel when your mom insisted on you going to college?

KT: I’m an only child raised by a single mom, and I always wanted to make her happy. She was the one who introduced me to music, so I’m very grateful. I tried to do what I could to appease her, and she ended up being my biggest fan.

JEZ: How did taking that extra time impact the music you made?

KT: If I’d made an album at 19, it would’ve been a very different album. “Spilt Milk” is the album I’ve always wanted to make. When I finally went over to London to work with Jimmy Hogarth, and I heard the first song that we wrote, I realized why I’d waited so long. It was SO worth the wait.

JEZ: You lost all your initial recordings to a computer glitch. How did having to re-record the album impact your approach?

KT: I’ve always believed no deal is done until the ink is dry, because so many things have gone wrong in my life. When I got the phone call that my songs had been deleted, I was definitely in shock! But I was even more determined to go back and make it better. So many things go into making an album—financial issues, logistics, scheduling—that it can be very overwhelming, but everyone involved believed in it so much, so we came back, and I sang my heart out. It turned out to be a wonderful thing.

JEZ: What’s next for you in your career?

KT: I want to keep touring so that I can reach people on a personal level. A year from now, I’d like to have all the songs for my next record written. I just want to keep everything moving and see my career withstand the test of time. Until I die, I’ll be writing, recording and touring … and hopefully paying the rent!