Kristina's Passion Project | Magnolia Street Podcast

Highlighted in ELLE online, the Magnolia Street Podcast is expanding its reach to new audiences with its unique show and original music.

In fiction, few stories captivate the imagination and ignite the soul quite like Alice Hoffman’s series, Practical Magic. This enchanting tale follows the lives of two sisters, Sally and Gillian Owens, who are born into a family of witches. Despite their differences and the challenges that they face, the sisters form a powerful bond through the practice of magic. Similarly, Kristina “Seka” Babich and Justina Carubia, hailing from different parts of the same country and without ever having met in person, found themselves brought together by their mutual passion for the tale of Practical Magic. 

Through the pages of this enchanting novel, these two real-life witches discovered a connection that transcended time and space, a bond rooted in their passion for the magical arts and a newfound sisterhood.

Both women were visual artists and aspiring YouTubers in the witch community. In 2016, Justina stumbled upon one of Kristina’s videos and found commonality through the pagan path. Justina felt an instant connection and commented on Kristina’s video and the two started an internet friendship. Over the years they shared passing pleasantries via social media until a collaborative idea struck and would take them on a creative journey neither one of them expected. 

The magical bond that has since formed between these two women is attributed to the story of Practical Magic, which has inspired them to create a little magic of their own. The Stinas - the name they have adopted to combine their similar names - invite you to take a stroll with them down the blue stone path to Magnolia Street, as they recount the text messages that started it all.

In February of 2022, songwriter-musician and New Jersey native Justina awoke to a

random text message from an internet acquaintance. It was Pennsylvania born turned

South Carolina resident, Kristina Babich, who had a very intriguing proposition.

“At that time, I was not in a good space with my music. I had actually not written

anything in years, or even performed on a stage in probably a decade,” Justina

explains. “But Kristina’s proposal had reignited a passion for writing in me that I had not experienced in a very long time.”

“I had heard some of Justina’s original music over the holidays in 2021,” Kristina recalls.

“It threw me back in time to the singer-songwriters of the ‘90s. I was 17 again, lying in

the summer grass in the shade of a tree without a care in the world. Her music truly

touched my spirit. The only other time I had felt like that was when I was getting lost in

the lives of the Owens family. I had been toying around with the idea of putting the story of Practical Magic into music. There were so many other avenues the story could be taken down, so many different lenses it could be viewed. The concept was so fresh that when I messaged Justina, I barely knew how to explain it without seemingly sounding psychotic.”

The fact was that the original Practical Magic story was close to 27 years old at the

time. Kristina wasn’t certain if the tale still held relevance for people, and if a musical concept album based on it would be a viable project. In spite of the fact that Alice Hoffman had written prequels and a sequel to the series since its original publication, Kristina remained unsure.

“I was at work folding laundry that day. I must have pulled out my phone multiple times

before actually messaging Justina. My worry was that I would come across as self-

serving in some way. Justina and I had only fleeting conversations in the past and I

didn’t know how it would be received.”

To Kristina’s surprise, Justina excitedly accepted the challenge and started

brainstorming ideas for the concept that same day.

“When Kristina explained her idea to me, I only needed to see those four magical

words, ‘PRACTICAL MAGIC CONCEPT MUSIC,’ to propel me into a writing frenzy -

something I had not experienced since 2008,” Justina says.

As their collaborative ideas surrounding their mutual obsession seemed to snowball and

gain traction, they soon found themselves engulfed in the world of Practical Magic and

the mystical family that inhabits it. With each song they wrote together, the world of

Practical Magic grew up and around them, intertwining their lives like wisteria vines.

Their songs invite you into the Owens’s world; to live among the fireflies and dance

down the blue stone path, past the roses that mysteriously grow overnight.

The same afternoon Justina received that text from Kristina, she sat down with her

guitar for the first time in many years. The initial scene to flow through into a song was

from Sally’s point of view, and her disdain for the story’s antagonist, Jimmy Angelov.

“The first song I churned out was titled, ‘Hey Jimmy’, inspired by the scene in the movie

where Sally is clenching the bottle of tequila and pouring in lethal amounts of

Belladonna. I don’t know why I decided to start there; it was what came naturally. As a

songwriter, when words flow naturally, that is when you have to give yourself over to the

muses and let them take the wheel. The song had written itself in about 30 minutes. I

could not wait to send it over to Kristina!”

“It felt like divine timing,” Kristina remembers. “When Justina started sending over lyrics and ideas, my fears and reservations took a back seat and I could tell we had tapped into something special.”

The creative muses had indeed taken the wheel and within three to four weeks The

Stinas had collaborated on twenty various titles, including the theme song of what eventually would be their podcast, Magnolia Street. The song invites the listener to experience the mystery and intrigue of the infamous Owens’ house which resides on said street. In a seemingly perfect little New England town, the Owens women are rumored to dance naked in the full moonlight along the garden path and jump off the roof on All Hallows Eve.

“I would send Justina what we referred to as ‘brain vomit’-- a jumbled collection of lyrics and imagery I was attempting to express. Nothing rhymed or had a cohesive flow, and there was often no melody present. Yet, Justina possesses an innate talent for sorting through the confusion and making sense of it. I was constantly amazed by her ability to transform these disorganized ideas into stunning pieces of music.”

One never knows when and where inspiration will hit. For Justina, the song, ‘One Green

Eye, One Blue’--Gary’s love song to Sally--came to her in the shower. She initially really

disliked the feel of the song. But the more Justina played the song, the more she fell in love with it. Despite her initial reservations, she couldn’t deny her emotional connection to the song and ultimately decided to include it in the musical concept album. “It really gives me old-school doo-wop vibes, and it is just really sweet and endearing.” With lyrics like, ‘...And that’s how you knew. One green eye, one blue. The night that I saw rose petals, drifting’ ‘cross the moon. I wished on a star, and now here you are…the spell that you cast is proof, and now here is the truth… I wished for you too…,’ it quickly became a fan favorite.

Justina debuted this song at The Sevencrest in Teaneck, New Jersey, her first live solo

acoustic show in over ten years. Her newfound confidence and emergence from the

shadows to grace the stage once again is attributed to this magical project that all

started with a simple text message from someone who was once a stranger.

Neither Justina nor Kristina have sisters within their families, but through their

collaborative efforts, they have formed a sisterly bond with one another. This newfound

bond alone was what inspired their tune, “Circle of Brooms”, which is an ode to

sisterhood and finding a sense of belonging in the witch community.

“This song brings me back to a place of empathy. In a world where women are often

pitted against each other, ‘Circle of Brooms’ highlights the importance of vulnerability and allowing others to see the real you. Showing your true self can be frightening, but this song emphasizes the power of love that can come from being brave enough to reveal who you truly are.” Kristina adds, “My favorite line in the song is, ‘They came in fear tonight but leave with so much love.’ As witches and artists alike, it’s easy to become isolated and forget that many others are facing similar challenges. This song reminds us that all we need to do is reach out and ask for help.”

Other track titles include ‘Brownies for Breakfast’, in which the aunts see chocolate as a

positive means of self-care due to being surrounded by so much death and despair.

‘Phone Tree Day’ is Gillian’s sassy clap back at the nosy townsfolk as she comes to

Sally’s defense, despite the scene according to her, “Looking like it’s pretty lame, I sure

as hell wasn’t cut out for hangin’ with the PTA.” Justina explained on an episode of their

podcast when they showcased a clip of the song, “As selfish as Gillian is in a lot of

ways, this is the one selfless thing she does because she knows how much ‘being

normal’ means to her sister.” Their tune, “My Darling Girl”, reiterates Sally’s desire to be

normal. However, in this encouraging tune, the aunts explain that true value lies in the

acceptance of all the quirky things that make one special.

Music appears to be a part of the very essence of these two women, yet they each bring

their own unique perspective to it. Kristina, as a Gemini, possesses a natural talent for

generating creative concepts but has difficulty bringing them to fruition. Justina on the

other hand, with her adventurous Sagittarian spirit, complements Kristina by adding the

necessary drive and energy to turn her ideas into a reality. Together they form a

harmonious partnership that brings their musical vision to life.

“My motivation with this idea wasn’t initially to see it recorded professionally in any

fashion,” Kristina says. “I wanted a mobile way to immerse myself in the Owens’ world

without having to crack open a book. Justina was the driving force that encouraged the

idea to what it has become today.”

Music has brought people together since the beginning of its conception. The Stinas

didn’t expect it could throw them head first on a musical journey that would produce 20

original songs and eventually the creation of the Magnolia Street Podcast -- a comical,

weekly Practical Magic fandom podcast that aims to explore aspects of the movie and

books. It debuted on October 31, 2022, less than one year after the completion of

writing their concept music.

The Stinas ultimate vision is to see Alice Hoffman’s story of Practical Magic continue on through the music they have created together. “It would be a dream to see these songs come to life as a Broadway musical,” Kristina excitedly adds. “And we believe that these songs fit perfectly into this dream!”

The Stinas continue to reach for the stars and daydream while they carry on folding

laundry at their mundane day jobs. Until then, their more realistic goal is to see these

songs professionally recorded onto a two-vinyl album set. They hope to begin a crowd-

funding campaign to bring this vision into a reality. They also started the podcast as a

means to showcase their songs to an audience and fans who are just as passionate

about the Practical Magic movies as they are.

Justina explains, “I have been fluttering around the music business for a couple of

decades now, and I know firsthand how hard it is to get people to listen to original

music. But with a project like this, the world of Practical Magic has touched so many

lives and we just know that these songs will find a home among all of the fans who are

just waiting for more ways to immerse themselves in the magical and mysterious world

of the Owens family”.

Through their music, The Stinas aim to bring the story of Practical Magic to life in a new and thrilling way that touches the spirit in a way that only music can.