Interview
1. Hey Kelsie , super nice to have the chance to chat with you again! First and foremost what got you into music?
A. Hi and thank you for the interview. I have been involved with music all my life. My dad, who is a terrific musician, started taking me to concerts when I was just a toddler and then I tagged along with him to the studio in elementary school. When I was eight, I participated in the Yoko Ono Peace project and won first prize because of my project, and I spent all that award money on music lessons. Then I started recording my own original music when I was 11 and have spent the past decade writing and recording hundreds of songs.
2. Can you describe a real-life situation that inspired you?
A. Everything inspires me to write music, but right now because I am American-Ukrainian, I am focused on heeding President Zelensky’s call at the Grammys for artists to use their music to speak out about the war. I just returned from several weeks in Ukraine where I filmed three music videos under the most challenging conditions on martial law, in restricted war zones where there worst atrocities around Kyiv took place. I just released the first video called “Armageddon” on Friday and it is going viral as we speak.
3. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
A. When I first wake up, I always determine the priorities of my day because I am really busy now. I launched a new foundation on Friday to support Ukraine and I am fielding dozens of press requests about my new video so it is an exciting time for me. I am not a coffee person but rather, I am a chai person so I always start the day with a Grande chai.
4. What do you dislike about the art world?
A. I actually love the art world and I try to visit an art museum in every city I visit. In fact, last Friday, I was in Pittsburg to see the Japanese band, Baby Metal, and I visited a cool art museum there.
5. What are you focusing on right now?
A. Right now, I am hyper-focused on supporting Ukraine so that it has complete victory in the war. I will have one new video per month come out this year about Ukraine. I mentioned “Armageddon” which is about Ukraine’s fight to protect the world from the Armageddon started by the enemy. And the next video will be “Another Chance” describing how so many people in Ukraine wish that their loved one who was killed had “another chance to live again.” The third video is “Turn Back,” and it’s asking the millions of people who left Ukraine after the war to come home to help rebuild the country. And last will be “We Are The Promise” about how Ukrainians are “the promise, the glory and the story” because they took down the dystopian society bent on destroying the peace of the world.
6. Do you like “All Star” from Smash Mouth?
A. Of course, that is a very cool song, and the video is iconic. I was so sad to hear about the death of Steven Harwell last week. The crazy thing is that “All Star” came out the year I was born but it still sounds great.
7. Are you usually listening to any 2023 record?
A. I listen to so many different artists and love all types of music. Interestingly, I traveled to Colombia in July to film two Latin themed pop tunes and then to Ukraine where the music is heavily orchestrated. As I mentioned, I just saw BabyMetal in concert and next week I am seeing Peter Gabriel which have sold out concerts. But recently, I went to a small club in Baltimore to see Carlie Hanson. So it’s hard to pin me down but I do like to use many different influences in my music.
8. Do you listen to podcasts?
A. I do listen to podcasts when there is something that interests me. I am so busy now that it hard to find downtime.
9. What’s your favorite sport?
A. I did not play sports growing up because I was so into music. So I can’t say I have any favorites. Last week, I did go to a Nationals baseball game with some friends. My sister is a cheerleader at a major university so I hear about college sports quite a bit.
10. Do agree with the Pigeon?
A. Well, everyone loves the Pigeon. But I actually have two real stories about pigeons. My mom is a veterinarian so we have lots of animals and we have had two pet pigeons in the past. They are incredibly smart and loving so I have a place close to my heart for pigeons. They would be very sad if I did not agree with them!!!
Review
"The video for "Armageddon" is surprisingly cinematic! "Armageddon" begins by showing the routine of a suburban woman as she listens to an alarmist speech by the Ukrainian president. Plot twist! The next day, this woman's house has been bombed and only the wreckage remains, just like what happened to the Ukrainian people after the Russian invasion, which is still going on... Melodically, "Armaggedon" wins me over with progressively more epic choruses and distorted beats that turn this alternative track into something significantly important. Guitar lines and riffs underpin Kelsie's socially conscious flows in a post-apocalyptic world, and she has an admirable vocal range as she not only soars through her verses but also sings in the chorus of this dystopian scenario.
The Pigeon added a single from her to his Weekly Gems playlist on Spotify. You can check out the released music below. If you like what you hear, make sure to follow along so you can stay on top of future releases!
Words by The Pigeon
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
This coverage was created via Musosoup