Building Her Musical Palace: Kelsey Blackstone on Identity, Inspiration, and Indie Stardom
Hi Kelsey!! We are so thrilled to have you at Pop Palace! How are you at this moment?
Hi! I’m doing great, thanks for asking! Feeling excited about everything I have coming up - between my new song coming out on 6/6, plus a mini spring tour AND a fall tour that I am officially announcing soon, it’s go time!
What is your earliest memory in music?
My earliest memory in music is being in a summer musical theatre production of “Stone Soup”… I think I was around 4 or 5 years old. It was me, my twin sister, and some other kids all on this tiny stage singing about how to make this yummy meal! This was my first time performing on a stage and I loved it instantly. I’m lucky that my parents put me in piano and cello lessons and supported my performing from very early on :)
Your newest release "SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME" is a fantastic reinterpretation of a Disney classic, How did this come about?
Thank you so much! I am so excited about it. This song came about from a friend of a friend, Carl Taylor II, reaching out to me and asking if I wanted to lend some lead vocals to the track that he was already producing. After listening to the instrumental, I loved the jazzy & Bossa-pop direction that Carl was taking the song in… I knew I wanted to be a part of it!
If you could write a song from a different Disney movie what would you pick?
I should say up front that I am not a huge Disney person - I saw some of the classics when I was young but have not kept up with the new stuff or rewatched much of the old stuff (except for The Lion King, of course)! However, if I could’ve sung or written another song from a Disney movie, it would’ve been Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid. Fun fact; sometimes before shows I actually warm up with this song because it works my mid-range, so I can warm up my mix voice :) I also just love the message about yearning for freedom and whimsical wonder… I definitely try to infuse some of that same message in my original music that I write and release as well!
At Pop Palace, we celebrate iconic women and queer voices in pop music and culture. How do you see your personal identity shaping your place and perspective within the music industry?
I love what y’all are doing at Pop Palace! Making music an inclusive and accessible space is what it’s all about. As far as my own personal identity within the music industry, I have always been described as an old-soul… the music from the 60s and 70s in particular has always spoken to me, not just with the way it sounds but the way that the artists of that time were able to unite people and create lasting positive social movements. Therefore, I create soulful pop and retro rock music as safe spaces, independent of pandering to current trends and instead as a vehicle to communicate a timeless story of free-spirited inspiration to others. I do this by combining 70s-era jazz and rock improvisation, larger-than-life Y2K stage presence, warm synths, funky vocals, and lyrics about self-acceptance and authentic connection. My goal as a musician is to encourage others to remain both brave and soft in the face of difficulty, to always look for the hope-filled silver linings, to chase their dreams, to lead with kindness, and to celebrate the depths of their emotions.
What has been a favorite memory during your music career so far?
A favorite memory of my music career thus far would have to be my first tour during the summer of 2023. It was a 2 week tour with 11 shows. There was 7 of us on the road and although it took SO much work to make it all happen, every moment we all spent together on and off stage felt like a dream. Performing and being on the road with my band are the things that I love most about this career, so it felt surreal to have it all happen on a real tour for the first time. A question I often get is how to tour while keeping costs down - there is a surprising amount of people out there that will let 7 strangers crash on their floor for a night. The support I felt on the road from complete strangers was a beautiful experience that I’m really grateful for. I’m going on a tour starting 10 days from me writing this, and then another tour in November… I couldn’t be more excited!
Finally, here at Pop Palace, we all have our own little 'Royal Court' of artists who inspire us and keep us going. So, if you could build your own musical palace, who would be sitting on your throne, and who would be in your royal court of all-time favorite artists?
What a great question! I’ve been saying recently that the most important thing to remind myself about pursuing music (especially on the hard days) is that life is about making art WITH your friends, FOR your friends. That being said, my Royal Court would consist of artists of all levels, some being friends, and others being superstars. My Court would include: Susan Tedeschi, Sara Bareilles, Florence Welch, Hozier, chrysalis, Josee Molavi, Natasha Blaine, Jason LaPierre, Khurangbin, Dolly Parton, The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead, Dave Mathews Band, and poindexter - to name a bunch!
