Kelsie Kimberlin is a 22-year-old American musician and singer. Her work is not only accessible and entertaining but also steeped with important social themes and dual meanings underscoring her deep understanding of the power of creative music to evoke change. From an early age, Kelsie immersed herself in music, singing in choirs, participating in Yoko Ono’s Peace Project, and spending much of her childhood in music studios working on an endless stream of original songs. She participates in every aspect of her art — writing, recording, performing, and filming her videos. Check out this article to learn more about Kelsie’s musical background, inspirations, and more!
Hey! Introduce yourself. Where are you from?
I am Kelsie Kimberlin from Washington, DC.
When did you start making music?
Since the age of five, I have been singing in church choirs and children’s choirs. A music video I produced with my choir for Yoko Ono’s Peace Project earned me first place and $5000 at the Creative Nation Awards when I was eight. At age 11, I started taking music lessons and recording my own original songs in the music studio. Over the past two years, I have recorded over 100 original songs and released a dozen videos.
Who inspired you to start making music?
My father is a lifelong musician who has an encyclopedic knowledge of music so he introduced me to music as a baby and has taken me to scores of concerts and introduced me to famous artists and influential people in the music industry. I have spent thousands of hours in the studio with him.
How would you describe your music style?
As a musician with so many influences, I can seamlessly incorporate them into my music. I mix classical music with rock, pop, Latin, and real instruments with digital instruments, and I like to throw surprises into every song. I usually classify my music as Pop.
Who are you listening to now?
There is a lot of variety in my playlist. Currently, I’m listening to Aretha Franklin, Tate McCrae, Sara Kays, and most of the current artists, but I also like to listen to new artists and artists from other countries.
What’s your best project or single so far?
That’s like asking which child is your favorite! All of my songs have a special place and meaning. However, I am always looking for ways to improve with each new release. I really like my new song, “Cosmopolitan Girl” and my next release, “Fruit Basket,” because they are upbeat and fun. I just filmed a music video for another song about Ukraine which is very emotional and means a lot because I am Ukrainian-American. And I just filmed a duet with my father.
Any upcoming releases from you to look out for?
Since I have recorded so many songs, I am always scrambling to release them as fast as possible. But I want to have videos to accompany each release which slows things down. Also, I am now working with several Grammy nominees and winners so we are very meticulous about quality control. My goal now is to release at least one song per month, with Fruit Basket being the next release.
Have any shoutouts?
I want to give a shoutout to my entire team for all their great work and support.
Want more from Kelsie Kimberlin? Keep up with her music on YouTube!