Meet Kelsey Blackstone | Professional Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelsey Blackstone and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelsey, how do you think about risk?
Choosing a career in the music industry is all about risk. It’s a completely unstable and ever-changing field. But strangely enough that has not been enough to deter me from pursuing my professional music career. I’d rather be happy doing what I love, and doing something that I know makes people feel joy and unity, than doing something safe and being unsatisfied with my life. I am an organized and prepared person so I do try to make informed risks, but ultimately you sometimes have to surrender to the process and keep the faith that it’s all going to work out in the best possible way.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I have always loved singing and making music since before I can remember. What I’m most proud of at this point is that I haven’t given up in my pursuit of professional music. There’s been a lot of rejection and redirection, but I know it’s all been for the best because it leads me somewhere better in the end. I’ve had some amazing opportunities over the last few years especially that I’m really grateful for.

Music doesn’t follow a set career path so it’s been a lot of trial and error. And I’ve had a lot of help getting here from my family, friends, teachers, mentors, and more.

When I listen to my songs I hear all of those influences and it helps remind me that the world is small and filled with good people. I hope others are reminded of that when they hear my music too. Ultimately, I want to bring joy and hope and inspiration to as many people as I can through music.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, this is quite an interesting question for me as I’ve just moved to a new city! I’ve been living in Boston for the last 6.5 years, and moved to Nashville 2 weeks ago. While I’m still exploring this new location, there are already some great spots I can recommend: Dino’s Bar, Flora and Fauna, and Treehouse are good spots to grab a bite, The East Room and The Basement are two of the many awesome venues to catch live music, and there’s a ton of vintage shops around East Nashville that are on my list to check out!

On another note, I’m releasing a live version of my original song, Leaving Boston, and it’s about how bittersweet a move can be. It’s about saying goodbye to people and places you love in pursuit of your dreams. It’s being released this Friday on 3/22/2024, and you can stream it here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kelseyblackstone/leaving-boston-live
This is the perfect song for fans of Sara Bareilles, Rett Madison, Allen Stone, and Susan Tedeschi. Thanks so much for checking out my music!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my high school music department for starting me on this path and giving me some of my first tools to succeed years ago!

Website: https://www.kelseyblackstone.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseyblackstone/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelsey.blackstone.52/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8s3IRmJ3vNl-uCuF20nAJA

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/394uQRigSFiNSRbA9dismJ?si=GeXMk3GbSqyaXo3_Vk4A2Q
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kelsey-blackstone/1493464248 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kelseyblackstone

Image Credits
Cover art for ‘Leaving Boston – Live’ by Kelsey Blackstone Featured photo: Ben Crocker Performance photos: Phillip James Throckmorton