Kelsey Humphreys

Kelsey Humphreys makes no qualms about being a pop singer. When the lights rise at the Lyric Theater, she opens strong and loud. Most people familiar with Kelsey had seen only small, acoustic shows. However, with the release of her new album Hey There, she cast her vision for her image: Big shows, lots of fun and the pink piano. She's purposeful about everything, her image, her wardrobe and her desire to go as far as she can go. She produced a memorable experience without the help of a well-known music label backing her. Miller Pro Audio even lent her sound equipment, no doubt impressed by her desire and ability to go for big. Kelsey also used what resources she had at her disposal: enlisting her alma mater, Putnam City North's drum line for "Hey There" and asking the OU Gospel Choir to sing on tracks like "Wait and See."

But her music is not something easily pigeon-holed where I could say, yeah, she's like so-and-so. She's in love with harmonies and oldies. Her deep, soulful voice resonates with stories of "Half Songs" and the encouraging words of "Inspire Me." She makes a break up song sound uplifting. In "Still Hurts," she champions the most broken hearted to move on with peppered drums and perky piano playing. She's not a machine, mass-producing hit singles. "Gimmee Some Soul" shows her understanding of the music industry and her desire for more "guts" in pop. Her producer and fellow musician, Matt Stansberry joined in on "Line in the Sand," a call to action for people to not "roll their eyes" in complacency, but decide to make a positive difference in the world.

Humphreys is a performer, but there were times on stage when she got lost in the love of the music. She walked around stage with the confidence and passion of a born singer. "My song" chronicles this journey of finding "her nitch." Although sure of her ability, she felt unsure of which way to go with it. After years of trying to be something else, she's content to "let her curls go wild."

Her writing reminds me of the vulnerability shown from someone who's taken a serious look at herself. No doubt, she takes her budding career seriously, with a serious desire to have fun along the way. Like a good movie, the more you listen to Hey There, the more you'll like it. She wants you to join her, "won't you sing, won't you sing, won't you sing along?" Connect with her at myspace.com/kelseyhumphreysmusic - Shar Grant

"Kelsey Humphreys, Finally Home"
It's an interesting experiment, fusing high-energy pop music with the powerfully blended melodies and lyrics of soul, but Oklahoma singer/songwriter Kelsey Humphreys somehow knew the end product would be worth the risk in her recently debuted CD, Hey There, released in January.
A self-professed songwriter since the age of five, Humphreys agilely tempers a range of emotions, like the heartbreak from lost love, with the hopeful outlook that inevitably comes from the lyrical perspective of the optimistic and faith-driven 24-year-old that she is today.
The evolution of Hey There is a reflection, in large part, of Humphreys' own evolution. "The songs I had written for that CD were a little more on the 'pop' side," Humphreys recalls, adding, "and halfway through putting the album together, I realized, 'I'm not feelin' it.'"
Her honest self-assessment prompted Humphreys to explore a new direction for the CD's compilation by replacing several songs with newer, more soulful tracks like "My Song," which Humphreys describes as an anthem to her own joy at finding her true musical direction. Encouragement from the album's producer, Matt Stansberry, confirmed what Humphreys already knew: she was finally home. "I felt like I'd finally found what I'm supposed to be," Humphreys explains.
The rest of Hey There, including the cover's pink piano (a modified relic of Humphreys' childhood), is the product of her fondness for her musical upbringing. "I grew up as the daughter of a pastor, so I love harmonies and the addition of a full gospel choir behind me," Humphreys, an accomplished pianist, says.
"I like all the madness on stage that comes with having the choir and even a full drumline," she adds. "I want to bring my audience a big, fat, fun show with lots of people."
Hey There is available on iTunes and cdbaby.com. Hear more at www.kelseyhumphreys.com.

written by Lauren Hammack, photo by kevinpaulphoto.com

(see this article in my images section.) - Southwestern Publishing