Bringing an Americana twist on indie-pop, Stacey Kelleher is making a name for herself in music city. Now after months of touring the Northeast states and releasing a new EP, she sits down with GRL Mag to reflect on where she’s been and where she’s going.
We just let the song take us where it takes us and hold on tight for the ride!
Stacey Kelleher on co-writing songs
Who are you? Thanks for chatting with me! My name is Stacey Kelleher and I’m an indie-pop artist, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’m originally from New Hampshire and I’m a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where I studied songwriting.
How would you describe your music? Songwriting is my outlet throughout the highs and lows of my life. That being said, my music is definitely very straightforward, honest, and vulnerable. I love to pair meaningful lyrics with production that brings them out, whether it be an interesting chord progression, a pretty synth line, or whatever I feel like makes the lyric hit even harder. Each song to me is a story, and I want to tell it as uniquely and as authentically “me” as possible.
When did music enter your life in a significant way? I remember singing along with the radio in the car and around the house as soon as I learned to speak. My parents signed me up for piano lessons at age 6 and I instantly fell in love with the way that I could paint my emotions through certain notes and chords. I begged to start guitar lessons too, so at age 9 I started lessons with a family friend. I then began writing my own songs and it was over for me from there. I was addicted. In 2009, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and truly I think music was the thing that kept me going through her surgeries and treatments. It was always there for me, no matter what emotion I was feeling. I’d always go in my room and start playing and singing, and it made me feel better. That made me realize the power that music held for me.
Where do you get your inspiration? Really from everything that happens to me. I could be having a bad day and write about that, I could be super happy and use that as inspiration. Most often I find that I pull from situations and events in my life, and each of those tell a specific story about things that I’ve gone through.
What is your songwriting process like? I’m very lyric-driven and I love to co-write, so usually I’ll start catching up with my co-writers and filling them in on what’s been going on in my life. I like to have a few ideas ready so we can dive right in, but sometimes songwriting really serves as therapy and it could literally be us writing a song as I’m processing emotions about something that I’ve been going through. Once we have a general idea and a few lyrics to start us out, I’ll find an interesting chord progression or riff, usually on guitar but every once in a while I’ll switch it up and use piano. Then we just let the song take us where it takes us and hold on tight for the ride!
How does your education continue to influence your work? I’m reminded every single day how fortunate I was to attend Berklee. I was lucky enough to study with a professor named Pat Pattison and the tools he gave us in his songwriting classes truly have stuck with me. I use them every time I write a song or perform. He created the Songwriting program at Berklee and the Nashville trip, which the Songwriting department took every spring break. I went on that trip twice and it inspired me so much that I decided I would move to Nashville once I graduated. Pat took me under his wing and believed in me from day one – he gave me lots of advice about moving here and I’m so thankful for his mentorship.
What made you fall in love with Nashville? There’s a strong sense of community here in town and everyone truly wants to help each other out – I’d never experienced that or lived anywhere like that before. On top of that, a lot of my college friends moved here at the same time as me, so having lots of folks that I knew already helped a lot with the transition. Also, Nashville has a little bit of everything – there’s a lot of city vibes but you can drive 20 minutes and be in a totally different world, whether it’s a cute little neighborhood in Franklin, a beautiful park in Green Hills, or a hip, happening area like East Nashville.
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What makes your work unique from other up-and-coming artists there? A lot of people tell me how much they like my raspy voice, so I’d say that’s something that sets me apart. I blend a lot of different genres in my music, using influences from pop, rock, indie, folk, Americana, R&B, and more, which makes for a one-of-a-kind sound.
Tell us about your latest EP! “Songs So Far” is made up of songs that I’ve written since moving to Nashville two and a half years ago. Each song tells a different story, ranging from moving here to being scared to tell my now-boyfriend that I liked him to not being afraid to be yourself. The project is about to hit 75,000 streams across all platforms, which is insane! The fact that so many people are listening to it and relating to my stories is mind-blowing to me – that’s something about being an artist that I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. It’s just so humbling and such an amazing feeling.
How do you deal with negative criticism? You know, it’s hard. You work so hard at your craft 24/7 and when someone doesn’t vibe with it, it hurts. But I always remind myself that I’m not for everyone, and that’s okay! Also, everyone has their own opinions – that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re true or that I should view them as my identity.
What are you listening to right now? I absolutely love Holly Humberstone so I’ve been spinning her new songs that she’s been putting out as well as her older stuff. I’ve also been listening to lots of local Nashville artists like Bre Kennedy, Dylan Rockoff, Emily Weisband, and more. If you haven’t heard of them, you should definitely check them out!
What is next for you? I’ve got lots of music that I’m releasing this year, the first single is coming out in March. I’m an avid touring musician as well, so I’ve got some shows lined up in different parts of the country. You can connect with me at @iamstaceykelleher on Instagram and Facebook as well as @staceykelleher on TikTok to see what I’m up to!