Kelia (kay-lee-uh) is a singer, songwriter and recording artist from the greater Seattle area. Born on May 28, 2000, she began creating music at just 12 years old. In 2017, Kelia joined Tacoma Records (QRS) and released her first studio single in March of 2018. She has a wide sonic range focusing on R&B/Soul and Pop, with a blend of synths and live instruments to create the perfect contemporary sound. Her music is directly inspired by her life experiences and documents her growth as an artist and a person along the way.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Kelia, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hi Kamil! Great to chat with you as well! I've been singing since I could talk, as early as I can remember. I had this Barbie karaoke machine that recorded on tapes and I would record myself singing into it at like 4 years old. I've loved music forever.
What is your creative process like?
A lot of the time I write little lyric ideas that come to mind to save for later because ideas can be triggered by anything. Then I'll typically sort through them, compile them, or build off of them and add musical ideas into them too.
Your latest song is 'butterflies'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
"butterflies" was one of those songs where I wrote the chorus of the song and then let it sit for awhile and came back to it. I was in the studio with my producer sorting through ideas and I had this one which I already wrote a melody for. My producer and I built the rest of the song and I finished writing the rest of the song in that session and by the end of the night we were mostly done with it. At the time that I wrote this, I was seeing someone that really blew me away and made me feel like a little kid again, giving me those stereotypical "butterflies." I wrote down all the little things that they made me feel. The dynamic of the relationship I had with this person was so different from any I've ever had, it felt so young and fun. It's one of those feelings you can't put the name to so you call it "butterflies" or "fireworks."
What was the most difficult challenge you faced?
I use a couple different parts of my vocal register and flipping between that and doing it as best I can was the challenging part, but I figured out how to do it quickly and accurately.
What is the biggest mistake you have made within your career to this point?
Something I've always struggled with is perfectionism, and the truth is that nothing will be perfect and that's okay. The world would be boring if it were perfect, and so would music. There's no growth! I may look back on something I thought or created and feel totally different about it now, but it reflected who I was at the time. So, I'd say it's a mistake to dwell on being perfect.
Are there people who help you with the production of the songs?
Quinton Davis, my producer! We do it all together and we're a great team.
What are your long term goals?
To keep performing, learning, and teaching. Everything I do in music makes life wonderful.
What do your fans mean to you? What do you value most in them?
My fans are so deeply appreciated! It's amazing to have people who are excited to hear what's next from you and support you through it all. I'm so grateful for them, they keep me going.
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
I really like when my friends and peers let me know they like what I make. It feels good.
Where is the best place in the world you’ve ever been to?
I'm a Seattle lover at heart, but I did really love my time in New York City.