Time has been publishing the list of 100 emerging people around the world (Time Hundred Next) for several years. American singer Kelsey Bellerini has made it to the 2023 list. The 30-year-old star has a reputation not only for singing but also for his lyrics. How the ghost of writing filled his head?
I grew up in Knoxville, USA. There was a huge open space in front of our little house. As a child, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Because I am very animal lover. I will be a singer, I will write songs, these were not in my imagination.
I wrote my first song at the age of 13. At that time my parents were going through divorce proceedings. I was very broken. All the sorrows of the world seemed to rush upon me at once. I remember sitting upstairs while writing the song, it was raining. Even at the beginning of the writing, it seemed that the inside was breaking into pieces. But after writing the whole song, the mind suddenly calmed down. That’s when I realized that writing is more than a passion for me. It seems that I have received this gift so that I can fight and cope with the difficult times of life.
At the age of 14, I decided to become a singer. There was a small music company in Knoxville called Nashville. Mom took me to meet a worker in Nashville. He said, ‘Are you sure? Do you want to sing?’ I said hesitantly, ‘I don’t know exactly. It seems.’ He arranged a meeting.
The next day I showed up with a guitar that was bigger than me. I did not learn to hold the guitar well then. Somehow I played and sang. Looking at the face of the man sitting on the opposite side, I could understand that he wanted to say, ‘What do you need, Taylor Swift is there!’ I was very discouraged. When I came out I was thinking, ‘No, I can’t. I will not sing. I don’t want any more meetings.’
After returning home, I tried to stay away from writing for a few days. The result is the opposite. I started writing more and more. A few days later I went to Nashville again. Now while playing the song I felt like, ‘Yes, this is what I want to do.’
I could not understand how to start. The first thing I did was start sending friend requests on Facebook to whoever I found related to the industry. I was ready to meet and work with anyone. Because, building this network was very necessary. My message was very simple, ‘Hi! I’m Kelsey. Can you help me?’
Luckily I was friends on Facebook with someone who worked at Black River Entertainment. He replied, ‘Okay. come one day Let’s see what happens.’ The meeting took place. My contract was finalized after a week.
Everyone knew I wanted to be a singer. When I wrote a song, I wanted everyone to go and listen to it.
Me in the studio and me in front of thousands of people are two completely different people. I remember, once I opened the word file on the laptop and wrote the script of the concert. Like when the song ‘Love Me Like You Mean It’ ends, I’ll say these before I start ‘Yeh Boy’. The truth is, I was very afraid of speaking in front of people.
Not so much now though. I don’t know, maybe because of age. Or maybe now I’m not so worried about saying the wrong thing. Now the music is full attention.
I am interested in anything creative. I am eager to take advantage of any new opportunity. But at the center of everything, at the end of everything, music is my love.
Translation: Md. Saifullah
Source: Kelsey Bellerini’s YouTube channel and interviews published on Time.com
