We admit, when we first got hip to musician Kelsey Karter, we thought she might be just another beautiful pop singer with her big blue eyes and luscious lips. But one listen to her sultry, rich, deep songs we knew there was way more to this girl than meets the eye.A self-proclaimed rebel from a family of musicians, her father used to teach her about his favorite musicians like it was a class at school. “He still does it and I love it,” she said. That would explain how Motown, rock and soul seem to seep from her very soul and her sounds reminiscent of times past.The Australian native, who now lives in Los Angeles, let us know a little bit about the mystique behind her magic.—————————————What do you base your songs on, personal experiences, fiction? Do you write your own lyrics?So much that I hate about music today is that it’s so calculated. People wanna’ make kitschy shit that fits pop culture just so people make memes out of their stupid lyrics. But that’s not what music is about. Not for me anyway. I wanna hear someone’s truth. I wanna hear someone’s pain, and their victory, their imagination and that one time they fucked everything up. I wanna know what makes them tick, what makes them feel funky. What their soul says to them at night, ya know?! SO – I try to write like that, and if I make just one person feel something through my music, I’ve done what I came to do.Are you motivated by sorrow, happiness, both?Hmmm. I mean, you said it – I sing the blues. But that can mean so many things. I thrive off the tough times. It’s when things are easy that I get bored or uninventive. But that doesn’t mean it has to be sad. I could write my happiest of songs when I’m depressed. It’s just when I’m most creative.What are some pivotal moments that dictated where you are today?Rejection. It’s not the “yeses” that got me where I am. It’s the “no’s.” That’s when you’re tested. That’s when you see what you’re doing wrong. That’s when you have the chance to cower or use it to get better.Who are some of your modern musical heroes, has anyone told you you remind them of Amy Winehouse?Amy was everything. There’s no artist I get compared to more, which is a huge compliment. She was bought up on jazz and oldies like me, and I love that she wasn’t afraid to own that. I’ve learnt a lot from her.You said you love love and fight hard, explain those parts of yourself.I’m an extremist. I love everything about love. The chaos, the pain, the excitement, the beauty. More people need to recognize that love IS the way. And I fight for what I want, who I care for, what I believe in. And I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks. I was so rebellious growing up, I loved doing what people told me I couldn’t. And I realized, though I got into a lot of trouble, that it was an attribute. I’ve never been afraid to fight for what I believe in. There’s no shame in being someone that jumps first.How do you maintain relationships with your busy schedule?Always got time for love, sugar.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h26oC_rKDZI
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