Daily Inspiration: Meet Kelley Cole

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Kelley Cole.

Kelley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been completely obsessed with music my whole life. It has always made me feel alive and understood like nothing else had.

I had such supportive friends when I was younger, and they encouraged me to learn. I started writing songs and playing in 6th grade and have not been able to stop since then. I enrolled in anything that could get me to perform. I was into theater for a little while, made my bands with friends, and joined many after-school music programs. I would spend all my free time in my basement just writing and trying to get better in any way I could.

I started getting into music production in high school simply out of necessity. I imagined my songs with huge synths, drums, and an epic landscape, but I didn’t have any connections to producers or the recording industry at all, so I learned how to program myself. Moving to Nashville and going to Belmont was a natural progression after that.

Nowadays, I’m focusing on building my artistic career alongside my freelance production. When I’m not doing that, I’m also an engineer at the Bluebird Cafe.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am such an independent and introverted person.

It has always made me want to do everything by myself. Learning how to let people into my creative process has been something that has propelled me forward. Being in such a creative and supportive city has really helped me open myself up to this.

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I made the choice to do two incredibly challenging things: try to be a recording artist and a record producer, but I’ve been loving the slow but rewarding progress. This year in particular I’ve been pushing myself to really focus on my artistry. I had an incredible period last summer and winter where I was so inspired and wrote so many of my favorite songs ever.

I decided then that I had to release these songs in their own project. So, we started creating an EP of music. This is the first body of work I will be releasing for this project, and I am so excited. Me and my partner Tyler Callahan are Co-producing the EP and have put so much into it. We just released the first single, “Twenty-Five,” which turned into my quarter-life crisis song. The music video, directed by David Graham, will be released soon. Be on the lookout for a few more leading singles from this project in the next few months.

For production, I’ve been growing a lot too. I specialize in anything remotely pop, but love working with most commercial genres. I’m drawn to moody, dark, epic, synth-focused songs. I have been working with more and more extremely talented live musicians as well. Some of my recent clients include Annie Scherer, Bennet Lemaster, and Elizabeth Gerardi. These ladies are such a dream to work with, and I’m so inspired by each and every one of them.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I’m playing a show on May 1st with some really talented friends from Chicago, the band Darling, and the local act JT Loux. It’ll be in The East Room. Looking forward to this show so much.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekelleycole/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjIj4vRzoG-zwx9m-PUnoTw
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5EmPsKhI3PTCJXrXZYNW08?si=7XHWxsymRuCDBjMpwG6WGg

Image Credits
Nate Bradley, Libby Danforth, and Tyler Callahan