Kelley Cole
Singer/songwriter/producer Kelley Cole has just released her debut single “Anyone” and it is a smash. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to hear something that good so that was a great surprise. I am very impressed by the production. She absolutely killed it and it sounds fucking amazing (the synth is my favorite part). The melodies on this song are perfect, especially on the hook. What a record. I played it on repeat for a while and I can’t wait for the world to hear it. Congrats Kelley on this song and thank you so much for this conversation. You are a promising talent for sure.
“Anyone” is now available worldwide.
Photo credit: Eden Lauren
Hi Kelley, how are you? Introduce yourself - what's your story?
Hey! I’m hanging in there :) I’m Kelley Cole, I’m an Alt-Pop artist based in Nashville Tennessee. I’m also a music producer and I produce all of the songs I create. I think my drive to create music came from my love of the over-dramatic pop anthems that came out of the late 2000s and the early 2010s. The world feels so big when you're growing up and the music that I heard then held the same feeling. I’ve been trying to chase that huge emotional and energetic outpour ever since.
"Anyone" is your new single - what's the inspiration behind this song?
Anyone is a really special track to me, personally. It’s about my tendency to be a social chameleon. When I started college years ago, I was surrounded by a lot of new people, new ideas and it was hard for me to feel comfortable with just being myself. I felt as though I had to act more bubbly, girlier, louder and more gossipy just to seem interesting and feel seen. It felt like it was all for show.
When did you start working on it? Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create it?
I started writing this song about a year ago, fall 2020. It started as just a really great groove I made that I desperately wanted to write over. It just kept getting bigger and bigger, from there; I couldn’t stop myself from adding layers and layers of drums, percussion, and harmonies. Once I started writing over it I couldn’t stop, the simple staccato melody and the flirty playful lines were so so so fun to write. The bridge was definitely my favorite part to produce, it feels to me as if the facade is breaking down and the whole song is sent into an existential spiral. And the synths were just SO fun to program. Tyler Callahan joined the process later on and helped me by recording and producing my vocals.
What did you feel when writing this song?
I felt pure excitement. Inspiration is a very precious thing to me. There's very few times that everything comes together at the right time. This was one of them.
What's your favorite thing about this song?
The prince synth stab moment at 1:50. Its so cheesy and energetic. It’s everything.
What made you want to release "Anyone" as a single?
It’s an amalgamation of everything I care about as an artist. It has a real important story, it makes me feel something, it's big and emotional, and not to mention it makes you MOVE.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
I did an incredibly fun photoshoot with the amazing Eden Lauren. We went out to a block in East Nashville and took photos there. It was quite adventurous actually. We wanted to get some pictures in the middle of the street, so I’d run to the middle of a crosswalk, pose, and then run out of the way of beeping cars.
What is your goal for this single?
I really just want this song to establish who I am as an artist. Since this is a new project for me, I want to lay the groundwork and show people who I am sonically.
What's the hardest part about being an artist? And what is the best part?
The hardest part for me is self-criticism. It’s so easy to demand perfection out of yourself, when all you see from your favorite artists and role models is the most perfected curated pieces of art manufactured and hand-picked by a whole industry. Allowing myself to create in isolation from my own inner critic is definitely something I’m working on. The best part about being an artist is having the ability to turn my emotions, experiences, and thoughts into something that I can learn from and that I can share with others.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
There are two major issues I think need to be addressed by the industry. The first is artist compensation by major streaming services. The second is female representation within both the creative and business side of the music industry.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
I’m definitely in the part of my life where I am still constantly learning, and don’t really have much room to give lessons rather than receive them. That being said, right now I think I’m in the middle of really learning how I am the only one who can control how I let things affect me.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Seeing how similar we all are.
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
Be nice. See others. Don’t be afraid to be a fool.
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