Keltiey Refuses to be Pinned Down

 A few days before the release of her EP last Friday, keltiey joined me over video call to discuss her experimental approach to genre, the experience of going viral, and her creative premonitions.

Hello Keltiey!

Hi!

It's great to meet you. Where are you right now?

I'm in Houston, Texas, with my family. 

Nice. Do you come from a creative family?

My dad did music, and I would go to a lot of studio sessions with him. So that was definitely a little bit of inspiration. I probably got that gene from him, but I taught myself how to do music.

What kind of music was your dad making?

I guess, like rap, gospel rap. Really all types. But I was introduced to a lot of music since I was young. I had a lot of outlets to express myself.

When you say you taught yourself how to make music, how did you do that?

I kinda just learned as I went, because I just used BandLab. I don't really know how to make beats yet, but I taught myself how to navigate on BandLab and just do it on my phone. Eventually I learned how to do it more professionally, but for the most part, I learned how to do it on my phone.

How long was it between when you started teaching yourself how to do that, and when you released your first song?

It was probably a year before I released my first song [in 2022], which was called “I Guess,” but we took that one down. Then I released “Need.”

Wow. Did you just put it out on SoundCloud?

Yeah, it was originally only on SoundCloud, and YouTube. There were a lot of issues with the beat, so we had to only release it on SoundCloud for the time being. Then we released it probably, like, two weeks later on all platforms.

I remember hearing it back when it first went viral, and I remember not being able to find it on any other streaming. I loved it, I played it nonstop.

[Laughs] Thank you!

Were you surprised by how the song took off? I mean, because it was only your first, or technically your second song. 

There’s this app, kind of like a game, called Tik Tok simulator, and basically, it would make it look like you're an influencer, and like you're getting a bunch of likes and followers and stuff. To see that actually happen to my profile, to wake up to that and see the little red notifications, all those likes… that was crazy.

Was that something you had tried to manifest, when you were on the simulator?

I was trying to imagine what it would be like, how it would feel, and then it actually happened. Not to be one of those people, but I kind of felt like this was destined for me ever since I was younger. My mom’s right here, she could tell you — I used to just sing all the time as a kid, and it’d be annoying but I wouldn't stop singing and dancing and stuff.

I love it. The more artists that I've met and spoken to, the more I hear something similar to that, about having had that kind of premonition.

Could you tell me about that shoutout from Flo Milli at the 2022 American Music Awards? What was that like?

It was right around this time this year, and my friend had tagged me in a video and I didn't know what it was at first. Like, I didn't watch the whole video at first because I thought they were just tagging me in it because it was the AMA’s. I was gonna just watch it later.

Then I watched the full thing later, and I was like, oh, wait, she shouted me out. That's why they tagged me! But yeah, that was crazy. I kinda still haven't processed anything, to be honest. It's kind of hard to process all of it.

Were you a fan of hers before that?

Of course! I used to listen to her music in middle school and stuff.

I love it. You’ve collaborated quite a bit with the UK artist skaiwater. How did that collaborative relationship start?

In August last year skaiwater followed me back on TikTok. I think that was probably one of my first co- signs – someone who reached out and said my music was good. They’re very, very sweet, like literally the sweetest person on earth and so talented. We've met twice in real life. I love working together because it’s not like what you can sometimes get, where it’s forced. They genuinely want to work with you. That's what I like a lot, like those types of friendships.

I saw a past interview where you mentioned that you wanted to show people that you’re “not just a Jersey club artist” and you can do other types of sounds. What is your relationship to Jersey club? And if you did choose what genre you were described as, what would that be?

I really wouldn't want to be described as any genre, because I don't know yet. I want to have my own sound and I haven't really decided which one it is. 

I didn't make “Need” to do Jersey music. I was just trying the genre because that's what I do. I’ve tried and done a little bit of everything in almost every single genre. So I was experimenting, and it did well and it caught me off guard honestly.

Especially given how early you still are in your career, that makes me excited to see what you're going to do in the future. How are you feeling ahead of your first EP release? 

I’m just eager to let people hear what more I have to me, and see that I'm not just a one hit wonder, like I can do other stuff and I'm serious about this. I want them to know I'm serious. 

My last question: if you had to pick a song you would say you’re the most excited for people to hear, which one would it be?

“Control.” Definitely. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me!

Thank you so much. It was nice meeting you!