BILFPOD - Born to Stand Out: Kelsie Watts on Confidence, Creativity & Center Stage Moments

Episode Date: June 26, 2025

New Episode Alert - BILFPod  x Kelsie WattsSinger, songwriter, and powerhouse vocalist — Kelsie Watts turned a dream and a microphone into a captivating career built on resilience, grit, and authenticity.From stealing the spotlight on The Voice with “I Dare You” to releasing her bold new single “Fit In,” now she’s making her mark as Jane Seymour in Six the Musical — Kelsie is proof that following your heart can redefine the music you create and the path you walk.In this episode:•⁠  From The Voice to making her mark on Broadway•⁠  ⁠⁠How “fit in” became an anthem for belonging and breaking boundaries•⁠  ⁠⁠What it takes to stay grounded while chasing big dreams•⁠  ⁠⁠How she uses music as a platform for self-love and truthListen to  this unforgettable episode — and get ready to be inspired! 🎤🔥🎧 Get Connected with Kelsie WattsStay inspired and follow Kelsie’s journey:Instagram: @kelsiewattsmusicTikTok: @kelsiewattsmusicWebsite: www.kelsiewatts.com🎶 Stream her powerful new single “Fit In” — now available on all major platforms.This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt underestimated. Turn it up and remember: your power was never meant to blend in.#BILFPod #KelsieWatts #TheVoice #SingerSongwriter #MusicWithPurpose #ViralVoice #BroadwayBound #JaneSeymourInSiX #NewSingle #FitIn #WomenInMusic #AuthenticArtists #ChasingDreams

I pursue everything as hard as I possibly can. I work as hard as I possibly can, and I'm a sponge and I soak in everybody around me. I want to soak up anything and everything that I can because I feel like we always have things to learn. And as creatives, there's always more to learn from other creatives. I will continue to pursue recording and releasing music 100%. I will continue to pursue acting, singing, dancing, and if that's on Broadway, amazing, 100%. And I really feel like what's meant for me will come. Welcome back to the Bill Fod.

We're authenticity trumps authority. Now, I am sitting here with this gorgeous specimen, this beautiful, I mean, vibrating. Because you said you came in here and felt that I, as soon as I felt your energy, it is incredible. Thank you. Now, I don't even need to give you a formal introduction because I'm pretty sure the world knows who you are. But in case they don't, we have Ms. Kelsey Watts here. She is currently on 6th. She is a vocalist, an actor, performer.

I mean, you name it. Like, is there anything you don't do? Dang, you just made me feel so cool. Actress. I said actor. It's fine. Whatever. I feel like you can do anything you want.

Yeah. Well, welcome to the show. I'm super excited to have you. You are so freaking cute. I cannot. Thank you. So are you. No.

My gosh. No, I know. When I saw you, I was thinking the same thing. I'm like, oh, no. We're going to be best friends. For sure. I'm so. excited to sit here with you. Thank you. So can we just like dig in right now? Let's do it.

All right. So you are currently performing right now. Yes. And you started as with opera. Is that where you started? Yeah. Well like you mean like way back when. Way back one. Oh, okay. Yeah. Way back. Yes. So I mean, I grew up singing in church. So I was singing choir all the time, like church productions. And then I did opera starting in college. Like kind of like high school, like choir and then college at opera and eventually moved over to like commercial music. And when did your love for singing like when did you well first of all like how do you realize I always want to know because I can't sing I think I can sing in the shower that's great yeah I mean I'm like I'm into it but when did you realize that your your voice is incredible like I mean thank you it sounds so cliche

truly but I don't remember learning how to sing like I don't remember falling in love with music it's literally just always been there yeah like I tell people music is my DNA and I really think like instead of little strands, their actual music notes, it's like a little staff. Constantly. They have that. Like, you know, like the blurbs above your head. You just have music notes. It's just there.

Yeah, like all the time. So, I mean, both of my parents are really musical. My brother and sister. I mean, it's just a music family. It's in your jeans. Yeah. In your blood. Yeah.

I mean, so I remember the very first time I ever performed, like, in front of people on a stage. I think it was, what, eight, nine maybe. And it was a church production of this little show called Candy Cane Lane, like some Christmas show. I don't even remember what it was about. But I remember it's the first role I had to walk out and sing something. I had this crazy like Candy Cain hat on that was like Dr. Sue's style. It was ridiculous. And ever since then, it's just what I've always done.

And that was it. That was like your defining moment. It was my, yes, Candy Cain Jane was my defining moment. Candy Cain Jane, I love it. I know. That is hysterical. Were you nervous? Do you remember like coming on stage?

I was terrified. You were. I remember vividly. I couldn't tell you what it was about. Couldn't tell you what I sang. Who I performed for, where I was, I was terrified. And I remember vividly being in, you know, like, it wasn't a sweatsuit, but do you remember like as a kid, you wore, it's like a turtleneck and then like pants that were the same material?

And it was just, it could, maybe it was a Texas thing. I don't know. I don't know, girl. But I was in this crazy costume with a cat in the hat candy cane. And I was like, oh my God. was like, oh my gosh, I have to go out there. This is it. I have to do it. And then I just did it. And that was it. The rest of history. Yeah. Now we're here. So now, wait, so then you, okay, so you're candy cane jane. Yeah. I love that that's going to be in this. I'm definitely

going to, I'm just going to tell you this forever. We're going to like find a picture and put it up there. I know. Gosh, I'll have to ask my parents. You have to, you have to send us one. So then you go to the voice. Yes. And you were actually handpick by Kelly Clarkson. I mean, that was crazy. Yeah. Who can say that in life? I know. I mean, I can. Yeah. Yeah.

She, I have a clip that I wish I could put an audio clip like on a resume. But she said, she sang that song better than I did. And I was like, oh, my gosh, crazy. Yeah, because I sang a Kelly Clarkson song for Kelly Clarkson. Which one did you say? I dare you. I knew I had like a little business mindset going into this show because I realized you're not guaranteed to get a blind audition and you're not guaranteed to air. And in my brain, I was like, well, Kelly Clarkson is one of the coaches.

She just released this new single. So if I pick her single to sing for her and she just released this, they're going to want it for promotion for her. It's going to look good because it'll be dramatic to sing a song of hers for her. And I'll be guaranteed to have airtime. And that's what happened. Beauty, brains, and brilliant. And a voice.

And a voice. All in one package. Thank you. That's not fair. Oh, whatever. It's not fair. No. So what was that experience like on The Voight?

Honestly, so it was during the pandemic. It was literally in 2020. We weren't allowed to leave our hotel rooms for the first two weeks. And we were tested every three days. I mean, my God, it was nuts. So our season was so different from the other seasons because we didn't have a live audience. Like, we were in person, but it felt like you were actually just going to a very terrifying audition every time you went and did anything. Yeah.

So crazy, very different. But I had a blast. Made some of my best friends there. I mean, and it gave me a job when all of our jobs were. shut down. Yeah. So it was honestly the perfect timing. What were you doing like prior to that during like before the pandemic or what were you doing? I was on a showboat singing, um, like a variety show showboat where in Texas or in Nashville? Where are home? Voice of 2020. Branson, Missouri. Branson, Missouri. Can you find that on the map? I probably no. Not not,

not now. Um, no, I mean, so I was there and then I also did a showboat gig in Nashville. So the General Jackson. And so, I mean, honestly, as a singer and an artist just like trying to make it, you know, I'm just excited if I have a job that pays me a salary. Yeah. You know, I mean, because honestly, on top of that, like I was bartending and even in Nashville recently before I got put on Broadway was still bartending except on Broadway and Nashville. And yeah, I mean, because music's expensive. Yeah, so you have to, yeah, so you're like paying to have a career. Um, so I mean, I was doing showboat gigs and wedding gigs and bartending. and do whatever it. Broadway, New York.

Who never thought? I know. It's actually insane. Yeah, I'm sure it is. It's like a real life. There should be like a book about you. A play. Yeah. All musical about your life. We can do a musical. Okay, I'm going to put that on my list.

Starting with Candy Cany Jane though. I'm calling Lynn Manuel. Opening number, Candy Kane Jane. I love it. Done. That is incredible. So how did you like, did somebody say, hey, you really should try out for the voice or you just decided like, all right.

They called. The voice did. Wait, they called you? Like, yeah. They found you? They did. I had a producer reach out. And so it wasn't an open call.

They did like a private audition. Right. And they'd asked me to do it twice before. And they then didn't cast me for blinds, both of those times. So they called a third time. And I really didn't want to go do it because I was like, you already told me no twice? Like, why? Did you call again?

But they didn't. Then they put me on the show. That's incredible. Yeah. What a story. Yeah. It's nuts. So what was your, what was the final song that you sang?

you ought to know by Alanis Morissette. I knew I was going home before I even sang because they put me up against a sad country song. And so the way that it works is you don't actually just pick your song. So whenever people are like, oh, she picked a terrible song, it's like, well, you didn't really have a lot of options. So because of TV, like you have to have certain songs cleared. You can't just sing anything on television.

And so they give you this list that 100 other singers are also picking from And maybe you know some of them, maybe you don't. So you just kind of grab whatever you know, and then they tell you you're singing this song. And so when they gave me this song, which I love you. I don't know. Alainis Morcett is amazing. Yeah, I love her. But it was a very angry song for a television, and they put me with a very sad country song

and tears are always going to win. So it was before you've been saying, I was like, well, it's been fun, guys. We're done. Mike drop, done. And I'm sure it was super creatively done. That's probably why they got to showcase it. I know. That is incredible.

Wow. I'm like in awe just from talking to it. I mean, every time I sing karaoke, that is my go-to song, hilariously enough. And I always introduce it with this song kicked me off of national television. Everybody. You're like, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes. I know. So your Instagram and your TikTok is like booming. But you're, it's really hard for people to be like very authentic. Even I'm having trouble. I'm trying to get into this whole social media thing, but then I put on this fake voice.

I'm like, hey guys. It's really weird. But yours is so authentic. So how do you manage to keep it so real? You know, for a while I also was trying to figure out, well, what do people want to see? Because in this, I mean, you know, like in this industry, it's like, well, what do people want? Is it, you know, do I need to change this about me to make people want this more? Or do I need to fit in in this lane?

And maybe they'll want to listen to me then. And I just got so sick of it of trying to do that that I actually just wanted to quit social media completely. And my manager and my husband were like, Kelsey, just sing. Just sing. And I was like, who the heck is going to want to hear me sing? Everybody and their dog sings. Like, why would this be any different? And so, I kid you not, I put forth the least amount of effort.

And I put my husband's phone up in the kitchen. And I put my phone up and I had a karaoke track on his phone. And I was just doing normal life things, like making coffee or making a shake, and just started singing songs that I like to sing. That was it. Yeah, in my gym clothes, because I typically just got home from the gym or was about to go, and with my hair on top of my head looking like freaking tinkerbell, like, you know, I was like, this is, this is real life and this is what you're going to get.

And it just popped off. Yes, so that's the key. Just be yourself. Yeah, which sounds hilarious, but really, it's whenever I stopped trying to like have some persona that people started really watching. So I literally went from well like 20,000 followers to over a million in less than a year from just posting and being just. I think that's so important, especially for young girls that are watching. And I know that I have a 17 year old daughter that's like looking at all the TikToks and all the influencers. And like there's a lot of, I would say there's a lot of imposter syndrome going on. And for sure people trying, my daughter

trying to emulate or she wants to look like this person. But I love how you said it. Like you just were yourself. Yeah. And that was enough. And I can't believe on it. And I still, I still can't believe that that's what worked. Because I still, as an artist.

Yeah, because I also have imposter syndrome all the time. I think we all suffer from it. Oh my gosh. I'm like, I need to make a TikTok today. What do people want to hear me saying? Oh, are they going to like this? This didn't get a million views, but that one did. Well, maybe.

And I just have to stop and go, what do I want to sing today? Yeah. What do you want to sing? Yep. And if it hits a million? Awesome. And if it's not cool, oh well. It is just a little blip in all of it.

Is that where your, so can we talk a little bit about your new hit single? Yeah. So is that kind of where the premise came from, like your new single and like where like the lyrics came from? Is it from that fitting in? It really is. So I wrote the song with my friend DQ and another guy named Zach and as we were talking, it was our first time ever writing together. We were just having a cup of coffee in the studio and we were, DQ specifically asking. Q specifically asked me, you know, what is your sound?

Kelsey Watts as the artist, what is your sound? And I was like, you know, I've been pushed in so many different directions. People wanting me, well, you sound good singing ballads. So you should just sing ballads. Or, well, pop music's really popular. So you should just sing pop music. Or, you know, this would be better on your voice. And this is what people want to hear.

And I just never worked. Like, it just didn't work. And I was like, I want to sound like this. This is my voice. This is the kind of music that I like. I was like, if I can mesh like Rihanna in. pink together. I'm like, this is awesome. And that's what I love. And, you know, so that started the conversation. And then it even took us all the way back to, you know, being in middle school and high

school. Like, I never had a date to prom. I wasn't a part of the- You? No, never. I don't think I had a boyfriend until it was like 21. Have you seen yourself in the mirror? I mean, that's very sweet. I had a very late glow up. Very late in life. Yeah. Sorry. But I mean, you know, I just really like, I was friends with everybody. Like, I got along with everybody. You know, I wasn't bullied super terribly but I mean people would make fun of me I wasn't invited to the parties you know I I never felt like I wasn't a part of I was look at you now girl I mean hey we're shout out shout out to all the bullies out there all the haters yep all the people that had what to say now look at you now I know I mean and really that filtered into like my life as an

artist because I was like well what do I need to do differently like I mean do I need to lose do I need to lose weight do I need to wear this color lipstick do I need to have my hair this color, do I need to act this way or wear these clothes? Because that's what we're told to do. And as we were writing this in the studio, I was like, you know what's crazy? Is the cool people aren't even cool. They're still trying to be cool. Yeah. You know, I mean, I get on TikTok every day and it's like, well, are we wearing brown mascara or black mascara today? God knows, because if I were black mascara, I'm not cool anymore, but tomorrow it's going to change to pink. So, you know, I'm like, you just can't win. And so even the cool kids aren't actually

cool. And so I was like, what if we write a song about? just not fitting in. Like the world already has all of them. They need one of me. I love that. You know? Well said. Yeah.

I mean, it just, I was like, wait, hold on. And so even me being where I am now with the platforms I have now, I so often still find myself trying to fit into some mold or fit into some like mainstream coolness that I'm like, screw that. No. I think you're cool. Thank you. I think you're really cool, too.

I think you're cool, too. I think you're so wait if I ask you to sing or am I going to embarrass you no you'll do it like yeah just like that yeah of course because you can do that it's just my life who am I talking to like what am I just like I'm just like all the time all right so give us like give us some do I can't drop a beat for you anything I know like so okay so one of my faves to ever sing is fallen by Alicia Keys I feel like it's like a go-to so um it's just I keep on falling now we can snap with you yeah Sometimes I love Sometimes you make me blue

But sometimes I feel good And sometimes I feel used And love in it makes me so confused And then it goes back into the whole course, you know? You are, I'm, I can't. It's done. Stop, stop rolling. This is it.

We're done. We're done. That is incredible. Your voice, I can't. I think everybody has chills right now. Oh, thank you. I love Alicia Keys. I love her.

She's great. So what is your tune? So you're saying like you were trying to find it. So what is your, like I would like your vibe your tune? I mean, well, yeah, yeah. So it really is, it's very pop rock. You know, like there is a vibe. There is because I do have soul in my voice.

Like it's just, it's just a God thing. It's just he made my voice like it is. I don't try to sound any way. It's just how I sing. And so, you know, I grew up listening to all of these different genres. And, and. And I love pop music and I love rock music. And so it is a vibe and there's a bit of soul.

But it's also like, I love guitars. Tell me you play the guitars. I play the guitar very basically. I play piano. Yeah, right. Of course. I can play the piano. That I can play in a company myself.

Guitar, I can play like five chords. Yeah, right. I go probably like a whole thing. No way. Not. It's not with these nails. I have to take my nails off. You're like a three piece man.

I just feel like everything like the whole thing. I can't. Oh my God. You are incredible. Thank you. But like I love. I love at least she keys, but I want to hear a little bit about your single. About fit in?

I know, I want to hear you sing it. Oh, like sing it. Yes, cross. Okay, so let's see. So you'll hear the track. But if I were to sing it, like, I actually just recorded an acoustic version of it, too that I'm so excited about. Nobody else knows.

I haven't talked about it yet. So you are the first? Can we post about it? Yeah. Are you sure? Yeah, I don't care. We can post about it. We don't have it yet, but can for sure post about it.

So if I were to do it like in a more chill way, so it'd be like, You're standing in your own way, caring how what people say, let it all burst in the flames, watch it burn. Oh, why do you want to fit in when you're just trying to breathe, to breathe in? And out of these thoughts that are telling you to break out this box, break out these chains, take off the weight of the world, never too late. So why do? Wow. Give it all.

I think we all can give it up. Wow. Like I have tears in my eyes. I'm like thinking my daughter as you're singing. Wow. Yeah. Thank you. I mean, it's just.

And I love it because I can, you know, in the track it's like a judge. Why? you have these guitars and it's cool synths and stuff. But I think a good song, for me personally, you can also strip down and it's the song that makes it good. It's the lyrics and the melody and it, you can take all of the production away, and it's still great because the message is so powerful.

Do you feel it? I feel like you can feel it in your soul. Oh my gosh, yeah. It's just, it is like a, it's because I feel it so passionately because I lived it. And I understand what it feels like to not feel cool and to so desperately want to feel. fit in or to want to be successful or to want people to see you.

And then I also know how it feels to finally be able to let that go. And the freedom it gives you to just be you. Wow. Yeah. I mean, what an inspiration you are to young women. Thank you. So, I mean, that's what I'm, I'm so, such a strong believer in empowering the young generation. 100% of all the stigma and social media and all the other nonsense that we didn't

have to face, or me, I'm sure you're much younger than me, but that I didn't have to face, like, we didn't have that. Social media wasn't around. No, not like it is today. No, it's definitely not like it's today. I don't envy these kids at all. I don't either. And what they're going through.

It gives me stress now. I can't imagine being at 12. Yeah. And, oh my gosh. And everything that's going on and the comparison and the body dysmorphia and whatever. It's just, it's such. And you and your voice and your song, it just resonates. Thank you.

There should be more singers singing about that. So women and girls can feel like they can fit in no matter what, right? Well, and it kind of like flips the script a little bit because I think so often it can be seen as such a negative, like, sad, depressing thing. Because don't get me wrong. Those emotions exist in it. But if you flip it and you're like, no, but let me tell you like why you already fit in. Like, no, let's celebrate the fact that you are who you are and you are an individual and you can be whoever you want to be. Like, let's make it a happy thing and a something we celebrate. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Celebrate your differences. Yeah. There's nothing wrong

with them. No. Nothing. It's okay. That's what makes you do. Yes. Yeah. So what is a typical day look like I can't like do you practice vocals like me me me me me my my my my my my my my my my my my my my my my my my schedule's insanity can you get walk me through it yeah I mean so okay so I have I do eight shows a week on Broadway eight right now eight yes eight shows a week we just got off of a 14 show stretch so it's it's wild I will I applaud anybody that has ever done Broadway ever done theater I mean it's just the Olympics of performing I mean because you're you're on 100 percent you're doing two doubles a week.

Like we have two shows on, normally, two shows on Saturday, two shows on Sunday, and then you get a Tuesday off. And that one Tuesday you have to recover and try to get everything else done in your life. Yeah. You know, because you do normal things too. Yeah, like laundry. Yeah. You know, when you're like, oh, I should do that one day.

Oh, well, the dishes, you know. But right now, I'm also releasing music and recording music and writing music. So my day ranges from, you know, I try to have slow morning. I really have to be intentional with my time. So I do my best to not schedule anything before 10 a.m. So that way I can wake up, have coffee, exist, and I'm not just like up and out the door. You know, if my schedule allows it,

I love to lift, don't have to do it for hours at a time, but I love to go to the gym. But I'll have a writing session during the day sometimes, you know, from like 11 to 3, and then sometimes have a call after that. And then I have to be at the theater by 5 at the latest. Wow. Because our shows at seven, typically, and you need to physically warm up, vocally warm up.

We do our own makeup. We all wear wigs, but you have to do hair prep. So, like, I have to pin curl and braid everything. And then you also are just running around Manhattan. So good luck getting there in a timely fashion. Right. But, you know, so sometimes it's recording during the day. So I'm singing during the day and singing at night.

I go to physical therapy twice a week because you have to recover like an athlete because we dance for an hour and a half in the show. we never leave the stage, except maybe to grab a prop, and then you run back on. So the whole show, we're backing up each other vocally and dancing, and then you also have your own song, and then you also have group numbers. So it's very physically demanding. Yeah. Very physically demanding.

Even if you're sick, you have to go, right? Thankfully, we have covers. So now I'm the kind of person where even if I'm sick, I'm like, I'll be fine. But the other day, Loki was at the theater and was like, I can totally do a show. and literally, violently, was sick. And I looked at stage management and said, hey, I need to leave. They're like, no. I can't do this.

No, we're done. And they're so supportive. They're like, please go home, go home. But we actually have alternates, the swings that are phenomenal, the lifesavers of Broadway and any show. But each one of them knows three to four of our roles. And they're there every day, can step in at any time. Sometimes they have to step in mid-show, which we haven't had to do yet,

but they've done in the past. So thankfully, if you're sick, you do get to go home. You can call in. One question I do want, like I'm going to veer from the skaters. Yeah. For one second. Yeah. I really do because part of the show is about business.

Yeah. It really talks about, you know, Bill, boss, whatever. Yeah, for sure. You know, what you do, I think people see, they see the output. They don't see the input of what it takes. So it's not all glitz and glam every day, right? It's not. I mean, you said it.

You have to be intentional with your time. So you're balancing that. You're balancing, you know, your real life versus your stage life versus you know, everything else. So what would you think, like as far as the hard work goes, what did it look like for you? What did you have to sacrifice specifically in order to get where you're at? Oh, wow. So you're exactly right.

A lot of people don't really, number one, share the behind the scenes, ask about it or talk about or the failures. Yes, or your failures. And honestly, I think people can relate more to your struggles than they can do your successes. I agree. Forever and always. So for me, Broadway was not just handed to me because I have a following. This job, the tours I done, they were not just like, oh, you have a following.

You're saying, good job. Here you go. At all. I mean, the first time that Six reached out to me was in 2020. And they brought me to audition in 2021, I think, called me for a different part. And I got to Chicago, got through New York, and then they cut me. And when I tell you, I don't come from money. I have, I'm very happy and I'm so blessed to have the family that I have, you know, but my dad's a pastor.

Mom's a teacher. So we didn't grow up with excess, you know? So I've had a job since I was 15, sometimes multiple jobs at the same time. And it's expensive to go to New York. And especially to go audition, I had to take off work from elsewhere. I had to pay for the hotel and New York hotels are very expensive. Right. And then I got cut.

And I was like, why? And I reached out to casting. I emailed the casting director and said, hey, Peter, what can I do better? What is it that would have cast me? And he said, have you ever acted before? I said, no, sir, I have not. And he goes, if you could work on that, that'd be amazing. And I asked him for recommendation.

He gave me a guy named Benji Shaw, who I've been working with via Zoom, and now he's here in New York. And so worked with him for a whole year, and then six called again. Now, within this time period, I'm bartending. until three, four o'clock in the morning, putting all of that back into my craft, back into dance lessons, voice lessons, acting lessons. On top of releasing music, you pay the producer, you pay the musicians, you pay the rehearsal space,

you pay travel, you have to pay for the mixing and the mastering, the artwork, the video, all of that comes out of my pocket, all of it. And what I think people don't see is the business aspect, as the artist, I am in charge of myself. I am the person that ever- You're self-employed.

I am self-employed, which is hilarious because I don't actually get paid from me. I have to go have a job that pays me to pay other people. You know, and so, you know, six called again the next year, and I went back to New York and still didn't get cast. So now this is the second time. And it was for whatever reason I got to the very end. They didn't give me any negative feedback, but it was for a different part in the show, and I just didn't get cast.

And then the next year, they call me again. and this time they flew me out. It was for a boot camp. They put me up in the hotel. So that was a massive blessing. I was like, oh, great. I can save $4,000. This is awesome.

And, you know, got education and one-on-one time with the top people in this industry and learned so much. And I had to actively choose to leave that experience saying, even if I'm not putting the show, what an opportunity. Oh, my gosh, what an opportunity. Because I have now learned even more of this musical theater world that, I don't know, about um you know and the i didn't hear from them for over a year i love i mean it is so important because you're right all people see is the wins right they see the output but everything you said

is so important you know you did have to fail you did everybody i think you have to fail in order in order to be successful yep and then from there you know you have you have all of this so what is your experience like what is it like on six let's talk a little bit about it yeah i mean honestly it's a blast like is it exhausts Yes, but it is so much fun. So, so much fun. All of the girls in my cast are amazing. They're gems of humans. I learn something new from them every day. And often, as I'm in the show, I have these like pinch me moments of like, oh my gosh, I'm here and I'm on Broadway. Like what? Like how? Like how did this happen? I mean, just I'm in New York and I was in Nashville

in what, August, September, October? You know, like, I mean, it's just, It's a massive sweat. It is surreal. It is truly surreal that I'm here. That is so crazy. So tell me, like, if you can give me, like, give me a tea a little bit about behind the curtains. Like, what's something that nobody would know happens behind the curtains? Well, I think you said it. I think you said it, like the hair thing. I thought, like, you'd have hair and makeup there and. Right, things like that. Yeah, I mean, no, we do our own hair, own, own makeup. We can't dress ourselves because our costumes are so intricate. So we actually have dressers, people that we have to go to them. Well, like, they don't have to sew.

us in, but the costumes are so intricate that we physically can't put them on ourselves. So we have three pairs of tights, a leotard, and then my costumes, two pieces that are always together, and I have to put, like, different snaps into the leotard, and then the corset is like this thick and it does not move. So, you know, whenever you're doing choreo and you're like, oh, I can move like this, and it looks awesome. Put a corset on, and it looks like you're just standing still. So it's, yeah, it's nuts. That is insane. So tell me, what does, what do you and Jane Seymour, like what would you say like the similarity, if any? Oh, for sure. We are so similar. Crazy enough, that's what, whenever they did ask me to be in the show and they were like, hey,

you're a Seymour. And Roberta Dujack, who's actually the original person that contacted me at the showboat, like in line, she found me singing in a show. She was like, you know, at the time when we were casting in those years, we needed a par. We needed a Kathy par. And she goes, and you're just, you're a Seymour. And that's, that's why. And I was like, oh my gosh, you're exactly right. And so this character, you know, as you're, as an actor, you want to find similarities that you can really lean into so it's more authentic to yourself.

So that way when you're on stage, obviously I'm acting, but you want it to look like you're not really acting. You know what I mean? Like you want to be a character. Like really be this character. And so she's pretty awkward. And I'm also pretty awkward sometimes. Like you lean into this goofiness and you're just like,

I can't believe I just said that. Like what? And she really is that. But she's also a very put together. She's like a perfectionist in a lot of ways and doesn't allow her emotions to show, which is really what her song is, is like a release of her emotions.

And she allows herself to finally be vulnerable. And I totally took that journey myself being like, I was never vulnerable. I was like, nope, I'm fine, I'm fine, everything's always fine. And then I was like, screw this. If I'm not okay, I'm going to tell people, I'm just like, I'm not great today, but that's okay. So you and just so you love it.

You love what you're doing. Oh my gosh, I'm obsessed with it. Every day. Yeah. Even when I'm tired, I step on stage and I'm like, wow. Can I tell you, as an entertainer, as an artist, a performer, five-year plans are really, really, really difficult to predict. I couldn't have told you I was going to be on Broadway in five years, much less in five months.

Yeah. I mean, you know, I think for me, I pursue everything as hard as I possibly can. I work as hard as I possibly can, and I'm a sponge and I soak in everybody or around me. Like even, example, I walked in here, immediately started looking at your equipment. I'm not kidding, because I was like, what a vibe. I love this. Oh, what cool lights. Okay, she's mobile. You can bring this in like, yeah. I'm mobile. I like that. I was like, this is brilliant. Oh my gosh, I love the rub. You know, I, I want to soak up anything and everything that I can because I feel like we always have things to learn. Yeah. And as creatives, there's always more to

learn from other creatives. So for me, I will continue to pursue recording and releasing music 100%. I will continue to pursue acting, singing, dancing. And if that's on Broadway, amazing, 100%. And I really feel like what's meant for me will come. So, you know, if in an ideal world, if I could have a five-year plan and it actually like pan out, you know, I would say it. I mean, I mean, we're manifesting. I mean, I want to be on my own arena tour. I, you know, is to be, you know, selling out arenas for Kelsey. watts and then being able to give opportunities to other new artists as opening acts and you know bringing on friends of mine as dancers that have helped me from the beginning like creating this team because it is a team effort you cannot do this alone so it is very much a village yeah it takes a village

a massive village and good people you know and I've had the privilege of having so many people support me from day one you know when I couldn't pay them they were like that's okay let's do it just because I believe in you, you know? And I mean, it's those people that you keep with you. So, I mean, I would love to say by then I've collabed with jelly roll. Oh, speak it. Yeah, speak in that. Like, that would be super cool.

Would love to have written with Sia and Lady Gaga and, you know, being able to do collabs like that and tour. And I will say, on a Broadway thing, if that's still in God's plan for my life, I would love to originate a role. you know like a great like a greatest showman if great a showman you can do your own show remember we just talked right oh right i'm going to write my own show my god i forgot right right candy cane jean is opening actually talks about this already talks about what we're happening we're manifesting oh i'm it's all happening yeah so i mean that would be cool but honestly you know i would love to eventually

do television and feature films and i think that as an artist they all really do go together yeah you know i mean you can look at people like zendaya and jennifer hudson and gaga and you know so many people just morph it into it just into what you want and so I think you know five years my gosh hopefully it's a sold out arena maybe the second time you know I'm going to be there but duh I'm going to be there of course definitely going to bring you with me and be like okay we're setting up the podcast in a bus yeah and we're just here we are live and you're going to live and we're going to live and we're going to document the entire financial process of what putting on a tour looks like yeah and we'll just give them some business tips yeah why not exactly and then you go and perform and then whatever

yeah and then we're fine then we just hang out after done I love it's great Lily can come Lily, Lily's coming. I'm good. All right, how do you feel about playing a little game with me? I love games. You like games? I do. Are you ready?

I hope so. Okay. So it's really easy. So it's like, you know about following people, unfollowing people. Yes. So it would be like in this essence, it'd be like a bill if I want to follow. Okay. Bill if I want to unfollow.

So you have right next to you, you have two flags. The red is like not following, unfollow, mm-mm. Oh, no. And then green is like follow, okay? So a singer's that use. auto tune. Would you follow them or not follow them? Oh, I mean, I can't shade auto tune. I'll follow. Have you heard T-Pain use autotune and then really sing? I mean, who doesn't like T-Pain? T-Pain can sing his face off. And I just, when I saw, you know, he made a choice to use autotune. Like,

he made a choice to be like that guy. And yeah, I fully support that because then he just really came in like saying his face off. And I was like, yeah. I'm T-Pain. Yeah, for real. That's horrible. I can't. I'm embarrassed to even the cut that out of it. No, I thought that. No, I think that was amazing. So yeah, no, no, I'll totally follow. I think Autotune is also welcome when, you know, if you're on radio, like, you want to always be in tune. Yeah, why not? Yeah, who cares?

You don't have to sound like a robot. Yeah, I love it. It has its place. All right, next question. People, well, I think I know what you're going to say. People that take karaoke very seriously, follow or unfollow. This is a hard one because I support people's dreams. But I, I feel like karaoke should be, like, a fun thing.

Okay, so if I have to, if I have to say, I'm going to. I'm going to go red. You're going to go unfollow. Only because I think karaoke should be fun. Yeah. And like you want to take it seriously, like having fun? Cool, cool, cool. But like, as a singer, I will never get up and sing karaoke to actually go sing.

Okay. Unless somebody signs me up and they don't have a choice, like I'm not going to be like a Debbie Downer. Like, I'll go sing. But I would much rather wrap something at karaoke or be ridiculous. Wait, do you rap also? Not like seriously. I will say, I did rap in an audition one time. You got to give me a line.

Sorry. No, it's terrible. No, it's just like ripping off like bang bang, like from like, you know, Nikki Minaj and Jesse Jay. Yeah. And they're like, it's Miss Miss Scottaway, it's free is in the bottle. It's Nikki full throttle. But I would always say it's Kelsey full throttle. It's on, on.

You know, like, it's just, I would like change it. But it's because it was for an audition. Like, I'm not a rapper. I'm not a rapper. I'm a rapper. I used to rap too. No, I know. I would be horrible.

All right. If you had to choose one, Beyonce or Taylor Swift, which boss would you unfollow? Oh, dear. Oh, that's a terrible question. I know. I know. This is, and it's written. in it. Let's say this. Follow or unfollow Beyonce. I mean, wait, like as a boss or like,

yeah, whatever. No, I mean, I'll follow. I'll follow Beyonce. She has a freaking empire. I love it. She's brilliant. Yeah. Like, she is super, super brilliant. I don't like having to choose between two. No, but I will, but I will totally, I'll totally follow Beyonce. Okay. What about Taylor Swift? I'll follow T. Swift too. Okay. She's honestly, both of them have, they're so different, but they're such icons. And, and I don't say this. to be like Switzerland like I genuinely really do enjoy both of them because I think they each have their strengths and they have teams like from what I've been told is I could have been live to but Beyonce keeps her people on salary year round like she's she takes care of people like I think

someone told me one time that she said I'm never going to quit music because I'm taking care as people taking care of people's families yeah you know and then I saw Taylor Swift on her most recent tour I think gave all of her truck drivers like ridiculous thousands of dollar bonuses you know they take care of their people. And so I am fully in support of any artist that's like for their team. Yeah, I agree. I agree. I think you have to take care of the people. Yep. Because it does take a village. Oh my gosh. Yeah. I agree. All right. King Henry the 8th. Follow or unfollow. Oh, bro. Hell no. He was a terrible human. He was a terrible. I don't care. I know. It's so funny because my character in the show is like, I loved him. And the Kelsey and me is like, girl, what were you smoking?

Like you're like no what I mean and I guess she chose I don't know but no we're gonna we're gonna hardcore unfollow all right last question they didn't write it they're probably gonna kill me for asking that bilf pod follow or unfollow oh my god a million green flags you are so so so cute you have to can you end it can you end it with like another give me your like give me a pink song do you like I feel like I love pink okay can you end it oh my gosh um yeah and I'll just sing part of it and then you can pick which part you want to put you don't have to do the whole thing because sometimes if I sing for too long it gets boring. No, you're not, there's nothing boring about you.

Nothing. So, um, made a wrong turn once or twice. I dug my way out, blood and five, bad decisions, that's all right. Welcome to my silly life. mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood, miss, no way, it's all good, it didn't slow me down. Mistaken, always second-guessing, underestimated, look, I'm still around. Oh, pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're less than, less than purrish. Pretty, pretty, please, don't you ever, ever feel like you're less than you are perfect to me.

Woo! That was amazing. Yes, girl. Thank you so much. Yes. Yeah, following Kelsey or not. Follow, follow, follow, follow. Pretty, pretty please.

Oh, my God. It helps. Yes. You are. You are so cute. Thank you. You are. I love that this is like, I know it's like we're filming a podcast, but like I love just hanging out with you. Yeah, hey, we're done. This is great. Yeah, we'll just hang out for real. Yeah, we're done. We're done. We're done. Did you have fun? You were so amazing. Thank you. All right. So one piece of advice, Kelsey, that you would give out to anybody or maybe

somebody that's like in a weird situation. Yeah, I would say one of my favorite things, and I have to tell myself this all the time. If you would not accept advice from somebody don't accept criticism from them. That's amazing. That is key. Yep. So often, like, I mean, we deal with trolls all the time. Like keyboard warriors that I think they just hate their life and they want to make other

people feel like crap about themselves. And one thing my dad told me because I was really discouraged one day. Because it, like, it hurts your feelings sometimes. Yeah, they say mean stuff. Yeah. Like, I'm still human and I get hurt by, even if I don't know you. And my dad was like, Kelsey, like, why would you accept criticism from this human? and you would never accept advice from.

Yeah, it's so true. And it hit me in the face like a brick wall, and I was like, oh my gosh, you are so right. And so I now take that in life with me everywhere. Yeah, you have to. You have to. If anybody wants, I'm sure they already know where to follow you. But just, I'm sure.

I'm sure anybody can figure it out. Right. So if somebody wants to get a hold of you, follow you. Yeah. Tell me where. Yes. So it's Kelsey Watts, K-E-L-S-I-E, and Watts like a light bulb. You can find me, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube.

Twitter X, whatever the heck you want to call it. And honestly, you put you in to Google. Like, it will come up. And I do run my accounts. So I actually do my best to look through the requests. Like, when people send the nicest messages, and I do respond. Like, if I see it, I will do my best to absolutely respond. I even had people in, I was just on vacation in the Dominican Republic.

And I kid you not. Me too. What? Yeah. When? Like three weeks ago. Oh, I was there last week. Where'd you go?

Quinticana. Me too. Oh, my gosh. I was at a secrets resort. You know what? We went to the hard rock right down the street. Yeah. Oh my gosh.

Amazing. Love that. Ma'am. We could have met. But I had people come up to me that recognized me and one of them had DM'd me. And I was like, oh my gosh. Hey, yeah. I remember you.

I mean, wild. I still can't believe it happened. But I love to talk to people if I can, you know, because it takes it away from being a number on a screen and, like, shows me a person. I'm like, oh, my gosh, it's so nice to meet you. Yeah. Because they're what's supporting me. But then music, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Broadway. Broadway.

Come see me in six. Hey-oh. But yeah, I mean, honestly, just anywhere on the internet, nine times out of ten, you will be able to find me. There you have it. Yeah, and I would love to be friends. Let's be friends. Aw, I love it. Thanks, girl.

Yeah. You're amazing. Thank you. Why do you want a feeling when you're just trying to breathe. in