Indie Artist Music Hustle

Finding Your Voice: Chelsea Klein on Music, Karma, and Personal Growth

Host and Creator: Blonde Intelligence (Ms. Roni) Season 4 Episode 54

Welcome to Indie Artist Music Hustle with Blonde Intelligence. I am your host Ms. Roni and I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. What happens when you finally unveil a talent you've hidden your entire life? Singer-songwriter Chelsea Klein takes us through her remarkable transformation from closeted vocalist to emerging pop artist on this episode of Blonde Intelligence.

Chelsea reveals the personal journey that kept her musical ambitions hidden from nearly everyone except close family until just five years ago. Her candid discussion about finding confidence through vocal coaching with Nick Cooper illuminates how technical improvement transcended into personal growth, reshaping not just her voice but her entire presence. "I carry myself so much differently now," she reflects, describing fundamental changes that extend well beyond the recording studio.

The conversation reaches its emotional center when Chelsea unpacks the four-year evolution of her recent single "Karma." This isn't just another release – it's a therapeutic milestone representing personal power reclaimed through music. Originally written as a fantasy about karma being her "personal hitman" against those who wronged her, the song finally reached perfection after multiple recording attempts and years of vocal growth. Her perfectionism speaks volumes about artistic integrity, refusing to release work that doesn't match her vision despite pressure from friends and family to "just put it out."

Beyond the music, Chelsea shares her heartfelt approach to fan connection, recently establishing direct email communication with listeners. "I want to lift up my fans the way they lift me up," she explains, creating a genuine two-way relationship rarely seen in artist-fan dynamics. This authenticity permeates everything about Chelsea's approach – from her songwriting to her commitment to artistic growth.

Whether you're pursuing your own creative path or simply appreciate the vulnerability behind great art, Chelsea's journey offers inspiration and insight. Listen now and connect with her music on all streaming platforms or visit chelseaklein.com to join her growing community of supporters.

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Speaker 1:

Hello everyone, welcome to today's Blonde Intelligence with me, miss Ronnie, where I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. We have a special guest straight out of Los Angeles, california, miss Chelsea Klein. Hello, miss Chelsea, how are you doing?

Speaker 2:

I'm doing all right, trying to stay sane through this. California. Ms Chelsea Klein. Hello Ms Chelsea, how are you doing? Doing all right, Trying to stay sane through this weird election week, right, well we're going to start out with letting you tell everyone a little bit about yourself. Sure, so I'm a singer and songwriter and I kind of have been closeted from that my whole life, like no one knew that I sang. No one knew that it was even what I wanted to do, except, like my very close family, until about five years ago.

Speaker 1:

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Speaker 2:

Years ago, and so I only started like really fully going for it career-wise recently and then just started putting out my own music a year ago and have just been trying to work hard on it ever since okay.

Speaker 1:

So tell me this do you think that because I know you told me uh earlier that you moved from Utah do you think moving from Utah, moving to Los Angeles, has helped your music career? For?

Speaker 2:

sure. So when I first started, I started with working with a vocal coach, Nick Cooper, and he has like changed everything for me. My voice is completely different than it was and I also just like he's very good at like just building your confidence as a person too. So I think I've just kind of changed as a whole and just even like in social situations now I feel like I carry myself so much differently, which also obviously helps as an artist. So, yeah, it definitely. I don't know where I would be right now if I had tried to do it for me. Hopefully would have figured it out, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So what do you consider your genre?

Speaker 2:

right now. If you listen to what's out, it's definitely pop, um, and I probably will always be in the pop realm, but like my influences and what I'm actually currently working on are a lot more like kind of R&B and like trying to pull from like some old school stuff. That's like mainly what I listened to, but I hadn't really pulled from for my first few releases, so yeah, Okay, so tell me this I know that a lot of the revenue for musical artists come from live performances.

Speaker 1:

How have you, or have you made the crossover to live stream in the place of live performances during COVID?

Speaker 2:

I mean I know I should be doing more, but I haven't. I kind of paused live performances when that hit and just kind of super focused in writing. I feel like my writing's changed tremendously. I've been kind of, and that's where, like, my shift of genre is kind of super focused in writing. I feel like my writing's changed tremendously. I've been kind of, and that's where, like, my shift of genre is kind of coming from. So I think I've been focusing a lot on like where I want to go and so that I have more to sing as well once I do start doing live again.

Speaker 2:

So I haven't really put it into practice, but I definitely know that streaming is going to have to be the new shift. So, yeah, I, I definitely know that streaming is going to have to be the new shift. So, yeah, how long do you think? I mean at least this next year, right, I think for a while, and I feel like for a while, even once there's vaccines, whatever people are more scared now to go into crowded places like that. So I feel like for a while some places I have.

Speaker 1:

You know people send me things and they'll send me parties that they had, or you know performances that they have or whatever, and it's like packed people and only a few people have on mass. So if you did get the opportunity to perform live, what would be your personal restrictions that you would have in your rider?

Speaker 2:

I mean again would depend like right now. Right now I don't think I would even do it. I don't want to encourage my fans or anyone to put themselves in that position, whether or not they're comfortable with it. I don't feel comfortable. I think once there's a vaccine and things start to open a little more, I would still want to be cautious. I think potentially limiting crowds, I don't know.

Speaker 1:

So what would you consider a good crowd size, being in LA, taking COVID into account and everything? If you had to build your own show, what would be your ideal show for this time?

Speaker 2:

I don't know how likely this is or like how realistic, but I've seen it's whatever you say.

Speaker 1:

That's the reason why.

Speaker 2:

I feel like I would want to do a show. I've seen a lot of like fake drawn up like templates of where it almost feels like everyone has their own vip box, so there's like separate sections per party or group. So it's like you bought your together, you and your friends sit in this box, and so it's like everyone's kind of forcibly separated, has their own little seat spot and that way whatever, like the opera venue, you know, and then everyone kind of feels special. They're like oh, we have our own seats, like I can see everything. I'm not looking over crowds of taller people, it's like. I feel like that almost gives kind of a nice vibe anyway well, you're smaller.

Speaker 1:

One of the things I have noticed when I go to live shows is I think that they make the seats for people with skinny butts, because when you go to like stadiums and auditoriums and different things like that to go to the shows, the chairs are so little and if somebody have to get up and go to the bathroom, you turn it all to the side and switching all up and I'm like who built this where they don't even have walking space for a person if they need to go to the bathroom?

Speaker 2:

totally, even though, yeah, the walking space even is just crazy. And then you feel awkward but you're like, well, I gotta go, sorry yeah.

Speaker 1:

So tell me this where is your biggest fan base that you think in the whole world, not just in the United States I asked about the United States later but as overall in the world, having global distribution and everybody having global distribution at their fingertips. And even with with the Google video ads, you know where you can get all the views on your videos and even with where you have a targeted market, what they call a geofancy.

Speaker 3:

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Speaker 1:

Facebook and Instagram and Classic Glam by Marlette.

Speaker 2:

Fancy. Where is your largest fan base in the world outside of the United States? I definitely looking at like streams and stuff like that. I definitely have a decent London following and I also have a good Brazil following which I think just comes from that being like second home to me, like I feel like in my heart that's home and I have a lot of family there I have. That was like where my first radio plays came from, so I think I have a lot of very supportive people in Brazil as well.

Speaker 1:

OK, now within the United States. Where is your biggest fan base outside of Los Angeles?

Speaker 2:

I think I had. It was like Buffalo, New York or something. There was something so specifically random. I'm like I don't know why. I'm like the playlist I'm on specifically random, that's what.

Speaker 1:

I see specifically random.

Speaker 2:

That's an icy moron. Like it was random that it was such a specific location instead of just new york. It like really zoned in zoned in a playlist that has a big following from an area or plays and I don't know what, like my streaming like that is so random to me and I don't really understand it, but yeah okay.

Speaker 1:

Between social media, what do you think is the most, or which one do you think is the most beneficial for you? Do you think that it's Instagram, or is it Facebook? Is it even YouTube, linkedin, uh, snapchat? Out of all of those, which one do you feel, personally, as an artist, is the most beneficial to you?

Speaker 2:

For me it's been Instagram, I think, just because that's what I use the most, so that's where people look for me. And then you know that snowballs. So now if anyone searches anywhere else, they're going to see. That's where I'm most active, so they're going to go there and I like that. It's kind of everything. I can share photos, I can share stories if I don't feel like it's that important, but I want to share something. There's video, it's kind of everything. So that's definitely been my go to yeah.

Speaker 1:

Tell me about your latest single.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I just on October 30th, released a new song called Karma.

Speaker 1:

And that's the one I listen to.

Speaker 2:

It was my first music video too, so I was really excited about it. We wrote this song, like me and two other writers like four years ago, and I've just been sitting on it because I've been like very obsessed with it. It gets stuck in your head, it's so catchy, like I really wanted it to be right and I feel like because my journey as a singer and like being comfortable singing in front of people, the recording process, all of that was so new to me that when we wrote this right at the start, I was kind of like I don't know if I can sing this well enough yet. Like obviously I was part of writing it, like I could, kind of like I don't know if I can sing this well enough yet.

Speaker 2:

like obviously I was part of writing it, like I could sing it, but I couldn't sing, so you knew how you wanted it to go yeah, I was like this doesn't sound right, like it's I feel like I'm relying on auto-tune, like it's just not what I want the song to be. So we kind of just shelved it and I've been working really hard with my vocal coach, like weekly. We're in even right now we do FaceTime lessons weekly and I just finally got to a point where I was supposed to release it last Halloween with the video, and that's when we filmed the video. But I still again, we kind of rushed recording it again because I decided last minute that's what I wanted to do for Halloween and I just was like it's still not right. Like I and everyone else, like my family, my friends, were like Chelsea, you're being a perfectionist, just put it out. I was like, but you don't understand. Like it's not right. So I just kind of I made the mistake of announcing it before I heard the final cut. So then I had to awkwardly backtrack, delete the posts and kind of just forgot about it because I was so I think I just got so frustrated I was like is it ever going to be right? I don't know if I even ever want to put this out. I'm just over it, I'm going to stop. So we put it off until then.

Speaker 2:

This year I feel like, like I already said, during all this lockdown, I feel like I've grown more than I have in like the past three years combined. So we finally were just like my voice coach was like Chelsea. I think this song will sound so different if we go back in and cut it one more time and I was like, oh, I'm so over this song, but okay, fine, let's try it. And then it finally finally sounded how I wanted it to. So then I just had the people who did the video like put the right song in and I was like, let's just go for it. It's very like spooky vibes Halloween. Why not just put it out for something fun for people to enjoy during all this craziness?

Speaker 1:

so okay, so you held on to this song for four years and you was a co-writer on it.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

What significant meaning does it have? Because it has to have some type of meaning for you to hold this song for four years and to keep, I say, molding, to keep molding it to perfection. So what is it about this song?

Speaker 2:

I think it just makes me feel like I'm back in control. I'm a huge like. I'm not confrontational. I don't like to get mad at people. Even when people have done me wrong and it's like on paper, like anyone would say they wronged me and I should have stood up for myself. A lot of the time I will just cut it and walk away and sometimes looking back especially the day we wrote this song I was looking back at situations where I'm just like frustrated with myself. I'm like why didn't I say something? Like I wish I would have felt a little stronger in the moment to be like hey, I don't stand for this, I'm not okay being treated like that. You know, just like a little something.

Speaker 2:

But I always have been the type of person, too, who's like well, karma will handle it. Like they wronged me, karma will deal with it. It's not, I don't need to get back at them or say anything like the universe will deal with it. So I think that day I came into the studio feeling frustrated because I felt like, at least seeing the perfect Instagram pictures, like it seemed like karma hadn't helped me out. I was like I wish I had done something like come on, karma, you're supposed to have my back. So then we were like, joking around, it's like karma was my own personal hitman and like I could just send them out on people to like get back at them for what they'd done to me. So we kind of just wrote it from that perspective and then I took that for the video too, to be like evil, without actually being evil, because that's just not me, like I don't feel like I need to seek revenge, but it helped me feel like maybe I was, you know.

Speaker 1:

So you use it basically therapeutically yeah that's the reason why you held on. So how do you feel about the final outcome?

Speaker 2:

I feel good about it. I think it's definitely to. I think a good time with my transition of my style and like what feels most natural to me. It was good to put it out now because it is different, so I think I was ready to like not part ways is wrong because it'll always be like my song, you know what I mean. But it was a good like time to finally just give it to my fans, release it, for me to to like therapeutically, just be able to say my piece and now move on to the next chapter. So, yeah, I feel really good about it finally being out. I don't have to worry about it, overthink it, it's just done like. The meaning means something to me and hopefully will hit with other people as well so was it part of a album or was it just totally a single?

Speaker 2:

just a single um, especially at the beginning, like a couple of my songs that we released were from that time as well, that I released last year, and I think we just did a ton of singles to kind of explore what even worked for me or like what direction I wanted to go in. So none of them felt like a cohesive project.

Speaker 1:

So I just kind of a couple random singles here and there to test out what worked, you know, okay, in one interview I did, an artist made a comment to me that with COVID that he started releasing music much quicker than what he normally would. So with you and dealing with COVID, what do you think that is a good time frame for a life of a single before you release the next one?

Speaker 2:

I typically in my head decided at some point I don't know why that it was once a month, but I do think it depends. Like normally at the height of lockdown, I think people were constantly consuming and just wanted more. Like I don't like to look at it as like oh, but it needs to ride out its life, especially right now as a newer artist. Like it's not like I'm trying to make the charts, like I'm not there yet, you know.

Speaker 1:

So I think just giving Do you even register for the charts? Yes, OK, well then you might.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you never know, but I think the more as a new artist, the more sides you can show and the more content you can give people, there will be a little bit more of something for everyone Not everyone, but you know, like I think, the more the better, almost. So I think if you have finished product, put it out there. But then there are weird times, like right now, where everyone's stressed and no one's like wanting to self promote, like well, election, but listen to my new song Like it's just not the time.

Speaker 1:

So you don't feel like right now is a good time to use your dollars other places than promotion right now you could use your dollars other places than promotion right now.

Speaker 2:

Sure, and just it just feels so tone deaf, like the last thing that I care about right now is getting my strings up, like I just it doesn't matter, like if there's something that resonates that I feel like maybe would be an uplifting good, like resolve for people, musically and therapeutically, sure, but I'm not trying to like promote, you know, okay, so what are your plans for the future?

Speaker 1:

being the artist, chelsea Klein, what are your plans? What are you? What are your achievable goals that you have in place right now?

Speaker 2:

I definitely, I think, one of my big things, since my last single was just.

Speaker 1:

When was your last single?

Speaker 2:

My last single was in August, the end of August, and then I planned for this one.

Speaker 2:

I kind of I just want to start putting more out, like I think I just overthink things and sit on songs. Clearly, four years, I sit on them for so long and it's like I just want to start creating. And if that's what I was feeling in that moment, I want to put it out so that by the time the next song comes, I can put it out, instead of feeling like I'm already over the song. You know, like I want to be excited about it with my fans. As I'm putting it out, I feel like when you sit on something for too long, it's like, well, this song, but my head is still at my new music. But here's this one. You know, I just want to put out no, I'm a Capricorn and you're indecisive.

Speaker 3:

What.

Speaker 2:

I think I'm indecisive. Well, I'm so. I'm all Capricorn, but then Pisces rising, ok. But I think my issue is like when I don't, when there's too many options, I don't know which one to pick. But once I have, if I have a vision, I'm all going to stick with it, you're going to stick with it.

Speaker 1:

Capricorn is going to stick with it, and even if you feel like it's not going anywhere, you're gonna keep on going, and keep on going, and keep on going. It don't matter what nobody else say, you're just gonna look at them and keep on going.

Speaker 2:

So my mama, capricorn it's so real, I'm such Capricorn, it's so bad, but yeah, the indecisive thing. I don't know where that comes from, but yeah.

Speaker 1:

Look, you know, when you go on down the chart you have all kinds of stuff. When I went through my chart, my Mary Ruth Organic is a number one Amazon bestseller wellness brand dedicated to immune support and gut health products Made with high quality, non GMGMO, plant-based vegan ingredients with the fewest number of allergens possible. Mary Ruth's organic health products are Cat's Claw, Elderberry, Lemon Balm, Adrenaline, Focus, Ionic Zinc, Ginseng, Vitality. Find Mary Ruth's Organics on Instagram at MaryRuthOrganics. Blind Intelligence is a Mary Ruth Organics on Instagram at Mary Ruth Organics. Blind Intelligence is a Mary Ruth Organics partner. Sun is Leo, my moon is Gemini and I'm like I am so loving and people say I'm so mean. But then I found out my Venus was Cancer but my rising is Leo. So I have a lot of fire but I'm very compassionate and caring and people try to take advantage of it.

Speaker 1:

When they take advantage of it, then they get my Gemini, the queen of swords, and I cut you off yeah, that's the way to be.

Speaker 2:

honestly, you got a good mix in there.

Speaker 1:

So tell me this I asked this question to another person, so I'm going to ask you how is it for you to work on a project with somebody, finish it to completion but not care for the person?

Speaker 2:

personally Like the person I'm collaborating with.

Speaker 1:

Mm-hmm, how would you?

Speaker 2:

handle that, or how did you handle it? Luckily, I have worked with a lot of people that I really enjoy, so I've been lucky on that front so far.

Speaker 2:

I think you know it won't always be like that, I think I mean, my personality is just so. Like I said, like I think I would just put a smile on, be nice, because that's who I am, and we would get through it, and if the music's great, then cool. Thank you on to the next. Now you know, I think I would just try to get through it as best as possible and see it as like a learning experience. I also, the Capricorn in me, does well with like business, so like, just get it done. I'm not gonna, if that's the way it's gonna be, I'll shut off the Pisces in me and just work on the work and be done okay, if you had the chance to work with any artist, who would it be?

Speaker 1:

that's a hard question, I think, and they don't have to be alive oh, that changes things.

Speaker 2:

This is, this is Chelsea's world. I would love I mean, I don't know what the song would be, but I would die to work with, like SWV.

Speaker 1:

I would die, um when how are you gonna do it if you're gonna die?

Speaker 2:

I'll die after it's finished because it'll just be the greatest thing that's ever happened. Um, but like I wouldn't want to sing on that. It'll just be the greatest thing that's ever happened, but like I wouldn't want to sing on that. I would just want Whitney to do her thing and then just maybe like say one word so that my name could be on it. But just let her shine, whitney, and then I also think it would be really fun to work with, like Usher or Bruno somewhere.

Speaker 1:

So the last part is achievable goals.

Speaker 2:

Well, the first part is achievable goals. Yeah, I guess so.

Speaker 2:

Well is there anything else that you want us to know about, miss Chelsea Klein? Well, I have a thing that I started recently. Um, I set up my email list but it's not just like newslettery, promotional stuff. So when you sign up, you get my personal email address and I want it to be like a two-way street so my fans who have already signed up for it like just chat they can respond to my like behind the scenes stuff if they want to or if they need something and want to reach out to me because they need someone to talk to. I just wanted to build a space that made people feel supported and cared about and not alone. And yeah, I just want people to feel like I want to lift up my fans the way they lift me up. So I kind of created a space where they can communicate with me. I felt, like my Instagram DMs, like it just feels so I don't know, like not a full conversation.

Speaker 1:

And personal.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I started that. So, if anyone's interested, the link is in my bio on Instagram, as well as just the first thing that pops up on my website, which is ChelseaKleincom, as well as just the first thing that pops up on my website, which is chelseaclinecom. So that's something that's been really fun that I've been working on and just kind of like a little bit of my heart, because I want people to always feel cared about. I feel like that's one of the worst things. It's just like when you feel alone, even when you have all these people around you, you feel like you've known to talk to. So I want people to know that I'm here if anyone needs anyone to talk to.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah, people should sign up for that and just my music and you know connect. Okay, where can we find your music and what's your social media handles, in case anybody want to follow?

Speaker 2:

yeah, um, it's chelsea klein music on instagram and then, like I said, chelsea kleincom. My website kind of has links to everything um chelsea klein on spotify, apple, youtube, kind of wherever you listen to music.

Speaker 1:

OK, all right, I thank you for coming.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1:

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