SWEET SINNER-SMART ASS COUNTRY ROCK SOUL
As a singer-songwriter from Illinois, Kelsey Hickman wows audiences from all over the world, relentlessly playing residencies at several Music City venues, including the infamous Tootsies Orchid Lounge. A sweet singer with a smart ass kinda soul, Kelsey’s passion and all-in approach to life spills over into her vocals and stage performance, allowing her to bring the party to any stage.
Working with producer Kent Wells, who is known for his work with Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and Kenny Rogers, has been a long time coming since starting out as a performer in her hometown. Seeing the opportunity to take her music career to an entirely new level in Music City, Kelsey teamed up with Wells as he produced her debut single, “Gone” which was written by Wells, and Bill DiLuigi, as well her full-length album called Gypsy released in 2016. DiLuigi was the grand prize winner of American Songwriter’s lyric contest and has over 300 recorded cuts in his career.
Since her adolescence, Kelsey was captivated by the country and rock 'n' roll worlds and believed she had found her calling as a musician. Kelsey wrote her first song around the age of 12 while her parents were out one night. She later became well known for taking part in all the plays and musicals offered in her community.
As a 16-year-old, Kelsey became the lead singer of a Midwest band called Still Kickn’ after a garage audition. Her tenure with the band gave her the opportunity to perform in front of over 25,000 people while they opened for Lady A. Along with performances at notable venues, fairs, and festivals throughout the Midwest, the band was invited to open for Chris Young, Montgomery Gentry, Easton Corbin, and Tracy Lawrence.
Despite the discovery of her calling, Hickman’s devotion to her craft wasn’t without difficulty. “My parents' marriage began to fall apart, and the subject of their fights was often my choice to pursue music. I felt caught in the crossfire, and even contemplated quitting the band.” The divorce of her parents, however, also encouraged Hickman to use music as an escape. “I lost myself in songwriting and performing - which was certainly beneficial. The very thing my parents fought over became my saving grace, my release.” In 2013, the band Still Kickn’ decided to part ways and it led Kelsey to make the decision to embark on a solo career.
Kelsey’s artistry continues to show through her powerful vocals., Kelsey says, “I want to write and perform music that my listeners can connect with. If I’ve done that, I’ve done what I’ve been put on this earth to do.” In 2022, Kelsey began working with Don Miggs (singer, songwriter, and record producer who has worked with Mick Fleetwood and Tower of Power.) to produce her reinvented sound, a mix between rock and country flavors.
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