Keelie Walker is a pop star on the rise who talked with us about her debut EP, life in the spotlight, and what's next for her.
Most teenagers these days are busy texting on their phones and struggling through high school, but this isn't the case for Keelie Walker. At just 16 years old, she has already built a strong foundation for what is going to be an amazing music career. When she was just 14 years old, she was asked to open for pop superstar, Jason Derulo. Since then she has graced the UK stages many times, pre-pandemic, and even opened for legendary girl group Little Mix! Since then, her fandom has skyrocketed, topping over 6 million streams on Spotify. We were lucky enough to catch up with the young star and ask her all of your burning questions. Read below:
At just 14 years old, you opened for Jason Derulo - how huge! What was it like opening for a superstar like him so early in your career?
"It was an amazing experience. The crew was very kind and welcoming. It was my first big gig and I’ll never forget the feeling of stepping out on stage for the very first time. I was super nervous, but I had a lot of adrenaline going on, so a few minutes after being on stage the nervousness went away and I was just really excited."
Similarly in 2019, you opened for Little Mix. How was your experience with them?
"I loved opening for Little Mix. Everyone from their team to the fans were so sweet. I did a meet and greet after my set each night and I got to meet a lot of different people, which was amazing! I got to meet the Little Mix girls at the Paris show and they inspired me so much."
Your debut EP “The Girls Night,” is being released at the end of the month and you even co-wrote it! What can you tell us about it?
"The whole process of this EP was so much fun! Everyone worked so hard. We recorded in Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee. I recently just started to write, so It was my first EP in which I co-wrote each song. I can’t wait to write more!"
The title track “Girls Night” is the ultimate party anthem for a girls night! How fun was this song to record and film a music video for?
"Girls Night was the first song we had worked on and recorded off the EP, so when it was completed I was super excited to film the music video for it. The music video was so much fun, each scene of it was like a party. From the girls getting ready, to the girls pool party, and then the girls going to a party to live it up together. It really tied it all in and it was amazing to see our ideas for it come to life."
It’s so hard to choose but one of our favorite songs on your EP is “Runaway.” What was the inspiration behind this song?
"The inspiration behind Runaway came from my sister, Trinity. I had asked her what I should write about and she suggested a song about real life situations that people go through i.e. depression, anxiety, physical abuse, teen pregnancies, and suicides. I wanted to make a song that inspired people to keep going, no matter what and never give up. Because of the pandemic these things have been happening a lot more. Everything increased and during this time, I just thought it was important to give hope."
For this highly-anticipated EP, you worked with some notable producers that have worked with stars like Chris Brown, Kanye West, and Zendaya. What was it like working with producers to some major artists, and did you have a favorite?
"It was super inspiring to work with producers that have worked with seasoned artist that I’ve listened to, since forever. I’m so thankful for their help on this project. I worked with Yung Lad, Xcel and Stereo. They’re all full of wisdom and knowledge in the music industry. Yung Lad was the first producer I worked with on the EP and it was so much fun. He always understood my perspective on what I wanted to go for in a song and he’d nail it every time."
When you aren't building your superstardom, what do you like to do for fun?
"I enjoy spending time with family and friends and playing soccer. I’ve been playing soccer on and off since I was 4 years old. I’m from the south, so I love to ride ATV’s where we have property of land, as well."
Can you give us any exclusive info on what’s coming next for you?
"Next up is to just create more music. I’m super excited about “The Girls Night” EP, which was released February 19, 2021, because it will be my first EP. I’m starting rehearsals again very soon to be prepared for touring when the opportunity arises. I’m super excited to prepare for shows."
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