Kelly Fauth has a refreshing energy that lights up any room she walks into. Known now for her songwriting and power vocals, she previously worked enhancing the sound of others; being hired as a background vocalist immediately after graduating from the L.A. Music Academy for Columbia Records artist, Coheed and Cambria. Miranda Lambert meets Grace Potter – her sound can’t be pigeon-holed, which aids in making her so unique for Nashville’s music market. Kelly is new to Nashville, moving her shortly after releasing her latest EP, Weapon of Choice.
“Both of my parents are musicians and have been for as long as I’ve been alive. Music was always accepted as a career choice in my family, I just wasn’t sure how to make it a career,” she laughed when I asked about the moment she knew she wanted to pursue music as more than just a hobby.
She grew up with both of her parents constantly (and still) in bands, simultaneously singing around the house for some people you may have heard of such as Linda Ronstadt and Whitney Houston. As far as talking to me about her inspiration, Kelly took a different approach than most:
“My biggest pushes come from when I’m really mad at someone, unfortunately. I think most songwriters feel this way, but my lyrics just aren’t great when I’m happy. Heck, Taylor Swift made an entire career out of her unhappy emotions,” she said. “As for my musical influences, there’s a band Dorothy that I’m really into right now as well as Grace Potter and Lake Street Drive. I just love music that gives you goosebumps and makes you want to write your own songs.”
Kelly’s writing process is always different, she says.
“The ideas never come when I’m actually sitting down to write,” she confessed. “I sort of have a mod podge of ideas from voice memos to notebooks with random ideas, so when I go to write I usually draw from those more spontaneous moments. I’ve been trying to co-write a lot more since I’ve been in Nashville. It’s definitely a totally different experience. Writing used to always been such a personal thing for me, that sitting down and talking it out with someone else can be weird, but it’s interesting that a song can start out a way you picture it and morph into something totally different because of another person’s input.”
While we spoke, it was clear that Kelly is constantly writing and working on new music. She says the songs she has incognito right now mean the most to her because they are the most relevant at the moment, but one that will always hold a special place with her is “Why You Gotta Go and Break My Heart” (featured on the EP above).
“In L.A. you get your heart broken all the time. When I wrote that song I just felt totally vulnerable, like a little girl. I just sort of said ‘I’m hurt and this is how it feels,’ trying to stay away from metaphors and things like that and just be totally raw and honest. In L.A. dating is different, people aren’t looking to get married, they’re all just looking for the next best thing so you’re not “good enough” for long. Ironically that’s where I met my boyfriend before we moved here to Nashville, but he’s originally from Philadelphia,” she laughed, hinting that he didn’t have the California mentality either.
Kelly Recently released a lyric video for her song “The Wedding March.” Maybe the most Nashville-relevant song I’ve ever heard.
“I couldn’t believe that nobody had written about it,” she started, “Getting married has become a commodity rather than a celebration of love.” Kelly was ironically heading to a bridal party photo shoot for a friends business right after our interview. “I realized from a small group of friends I had that the wedding was only about the ring, the pictures, the extravagance, but not the two people joining their lives together. I have had friends who’ve been a joy to assist with their wedding day, but it’s become an all-too-common problem and I felt like I had to express it.”
You may wondering what Kelly has in store for 2016? Well if you’re in the Nashville area – lots of shows and if not, still lots of new music to look forward to, with a lot more bluesy-edginess. She said she’s ready to start performing with a live band, having someone on the electric guitar shredding it up on stage.
CATCH HER LIVE: Bobby’s Idle Hour on Music Row – May 5th at 8:20 p.m.
Well Worth It 