Sir Woman Performs Live from CR5

Summary

All Of It with Sir Woman: A Deep Dive into Kelsey Wilson’s Musical Journey

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Tiffany Hansen
Guest: Kelsey Wilson (Sir Woman)
Episode: Sir Woman Performs Live from CR5
Release Date: May 7, 2025
Air Time: Weekdays, 12:00 - 2:00 PM
Host Station: WNYC

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Introduction to Sir Woman and Kelsey Wilson

In this vibrant episode of All Of It, host Tiffany Hansen welcomes Kelsey Wilson, the creative force behind the solo project Sir Woman, alongside her talented band members. Kelsey, formerly of the Austin band Wild Child, has been making significant waves in the music scene with her introspective and uplifting sound.

Tiffany Hansen:
"There is a lot of music in 2025 coming from Sir Woman... She's here with us now with her band in the studio for a special live performance. Welcome to WNYC."
[00:09]

Live Performance: "Blame It on the Water"

The episode kicks off with a live rendition of Sir Woman’s track "Blame It on the Water," setting an engaging and soulful tone for the conversation ahead.

Kelsey Wilson:
"We're gonna start with a song called 'Blame It on the water.'"
[00:54]

Listeners are treated to a captivating performance, showcasing Kelsey’s ability to blend heartfelt lyrics with compelling melodies. The song delves into themes of movement and change, reflecting the fluid nature of life and relationships.

Meet the Collective: The Band Behind Sir Woman

Post-performance, Kelsey introduces her band, emphasizing the collective effort that brings her music to life.

Kelsey Wilson:
"Sir Woman is a massive collective, actually. We got Spice who sings Uncle Roy. Matt Muhling on guitar. John Dee's on keys. Montez on base, Cleon on drums."
[04:40]

Tiffany Hansen:
"Does that mean there are more people that are in this than there are in this room?"
[04:56]

Kelsey Wilson:
"Oh, yeah. We got a big, big old family."
[05:07]

This collaborative environment allows for a rich and dynamic sound, enhancing both the live performances and studio recordings.

The Birth of a Song: Inspiration and Creativity

Tiffany delves into the origins of "Blame It on the Water," uncovering the heartfelt story behind its creation.

Kelsey Wilson:
"That's one of those songs that like came... it was just like a gift from the universe all at once. It actually started with a sentence my niece said when she was like four..."
[05:27]

Kelsey recounts how her niece’s innocent question, "Are you speaking to the dark in me?" sparked the creative process, leading to a song that has become a staple in her performances.

Evolving Songwriting: From Darkness to Positivity

The conversation shifts to Kelsey’s evolution as a songwriter, transitioning from the darker themes of Wild Child to the more uplifting and positive vibes of Sir Woman.

Tiffany Hansen:
"When you go back and perform that song, do you have any recollection of when you wrote it?"
[05:10]

Kelsey Wilson:
"With Sir Woman, I definitely try to keep it as positive as possible... I didn't like having to bring that energy up on stage every day. It just felt negative."
[06:32]

She explains how maintaining a positive atmosphere is crucial not only for her well-being but also for creating an enjoyable experience for her audience.

Double Album Revelation: "if it All Works Out" and "if it Doesn't"

Kelsey introduces her ambitious double album project, revealing the depth and breadth of her musical exploration.

Tiffany Hansen:
"So you have one album that is called if It All Works Out, and the other called if It Doesn't. Is that the case?"
[07:58]

Kelsey Wilson:
"No, yeah, it's kind of... it's like a chronological diary of the band and where I was as a human being."
[08:40]

The first half, "if it All Works Out," encapsulates moments of triumph and positive experiences, while the second half, "if it Doesn't," delves into more profound and reflective themes, shaped by personal loss and growth.

Channeling Grief into Art: A Universal Connection

Kelsey shares how personal tragedies, including the loss of her sister and father, have profoundly influenced her songwriting, transforming grief into a universal language that resonates with listeners.

Kelsey Wilson:
"Writing songs for those people kind of just keeps them alive in your mind... it's a gift for other people who've lost loved ones as well."
[09:28]

This approach not only honors her loved ones but also creates a shared space for healing and connection among her audience.

The Spiritual Essence of Music

Delving deeper, Kelsey discusses the spiritual dimension of her music, rooted in her gospel background and the collective's shared influences.

Kelsey Wilson:
"Music has just always been spiritual and it's probably because of that."
[19:57]

The collective’s gospel roots infuse her performances with a sense of community and celebration, often described by fans as "church" or "party church."

Tiffany Hansen:
"They definitely. A lot of people tell us it feels like church when it’s been... like a party church."
[20:11]

Live Performance: "High Praise"

The conversation segues back to music with a live performance of "High Praise," a track from "if it All Works Out." The song embodies joy and mutual support, reflecting the positive energy Kelsey strives to bring to her music.

Kelsey Wilson:
"This has been one of the most fun songs to play live every night... It’s about making your friends feel good and your friends making you feel good."
[12:16]

The performance radiates the infectious joy that Kelsey and her band aim to cultivate during their shows.

Crafting Hooks and Musical Spontaneity

Tiffany probes into Kelsey’s songwriting process, particularly her knack for compelling hooks and the spontaneity that drives her creativity.

Tiffany Hansen:
"Are you thinking to yourself, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna write a song that... or do you just kind of follow the muse where it takes you?"
[15:32]

Kelsey Wilson:
"I definitely don't normally set out with, like, a theme in mind... It just happened."
[16:18]

She emphasizes a natural and unforced approach to songwriting, allowing ideas to emerge organically rather than through meticulous planning.

Embracing Musical Dreams and Inspirations

Kelsey shares whimsical insights into her creative process, including how dreams influence her music.

Kelsey Wilson:
"A lot of songs will come completed in dreams. In a dream, my friend will be singing me a song that they wrote..."
[18:30]

This ethereal inspiration underscores the almost mystical nature of her creative flow, where ideas materialize from subconscious visions.

Community and Celebration: Turning Pain into Beauty

The episode highlights how Sir Woman transforms personal pain into communal celebration, creating a space where listeners and performers alike can share in the collective experience.

Kelsey Wilson:
"It takes something dark and makes it beautiful."
[20:31]

By turning difficult emotions into moments of shared joy, Sir Woman fosters a sense of unity and healing within her audience.

Closing Thoughts: Upcoming Releases and Performances

As the episode wraps up, Tiffany provides listeners with a glimpse of what's to come for Sir Woman.

Tiffany Hansen:
"The second half is called if It Doesn't. That comes out on May 16th. Sir Woman is playing at Racket tonight starting at 8:00."
[15:32]

Kelsey’s upcoming album promises to continue her journey of introspection and celebration, offering fans a comprehensive look into her evolving artistry.

Conclusion

This episode of All Of It offers an intimate look into Kelsey Wilson’s creative world, from her collaborative collective to her deeply personal songwriting. Through live performances and heartfelt conversations, listeners gain a profound understanding of Sir Woman’s music, which seamlessly blends positivity with poignant reflections on life's complexities. Kelsey’s ability to transform personal grief into universally relatable art underscores the enduring power of music as a tool for connection and healing.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Kelsey Wilson on Collaboration:
  "I can write a song and it'll be as good as I think it's going to be in my head. But until I get all of these people to come play it with me, I don't even know what it's supposed to be."
  [11:47]

• Kelsey Wilson on Grief and Creativity:
  "Writing songs for those people kind of just keeps them alive in your mind... it's a gift for other people who've lost loved ones as well."
  [09:28]

• Kelsey Wilson on the Spirituality of Music:
  "Music has just always been spiritual and it's probably because of that."
  [19:57]

---

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting Kelsey Wilson’s artistic journey, the collaborative spirit of her band, and the transformative power of her music. Through engaging performances and insightful dialogue, listeners who haven’t tuned in can fully appreciate the depth and vibrancy of Sir Woman’s contribution to contemporary culture.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker]

Foreign.

[Tiffany Hansen]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Tiffany Hansen. There is a lot of music in 2025 coming from Sir Woman. Sir Woman is the solo project from Kelsey Wilson, who for years has performed with the Austin band Wild Child. Earlier this year, so Woman released the first half of a double album called if it all works out. This month she's releasing the second half called if it doesn't. And that is coming out on May 16th before Sir Woman plays at Racket tonight starting at 8 o'clock. She's here with us now with her band in the studio for a special live performance. Welcome to wnyc.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Thank you for having us.

[Tiffany Hansen]

So we might as well just start with some music. What do you think we should hear first?

[Kelsey Wilson]

We're gonna start with a song called blame it on the water.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Well, let's blame it on the water all right.

[Unknown Speaker]

Guess I'm making a game of it.

[Kelsey Wilson]

I want to hear it at the bottom of the world If I had.

[Unknown Speaker]

To put a name on it let's just say a broken spell oh the.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Rhythm of the do better they got no problem of saying no?

[Unknown Speaker]

Guess I want to be a go but I gotta put my on hold? Think I'll have a bit wide open? I'll even love to let me down Would you blame it on the water if I told you that I had to go? Gotta run like a river, you're moving.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Much too slow Would you blame it.

[Unknown Speaker]

On the water if I told you that I had to go? Gotta run like a river much too slow.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Are you speaking to the dark of me?

[Unknown Speaker]

Can you tell what I'm capable of? Got me feeling like a villain underneath? Still you're giving so much love Gonna find a better vibration I'm gonna love the mess I made? Cause there's nothing like time wasting when.

[Kelsey Wilson]

You'Re dying every day I can give.

[Unknown Speaker]

You what you need Baby you gotta get it stop you're giving it away Would you blame it on the water if I told you that I had to go? Gotta run like a river, you're moving much too slow Would you blame it on the water if I told you that I had to go? Gotta run like a ri. Run. I was too slow and overborn underwhelmed can't stop thinking about yourself what's the point if there's no one else? Give me what you want baby you gotta get it Stopping giving stuff you're giving it away Would you blame it on the water if I told you that I had to go. Got him. Run like A river?

[Kelsey Wilson]

You're moving much too slow Would you.

[Unknown Speaker]

Blame it on the water? If I told you that I had to go? You're moving too slow Would you d On the water if I told you that I had to go? Got to run like a river you're moving much too slow Water.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Would you.

[Unknown Speaker]

Blame it on the water?

[Tiffany Hansen]

That was Blame it on the Water performed by Sir Woman, who is also performing tonight coming up at racket at 8:00. That song is off of her new album or her album in 2020, rather, self titled album in 2020. The new album is called if it doesn't. That album is coming out on May 16. Sir woman is the solo act of Kelsey Wilson. I think folks that are hearing me say Kelsey Wilson are thinking, I think there were a lot more people in the studio than just Kelsey Wilson. So maybe you could introduce us to all of these folks around us.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Who are we? Kelsey Woman is a massive collective, actually. We got Spice who sings Uncle Roy. Matt Muhling on guitar. John Dee's on keys. Montez on base, Cleon on drums.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Oh my gosh, yes. Over my shoulder. Hi. A massive collective. Does that mean there are more people that are in this than there are in this room?

[Kelsey Wilson]

Oh, yeah. We got a big, big old family.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Got it. When you hear. When you go back and perform that song, do you have any recollection of when you wrote it? In other words, are you. Do you have the origins of that song in your bones when you perform it again and again and again?

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah, that one in particular, definitely. That's one of those songs that like came. It was just like a gift from the universe all at once. It actually started with a sentence my niece said when she was like four. She said, she was like, we always write music together. I'll like play guitar and just let her freestyle. And she was saying, are you speaking to the dark of me? And she just kept repeating that, are you speaking to the dark in me? Are you speaking of the dark to me? And I was like, there's an old soul for you. I was like, what? I was like, hold on, Avery, give me a minute. And then the whole song just happened. But yeah, she technically, I saw her. It was all this four year old. But every time we perform it, I actually, I see her.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Is that the case with every song? Like, do you sort of transport yourself for every song? Or do you think there are certain songs that when you perform them, they automatically transport you whether or not it's to the place that you were when you wrote It. But just transport you, period.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Definitely. They definitely take me back to the headspace I was in whenever I was writing them. So with Sir Woman, I definitely try to keep it as positive as possible. So, like with Wild Child, I wrote a lot of angry, mean, petty songs, and I didn't like having to bring that energy up on stage every day. It just felt negative. And I didn't even like it when the crowd would sing it with me. I was like, we're just. We're building this storm cloud of, like, pettiness.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Well, I mean, you know, sometimes we all feel angry, mean, and petty. It's just the difference between feeling that occasionally and then you have every night.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah. So I definitely keep it a lot more uplifting and positive and fun. And even if it's petty, it's, like, funny, so. But after you play the same song long enough, it definitely changes. Like, the audience will. You'll meet people, they'll tell you what they think a song is about, and then you'll be like, oh, yeah, could be that.

[Tiffany Hansen]

All right, it's changed and it changes you. I suppose, then.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Absolutely.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Yeah. Let's talk about this double album business. So you have one album that is called if It All Works out, and the other called if It Doesn't. I. I. Look, if you don't know anything about the songs, if you don't know anything about Sir Woman, on the face of it, you're going to say, if it All Works out, bunch of happy songs. If it doesn't work out, bunch of sad songs. Is that the case?

[Kelsey Wilson]

No. Yeah, it's kind of. It's my favorite quote, if it All Works out, great. If it doesn't, even better. Like, if it doesn't isn't necessarily songs for a bad day. It's just kind of the songs do a little more heavy lifting than if.

[Tiffany Hansen]

It All Works out, do the songs on each album. If it All Works out. And if it doesn't, all the better. In parentheses. We could change the title now. Right now. That's fine. Are they a dialogue with each other? In other words, will I get more out of the experience of listening to if it doesn't by having heard the if It All Works Out?

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah, I would say. I mean, if it all works out, we basically finished and had all recorded and it was just gonna be a record. But so much happened within my personal life. Like, I lost a sister and my dad and met all these new band members. Like, we've been touring for so long together, and we just didn't stop writing Songs. So it was supposed to be just one album, and it was all finished, and then all of a sudden, a whole nother record just from personal experience and change and then collaborating with all these wildly talented humans. So, I mean, they go together in the sense that it's like a chronological diary of the band and where I was as a human being.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Well, you mentioned some of that grief that you experienced, and I'm curious where in that the creative energy then comes from. Because what it sounds like is it sounds to me that, you know, a tap opened up.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Definitely. And the same way, like, a song that you write can take you back to the time, you can also capture, like, a person's energy in a song. So within that grief, writing songs for those people kind of just keeps them alive in your mind, performing them all the time. And then you have. And then it's a gift for other people who've lost loved ones as well, because everybody's experienced that. So just any little glimmer into their energy is a beautiful thing.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Everybody. It is one of the great universals, whether we like it or not. How has the. Before we get to a little more music here? Because I'm sure people are probably like, why doesn't she just stop playing or stop talking so we can hear some. Talk to us just quickly about how your songwriting has evolved from, you know, where you were before in these sort of. I forgot what you called it. Dark. You know, cynical. It wasn't the word you used.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah, I think I used music to, like, only help in dark times. Like. Yeah. And now I can use music to celebrate good times as well, which is beautiful. And that is all thanks to the people within this collective. Like, when I first started, I didn't have a band. I didn't have any, like, players in mind. And it wasn't till I started recording those songs that I started to meet everyone that is in the band now. So the biggest difference between the music then and the music now is we're all creating this sound together. And I have this wide variety of insane talent to pull from, and everybody brings something incredible to the table. So I can, like, write a song and it'll be as good as I think it's going to be in my head. But until I get all of these people to come play it with me, I don't even know what it's supposed to be. So it's a much bigger. It's a much bigger thing now.

[Tiffany Hansen]

You've attracted all these people to you.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah. I'm so lucky.

[Tiffany Hansen]

I mean, it's sort of like you put it in the universe, and then the universe responded by sending you all of these people.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Like field of dreams. If you build it, they will come.

[Tiffany Hansen]

If you write this song, people are gonna show up and sing it with you. So let's get to another one. This is high praise. It's off of the first half of the double lp. If it all works out. Anything you want to say about this song before you dive in?

[Kelsey Wilson]

This has been one of the most fun songs to play live every night, and it was probably one of the most fun songs to record as well. So just. It's about making your friends feel good and your friends making you feel good. And it's been such a family, beautiful tour that every night we're just, like, cheesing and smiling at each other. And this song definitely captures that. So why don't we include it? Yeah, let's do it. You're giving me this high praise?

[Unknown Speaker]

Acting like you know me well? You think I don't have bad days? Well, baby, let me break the spell? Oh, you're nobody's perfect? Not seeing what's in front of you? I'll show you broken pieces now tell me what you're going through? You're giving me this high praise? You're giving me this high, high praise? I'm giving you this high praise? Cause you never did me wrong? You're done more than a damn thing? Just say you love a move along? Oh, you know nobody's worth it? They can't see what they take from you? So if it really hurts, baby, just tell them what you're going through? I know why you call? I know why you call?

[Kelsey Wilson]

I'm giving you this high praise?

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm giving you this high, high praise? I'm giving you this high praise? I'm giving you this high prai? When you need me, know I'll be there? But baby, you got what it takes? So just call me I'll remind you if I have to do it every day? I know why you call? I know why you call? Giving you this high praise? Cause you never did me wrong? You done ow them a damn thing? Just say you love them move along? Oh, you know nobody's worth it? They can see what they take from you? So if it really hurts, baby, tell them what you're going through? You're giving me this high praise? You're giving me this high praise? You can give me this high praise?

[Tiffany Hansen]

Why are you laughing?

[Kelsey Wilson]

It's just. It's just joy, that's all. It Is. They're just fun.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Joy is good.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Just Joy.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Yeah, Joy is good. The song is High Praise. We are talking with Sir Woman. That song was on the first half of a double album. The first half is called if It All Works Out. The second half is called if it Doesn't. That's coming out on May 16th. Tonight, sir woman is playing at racket starting at 8:00. That song. I'm gonna sound like a mom right now. That song grooves. But, like, my question is, when you go to write a song like that, let's say, are you thinking to yourself, you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna write a song that, like, is really gonna get people like. Or do you just kind of follow the muse where it takes you? And if you end up with a song that grooves, then that's what you end up with.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah. Just following the. I definitely don't normally set out with, like, a theme in mind. I really just. It all started with the. I know why you called. Just like, the idea of, like, I got you someone. It was like a friend that was just talking about another friend. Like, the person you call anytime you need to be hyped up. I think it was spice. I think we're talking about spice. It was just like, you know, the friend that you can call. Just that they're gonna be positive. They're just gonna back you up. Like, your hype, no matter what. Yeah, your hype, woman. Yeah, whatever. They're gonna. The high praise no matter what. You could be on some really dumb stuff and they'd still be like, no, you got it. Yeah. And it just kind of. That hook started giving you this high praise. It was just. Yeah, it just happened.

[Tiffany Hansen]

There's. There are a lot of musicians that I have talked to that go and spend a lot of time in search of the hook. Do you feel pressured by that sometimes? No. No.

[Kelsey Wilson]

I'm very lucky. I. I have hooks. I got them. It's making them into a finished thing. That's the problem. That's what I need a whole team for. Hooks I can, like, you know, I love. I feel like they just exist in the air. And if I stand still long enough and I listen, it's gonna pop in my head. But they don't feel like mine. They just feel like they're floating around and I have a specific frequency that I can just be like, oh, there's one.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Yeah. I'm a writer. I write, and I find that weirdly, character names come to me like that.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Really?

[Tiffany Hansen]

The other day, you guys can tell me if Inky Tucker.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Inky Tucker.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Isn't that a good name?

[Kelsey Wilson]

That's a good name.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Thank you.

[Kelsey Wilson]

I like picture an Inky.

[Tiffany Hansen]

I'm like, I'm gonna write that story. So I guess my follow up question to that is, doesn't it bother you then when like you like me, they just sort of pop out of a tear in the fabric of the universe when people like me start asking you about process?

[Kelsey Wilson]

It doesn't bother me necessarily. Sometimes I just have. I feel like I can get kind of like woo woo describing it, like, and I. Sometimes that turns people off. Like it sounds like you're casting a spell or something, but that's what it feels like. Sometimes you'll just be sitting there. Like a lot of songs will come completed in dreams. In a dream, my friend will be singing me a song that they wrote and I'll wake up and I'll think, damn, that's a really good song. I wish I wrote it. I'll be like, I did write it. I just made my friends sing it to me in my dream.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Right?

[Kelsey Wilson]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Hansen]

I love that. I'll go down that road with you anytime. We can start talking about that. I hear the title High Praise and I think. I think of the church a little bit, but yeah, yeah. You know, my hand goes up, but I thank you. But I wonder how. And I'm getting to the point that you grew up in a. In a gospel background.

[Kelsey Wilson]

Oh, I mean, everyone in here is a gospel player. Gospel. They grew up playing it. I grew up listening to it because my mom just. That's all she would play in the house. But everyone else in here comes.

[Tiffany Hansen]

What did that do to you?

[Kelsey Wilson]

It just made music a very spiritual experience. It was hard for me to. Yeah. Music has just always been spiritual and it's probably because of that.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Music is a spiritual experience for a lot of people. Do you find that that is something that draws people to you? When you talk to fans after the show or, you know, whenever, do you find that that is something that draws them to you?

[Kelsey Wilson]

They definitely. A lot of people tell us it feels like church when it's been. Yeah, like a party church. The party church. Party church.

[Tiffany Hansen]

Yeah, a party church. Yes. And also, you know, we can't forget the grief that you were talking about.

[Kelsey Wilson]

But it's turning. But it turns that experience, any of the difficult things we experience as heartache, loss, whatever, it turns it into a celebration with a bunch of people who were strangers at the beginning of the show and by the end of the show, we've all shared this whole thing that only exists in this one room together and everyone sings together. And it just like it takes something dark and makes it beautiful.

[Tiffany Hansen]

So we have been talking with Sir Woman. That is the solo project of Kelsey Wilson. There's a first half to a double album. The first half is called if It All Works Out. The second half is called if It Doesn't. That comes out on May 16th. Sir woman is playing at racket tonight starting at 8 o'clock. Let's go out on a little music, though. How about New Story?

[Kelsey Wilson]

Let's do it. That's one of the singles off the album. If it doesn't, it's about to drop.

[Tiffany Hansen]

All right.

[Unknown Speaker]

You made a movie out of me. Now you're ready for the sequel. But I got tired of the role? I want to play some different people? You want to fight to stay the same?

[Kelsey Wilson]

I wouldn't dream of.

[Unknown Speaker]

Wouldn'T mean nothing? Cause I got way too many names? I gotta see what fits? So I can write a new story? And tell it different every day? Tell it different every day? Do you love it when I'm lonely? Do you love when I'm away? You made a villain out of me? Now I'm supposed to be your hero? I gotta fix the mess she made? I gotta tell the story she wrote? You wanna tell me I'm the same? Tell me I'm the same? I wouldn't dream of wouldn't mean nothing? Cause you got way too much? You gotta see what fits? So you can write a new story? And tell it different every day? Tell it different every day? Do you laugh when I'm lonely? Do you laugh when I'm away? Do you laugh when I'm away? I know you miss me in the morning? But you don't trust me late at night? You don't trust me late at night? Do you love it when I'm lonely? Do you love it when I cry? Do you love it when I cry?

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