S7 Ep 9 - Get Up and Get it

Summary

True Fiction Project: S7 Ep9 – "Get Up and Get It"

Host: Renita Hora
Guest: Kelda Music
Release Date: March 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, host Renita Hora sits down with the multitalented Kelda Music—an artist whose resume spans music, acting, and fashion—to explore the power of creative multitasking and female empowerment. The conversation delves into Kelda’s artistic journey, how she defies the "stay in your lane" mentality, her empowering fashion business, and the inspiration behind her song "Get Up and Get It." The episode features a reading of lyrics from the song and highlights how real-life stories are transformed into creative fiction and art.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Multifaceted Artist: Breaking Out of the Mold

• Embracing Multiple Passions:
  • Kelda shares how she's often been told to focus on just one thing but resists that advice:

    "Previous people...have always told me, 'oh, you need to stick with one thing. You shouldn't be dabbling into everything.'...for me, that just makes me think, okay, I'm going to show you what I can do."
    – Kelda Music (02:27)

  • She underscores how being versatile is critical in a crowded entertainment industry:

    "You do have to have your hands in other areas of entertainment to separate yourself and to distinguish your brand."
    – Kelda Music (02:31)

• Host Connection:
  • Renita resonates with Kelda’s refusal to stay confined:

    "I know all too well that familiar and slightly annoying refrain about staying in your lane...I totally get it."
    – Renita Hora (03:50)

Journey Into the Arts: Finding the Throughline

• Acting as the First Passion:
  • Kelda’s entry into creativity started with acting from a young age—a love for performing that later extended to music and other arts.

    "Acting came first...My whole thing is I love performing...I love standing before an audience."
    – Kelda Music (05:05)

  • She recounts her experience co-starring in the play "How Black Mothers Say I Love You" in San Francisco, emphasizing the challenge and thrill of live theater:

    "It was my first play...I had to memorize maybe about like 100 pages worth of lines within two to three weeks. And it was a black box theater...just looking at you like this."
    – Kelda Music (05:44)

Belonging: Regional Roots & Music Placement

• California Roots:
  • Kelda clarifies she was born and raised in San Jose and narrates how her music reached broader audiences, including a song featured on "Real Housewives of Atlanta":

    "I'm actually born and raised here in California, in San Jose. As far as Real Housewives of Atlanta, I had a song placed on one of the episodes."
    – Kelda Music (07:10)

The Fashion Line: Redefining the Model

• From Berets to Glitter:
  • Kelda’s fashion endeavor centers on berets ("TAMs"), where inclusivity rewrites the rules:

    "Anyone who purchases a beret for me...I put you in my fashion show. And you don't have to meet the requirements of being a typical fashion model...You could be any height, weight, background, age."
    – Kelda Music (09:11)

  • She encourages everyone to participate, even those who can’t attend in person:

    "If not, you could always take a picture with the beret and then we posted on the TAMS social media."
    – Kelda Music (10:23)

Empowerment through Music – "Get Up and Get It"

• The Song’s Message:
  • The track "Get Up and Get It" is rooted in women’s independence:

    "The song is about women empowerment. It's about getting up and feeling inspired, feeling motivated and knowing what you want in life and being independent most of all."
    – Kelda Music (11:14)

  • She highlights the importance of independence:

    "We can do everything independently. We don't need to rely on anyone...the end goal is to be independent and to earn your own money."
    – Kelda Music (11:35)

Online Presence & Connection

• Where to Find Kelda:
  • Central portal for Kelda’s music, shows, and berets:

    "My website, keldamusic.com, that's k e l d a m u z I k dot com...You could stream my music. You could check out my talk show, Diva Talk Tonight...watch my music videos. And most of all, you could purchase your tan stories."
    – Kelda Music (12:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Creativity and Proving Doubters Wrong

  "Everyone that's out there that tells you you can't do it, it's going to make you do it even more."
  – Kelda Music (02:38)

• On Nontraditional Fashion Shows

  "I'm giving like the non traditional model a chance to model. Because you're just modeling the beret."
  – Kelda Music (09:24)

• On Personal Empowerment

  "We've been in a recession a while, mama. To get paid, you gotta go the extra mile. You heard this message and music already, and that's just a little piece that you guys will get from me for right now."
  – Kelda Music reciting "Get Up and Get It" (13:28)

• Host’s Feminist Response

  "Oh, this is music to my ears. I'm sending my daughter your way."
  – Renita Hora (12:09)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:27 – 03:50: Kelda discusses advice against multitasking and her drive to defy it
• 05:05 – 07:01: Early acting experiences and transition into music
• 09:04 – 10:33: The beret line and inclusive fashion shows
• 11:14 – 12:09: Inspiration and message behind "Get Up and Get It"
• 13:28 – 14:10: Live reading of "Get Up and Get It" lyrics

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Conclusion & Takeaways

"Get Up and Get It" is a celebration of creative multitasking and the importance of pursuing passions fearlessly. Kelda Music exemplifies someone who breaks out of categories—blending music, acting, and fashion while championing independence and empowering women. The episode’s fusion of real-life narrative, lyric reading, and practical advice makes it an inspiring listen for anyone seeking to chart their own creative path.

Links:

• KeldaMusic.com – Music, berets, talk shows, and more
• "Get Up and Get It" available on major streaming platforms

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End of Summary.

Transcript

[WSECU Announcer]

WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're a Forbes best in State five years running. Why? Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a member owned cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu.org today to learn more. Washington let's credit union.

[Kelda Music]

The entertainment industry is so overpopulated in a way. You do have to have your hands in other areas of entertainment to separate yourself and to distinguish your brand. And so that's what keeps me going is just the enjoyment of doing this. It's, you know, what I love to do. It's my passion. And again, everyone that's out there that tells you you can't do it, it's going to make you do it even more.

[True Fiction Project Intro]

Welcome to the True Fiction Project, a podcast series that explores the origins of fiction. Every week we begin with an interview, nonfiction. Followed by a creative piece, fiction inspired by something from the interview. The idea is to demonstrate, of course, that fiction is born out of our life experiences. Now, here's your host, storyteller, author, public speaker, health and wellness expert, Renita Hora.

[Renita Hora]

Welcome to the True Fiction Project. I am your host, Renita Ahora. And as you know, this is your home for all things creative. So we have a very different kind of creative person here today, Kelda Music. She is involved in music and acting and fashion. Like I said, all things creative. So welcome, Kelda, to the True Fiction Project.

[Kelda Music]

Hello, Renita. Thank you so much for having me, darling.

[Renita Hora]

Thank you for being on the show. So I am beyond impressed. You are a multifaceted artist. Let's see, you've been on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. You have acted in the film First Date, which is available on Hulu, and you have your own line of berets. How do you do all this stuff? Where do you find the time more than the time? Where do you find your creative energy? Or how.

[Kelda Music]

Yeah, I'm just a multitasker and sometimes I go against what people say. Previous people that I've worked with in the past as far as like mentors and managers and agents and so forth, have always told me, oh, you need to stick with one thing. You shouldn't be dabbling into everything. You shouldn't be multitasking because you're not going to see your projects all the way through and you're not going to be able to handle it and you're not going to be able to polish your projects or perfect your projects. And for me, that just makes me think, okay, I'm going to show you what I can do. I can still record music, perform, have my own beret line, Tams star and act in films, make guest appearances. I can do it all. And there's many entertainers that do the same thing, many creators that do the same thing. And really the entertainment industry is so overpopulated in a way. You do have to have your hands in other areas of entertainment to separate yourself and to distinguish your brand. And so that's what keeps me going, is just the enjoyment of doing this. It's, you know, what I love to do. It's my passion. And again, everyone that's out there that tells you you can't do it, it's going to make you do it even more.

[Renita Hora]

Even more. Right. That resonates so much. Kilda because in many ways I'm speaking to my own kind of people here. I do the same. And I know all too well that familiar and slightly annoying refrain about staying in your lane. Stay in your lane, stay in your lane, Build the expertise. I too have done a few different things, as my listeners know already, explore different genres in my writing, have done a few different things in my career life. And I feel that with all of us, it's finding that through line is not necessarily about the traditional staying in your lane. Everything that I do involves South Asian storylines, themes, characters. That's the through line. But you know, that can be historical fiction, it could be comedy, it can be fantasy, it can be live performance, it could be open mic, it could be a screenplay. So I totally get it. And I want to ask you, since you are so multi talented and I think it's multi talented rather than even multitasking.

[Kelda Music]

Even better.

[Background Singer]

Yeah, even better.

[Renita Hora]

Much better. We're trying to get on point here. Which of those qualities or talents, I should say came first? What was your entry point?

[Kelda Music]

Yeah, so acting came first and that came first. When I was younger, from reading all types of commercials for auditions as a kid and going into those auditions and being able to perform in front of one or two people or sometimes five to 10 people, whenever you walk into an audition, you really don't know what to expect until you get in there. And either way you have to be prepared. So that definitely came first. And that's what opened the door for me to do music and to do a whole bunch of other Things. My whole thing is I love performing. I love standing before an audience. I love performing music. I love acting. I actually was in a play called How Black Mothers say I Love youe in 2022, and it was my first play. I was co starring in it. I had to memorize maybe about like 100 pages worth of lines within two to three weeks. And it was a black box theater, so that means it's a little bit more intimate. And when I say intimate, I'm Talking about like 30 to 50 people just standing or just sitting right in front of you, just looking at you like this. Just staring at you while you're acting in front of them.

[Renita Hora]

Was that in Atlanta?

[Kelda Music]

No. So that was actually here in San Francisco.

[Renita Hora]

Okay.

[Kelda Music]

Yes, it was in San Francisco, in the Castro district.

[Renita Hora]

Okay.

[Kelda Music]

And the play was directed by a lovely woman by the name of Tanika Baptiste. She just called me one day and said, I think you would be a perfect fit to play Valerie. And I said, okay, well, I've never done this before. You know, all the acting I've ever done was on film. You know, where they could say, cut, pause, do it again. You know what I mean? But this time it was live. And if you mess up, hey, whatever comes out of your mouth is going to come out of your mouth. And you just kind of have to roll with. Right.

[Renita Hora]

So. So when did you move to California? Or have you moved because you went Real Wives, Housewives of Atlanta?

[Kelda Music]

Well, I'm actually born and raised here in California, in San Jose. And as far as Real Housewives of Atlanta, I had a song placed on one of the episodes. Yeah, yeah. And hey, I wish I could be on the show because that is one of my favorite reality TV shows.

[Renita Hora]

Well, San Jose and the music scene, I mean, that was the music scene more than San Francisco back in the day. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Kelda Music]

Yeah, yeah, it definitely was the music scene. Just showbiz entertainment. Overall. There was a market in San Jose before Silicon Valley came into play.

[Renita Hora]

Oh, yeah, the Dooney Brothers are from there. And as many others as well.

[Kelda Music]

You know, it's funny, I heard of the Doobie Brothers because I watched VH1 when they do behind the Music, like long, long time ago. And I remember they showed a record spinning of the Doobie Brothers. And I'm like, hey, do they still exist?

[WSECU Announcer]

And then WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're a Forbes Best in State five years running. Why? Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, Financial guidance and certain service second to none. As a member owned cooperative, we love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial well being. Because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu.org today to learn more. Washington let's Credit union.

[Kelda Music]

They had like a little thing that said, oh, you know, this was like 20 years ago or whatever. I was like, oh, okay. Way before my time.

[Renita Hora]

Yeah, the band members are still around, some of them. I don't know if they're in San Jose anymore, but they're in the area. They're in there in our hood. Okay, but tell me about your fashion line. Is it specifically the berets? You're wearing a beautiful beret right now. Raspberry beret. I mean, it's.

[Kelda Music]

Thank you.

[Renita Hora]

Quintessential.

[Kelda Music]

Yeah, yeah, for right now, just berets. There are 10 different colors. I have like a nickname for each color. Still haven't memorized it completely like I should, but I have 10 different colors. They're available on my website. Soon we will be looking to bring in a glitter lipstick line. And because of creating these berets, I've actually been hosting a lot of fashion shows. And. Yeah. And like the amazing thing is what I do is anyone who purchases a beret for me, whether you're my customer, whether you're a fan, I put you in my fashion show. And so you don't have to meet the requirements of being a typical fashion model. You know what I mean? You could be any height, weight, background, age. Exactly. So I'm giving like the non traditional model a chance to model. Because you're just modeling the beret.

[Renita Hora]

Yeah. And how does that work? I mean, if I'm in New York or the whatever the other side of the country and I buy a beret, how can I be in your fashion show? I assume it's live and it's in San Francisco or somewhere close to you.

[Kelda Music]

Yeah, live here in San Francisco. You would have to fly on. Okay, okay, so I've got to fly. But if not, you could always take a picture with the beret and then we posted on the TAMS social media. So you'll be a little star on our social media wearing the berets.

[Renita Hora]

Okay, listeners, I mean, I hope you are listening very carefully because here is a real life chance to be on a fashion show. All you have to do is go to Kelda's website, click on the link, buy a beret. And of Course links to all that will be in the show notes.

[Kelda Music]

Yeah. Okay.

[Renita Hora]

So now, what are you going to read for us today for the creative piece? I know you've got something special lined up.

[Kelda Music]

Yes, yes. Okay.

[Renita Hora]

Well, if you could set it up for us first, what I'd like to know is what is the true life inspiration behind what you're going to read? Yes.

[Kelda Music]

So I'm reading a verse from my song called get up and Get It. The song is about women empowerment. It's about getting up and feeling inspired, feeling motivated and knowing what you want in life and being independent most of all. I know there's so many women out there who sometimes depend on men for everything, but my whole message to women is we can do everything independently. We don't need to rely on anyone. We don't need to rely on family, friends, nothing. And sometimes starting out, we do struggle a bit. But the end goal is to be independent and to earn your own money and to make a living for yourself and being able to buy yourself a house, being able to thrive in whatever industry you're in. And again, just being independent.

[Renita Hora]

Oh, this is music to my ears. I'm sending my daughter your way. Just heads up. Okay. Okay, that's great. Now, before you do the read, can we actually find the song online?

[Kelda Music]

Yes, you could actually find it on Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, wherever you get your music or wherever you stream your music. It's called get up and get it, and it's on the Diva Project album.

[Renita Hora]

Diva Project album. Again, we're going to link to all of that in the show notes. Let our listeners know where else we can find you online for your music, your gigs, live gigs, your beautiful berets, of course, your website, anything you want to say.

[Kelda Music]

Thank you. Yes. So I have one portal, one site that everyone could go to to view everything. My website, keldamusic.com, that's k e l d a m u z I k dot com. You could stream my music. You could check out my talk show, Diva Talk Tonight, which is streaming on Tubi. You could watch the trailer to the Hodges. That's a series that I'm in. And you could watch my music videos. And most of all, you could purchase your tan stories.

[Renita Hora]

Okay. Love it, love it, love it. Okay, well, music and lyrics in your hands. Let's hear the lyrics.

[Kelda Music]

All right, I'm just gonna read a piece of it because the rest of it probably. Well, the rest of it, everyone will have to go ahead and stream the song. You heard it before, but don't question me. Now be independent. Women like Destiny's Child. You see me dressing with style. I make my own money, expect me to smile. We've been in a recession a while, mama. To get paid, you gotta go the extra mile. You heard this message and music already, and that's just a little piece that you guys will get from me for right now.

[Renita Hora]

All right, I love it. Thank you. I cannot wait to hear more. I'm gonna go listen to the song right after we close this down. Kelda, thank you so much for being on the True Fiction Project today.

[Kelda Music]

Thank you so much.

[Renita Hora]

That was Kelda Music, a multifaceted artist. She is a singer, songwriter, actor, fashionista. Not just a fashionista, but a producer of fashion shows. And she has her own line of berets called TAMs, which I think I'm gonna go and purchase because I want to be in one of her fashion shows. This is the True Fiction Project. Thank you for joining us today. I am your host, Renita Hora.

[Background Singer]

You gotta get up and get it get it I got it, I got it Good. You gotta get up and get it get it I got it, I got it good. You gotta get up and get it get it I got it, I got it. You gotta get up and get it get it I got it, I got it. You gotta get up and get it get it I got it, I got it. You gotta get get up and get it get it I got it, I got it. Got my own phone and my own clothes. Got my own whip and my own crib.

[Kelda Music]

You've heard it before but don't question me now.

[Background Singer]

Be independent women like Destiny's Child.

[Renita Hora]

Here at the True Fiction Project, we are always looking for great stories that make for compelling fiction. So if you have a great story or know somebody who does, or if you are a writer who would like to contribute, then please do get in touch with us at renita.com forward/contact.

[True Fiction Project Intro]

Thank you for listening to the True Fiction Project with Renita Hora. Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter to receive more inspiring stories showing how fiction is born from our everyday, everyday experiences. For more information, visit www.TrueFictionProject.com.

[WSECU Announcer]

WSECU isn't just one of Washington's best credit unions. We're a Forbes Best in State five years running. Why? Because we put you first. Lower fees, early paydays, financial guidance and service second to none. As a fact of matter. Member owned cooperative. We love Washington as much as you do. From the Olympic Mountains to the rolling Palouse. Join us and discover how much we care about your financial wellbeing, because what we really do best is invest in you. Visit wsecu. Org today to learn more. WASHINGTON let's Credit Union.