Kelly Padrick Chases the Feeling You Should Never Settle For on ‘Butterflies’

Kelly Padrick moves through heartbreak, acceptance, and the complicated space between the two on her five-track EP, a project that favors emotional honesty over easy resolution. Across But, Blue, Padrick approaches changing relationships from several angles, allowing each song to capture a different stage of realizing that something once meaningful may no longer belong in the present.

Opening track “But, Blue” introduces the project before “I’ll Try” shifts toward persistence and the instinct to keep reaching for something even when its future feels uncertain. Rather than presenting vulnerability as weakness, Padrick gives those emotions room to develop, creating a project that feels grounded in the messy reality of trying to understand when effort is worthwhile and when it is finally time to move forward.

That realization becomes more direct on “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” a title that signals a noticeable emotional turn within the tracklist. By the time “Shine” arrives, the project begins looking beyond what has been lost, bringing a different sense of perspective into an EP otherwise shaped by reflection and emotional transition.

Closing track “Butterflies” gives the project its final chapter, rounding out a five-song sequence that moves from uncertainty toward something lighter without pretending that personal growth happens neatly or all at once. Padrick’s songwriting keeps the focus on recognizable emotions throughout, letting the progression of the tracklist carry much of the larger story.

Together, the five songs present a concise portrait of emotional change, with Padrick finding strength not in having every answer, but in becoming increasingly comfortable with leaving some questions behind.

After exploring more electronic sounds throughout your catalog, what made Butterflies feel like the right project to move toward this nostalgic, retro country-pop landscape? I grew up on country music. I always had the desire to get into more of a country sound. My dad was from the South, and we listened to country all the time. The song Butterflies was written in five minutes, and I definitely heard it in my head with a retro, country kind of feel. The rest of the songs followed the same musical vein as Butterflies- country. It was refreshing to try something new, although I have a couple of country songs that I recorded with my past collaborator, Nancy Hess. So country has always been a big part of my life!

The EP repeatedly looks backward while encouraging listeners to keep moving forward. How do you personally distinguish between honoring the past and becoming stuck in it? Well, I always try to be a better version of myself. I've had situations that I like to reflect on while maintaining strength and dignity. It's okay to look back, and it's okay to feel sad, but it's better to let go and to move on. Forgiving is a lot healthier than holding onto bad feelings. It's freeing to say okay, I'm good. I don't like what you did, but I'm good. It's over, and you can go now. A lot healthier that way!

The idea of never settling for anything less than “butterflies” is such a simple but powerful standard for love. Has your definition of that feeling changed throughout your life and songwriting career? No, it hasn't. The feeling of being with someone who gives you butterflies is so special - and it's really an amazing feeling to be intoxicated with someone. It makes life so exciting (and in reality gave me a lot of writing material), but in the end, if I was being treated less special than I should have been, I chose to leave that person to find someone who would give me that same feeling, having butterflies, because I'm worth it. And I hope whoever listens to Butterflies knows they are worth it too - to never settle for anyone who doesn't treat you right, or gives you butterflies.

How did working with Mark Copely influence the storytelling and sonic identity of Butterflies, and did he bring anything out of your music that surprised you? Oh god, Marc is a dream come true! He brought a much more visual vocabulary to the feelings I was expressing. He is so talented musically and so easy to work with. It was never a struggle to write with him; it was fun! He makes every nuance, every sound, sound great and is a master at whatever he does, and may I add, a great guy as well!

You’re reuniting with Patricia Chica for the upcoming “Shine” video after creating more than ten music videos together. How has your visual language evolved across that longtime creative partnership?

My video concepts have grown as my lyrics have matured through the years. I have much more of a worldly understanding (I hope!), and I've definitely grown in terms of the visual aspects I want to relay in my videos - and also healthier aspects of my life. Working with Patricia Chica, she makes you feel relaxed and will definitely bring out the lyrical intensity of a song. She is such a great visual director and performer.