Kelpi is a creature of the pond in the forest or, North Vancouver BC. She is a fallen faerie who has turned into a musician who cannot settle into one distinct sound. Influenced by the lyrics of ancient myth and by the music of nature, she draws upon her own deeply personal experiences to create bittersweet stories that she calls “songs”.
Kelpi hopes to keep her music organic like water and woods emulating a sense of calm and restlessness. Tuning into the song “Crystal Ball” which is out on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
This girl sounds so delicate and we mean that in the best way possible. To have such a delicate sound is hard to accomplish and to stand out still! The strings, that have a banjo undertone, are all that is needed in this pleasant tune. There is something so mysterious and hypnotizing about this song. Almost like you get caught in a trance of her lyrics and the sounds. Something we would call, a beautiful entrapment. The mystery and delicacy of this song is something so different, it is in a class of its own. I am looking forward to hearing the entire album to really see what Kelpie is about.
Listen to "Crystal Ball" by Kelpi here.
Hi Kelpi! Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Sure, I’m a Canadian singer-songwriter from North Vancouver BC going by the moniker of Kelpi. I’m not quite sure how to describe my genre, but I think it’s somewhere adjacent to soft rock and neo-folk.
Can you give us a brief history of your musical career?
I started writing songs when I was five or six because I wanted to be like Avril Lavigne, and I never really stopped. Growing up I took piano lessons and later dabbled in teaching myself various instruments including guitar. I didn’t start recording my songs until I was about 16, but it’s been a steady curve of improvement since then. I finally gathered the courage to put my music out into the world in the summer of 2018, and I’m genuinely shocked that it was well-received!
How did you come up with your name? Is there a meaning behind it?
There’s a bit of a story. My friends and I were very much into mythical creatures when we were kids. The kelpie is a Scottish myth, and is often described as a shape-shifting water spirit (usually appearing as a horse). It became my nickname for a few years, because it sounds like my name (Kelly). When I was thinking of a stage name, it was the first thing to come to mind - I stylized it without the “e” and all lowercase because there are already a few musicians out there with the same name. I also have a connection to horses, but that’s a long story!
Do you write your own music? Can you tell us a bit about your writing style?
I do write my own music, and I record and produce all of it too! My writing style varies a lot - sometimes I come up with the music first, and then add a melody and lyrics. Sometimes it’s the opposite! And every once in a while, I’ll dream something. The first line of my song Lapis Lazuli came to me in my sleep, and the rest of the song was born when I woke up.
We're big fans of your new single Crystal Ball! Can you tell us a bit about it?
Thank you! Crystal Ball is the second track on my debut album The Witching Hour, and its a mellow song that makes me think of cool breeze on a summer afternoon. I had a lot of fun recording it.
Where did the inspiration behind "Crystal Ball" come from?
The inspiration was, generally speaking, the sting of unrequited love. It’s about the struggle of trying to move on from a person, being unable to, and resigning oneself to sticking around no matter how much it hurts.
What are three things you’d love your fans to know about you?
1) I LOVE birds.
2) Even though my music is very calm and sweet, I actually listen to a lot of punk, like the Dwarves and X Ray Spex.
3) I’m also a tap dancer!
What’s next for Kelpi?
I’ll be releasing my single Tony Stark within the next few months, and I’m working hard on a new album!
Connect with Kelpi on social media: