Artist: Kalee Smyth
Album: The Ceiling
Genre: Country, Americana
Released: 2020
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Tracklist:
- Bring Our Love Down
- Mexico City
- Life Like This
- Way Too Long
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Kalee Smyth’s journey to her solo debut EP, The Ceiling, has been an unconventional one filled with love and loss, self-doubt and personal triumphs, familiar comforts and foreign adventures. As she gears up to release her 4-track EP, one thing’s for sure she’s never been more true to herself as an artist.
“I’ve learned how to enjoy the process in a way I never thought I could,” says Smyth. “Songwriting used to intimidate me, but I’ve learned to embrace the struggle. If it was easy, it could never feel so rewarding.”
Growing up in pastoral Monroe, Washington, music was a fixture in Smyth’s home thanks largely to her father a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader who fronted gospel, bluegrass, and country bands throughout her childhood.
“My dad would play guitar and sing every night. I grew up on traditional hymns and spirituals, and his original songs,” says Smyth. Yet, she struggled to find her place in music at an early age. “Performing was not something I was drawn to,” she says. “In 7th grade I took a drama class that helped me conquer my fears of being on stage and that was a turning point for me. I did my first musical. I joined the choir. I really fell in love with performing.”
“When I was in high school, my older brother started bringing home country music CDs,” she recalls. “Once I heard Pam Tillis, Faith Hill, The Judds...that’s when I really found the niche of music that spoke to me. I would sit in my bedroom with my boom box and CD’s and sing along to all these artists.”
Eventually, Smyth started spending time in her father’s garage recording studio, recording her vocal takes and poring over the liner notes of her favorite country records. “All the records I loved were being made in Nashville so that’s where I wanted to be,” she says, “and I made a deal with myself to move there after college.”
Upon graduating high school, Smyth moved to New York and after studying at both Manhattanville College and Fordham University, she found her heart was pulling her to the place she’d long dreamed of calling home. She transferred to Belmont University to study history, music business and ultimately, life as a struggling artist in Nashville.
“What I learned when I got to Belmont was that there was a lot more to being a singer in Nashville than just singing. I realized I needed a band, a demo, industry contacts, and most importantly, I needed original songs. It was overwhelming.” For the first time, Smyth started delving into songwriting and mapping her experiences to music, but shortly after graduating, life was about to take a turn.