Interview: Kelley Smith talks about acclaimed debut EP, 'Moon Child'
Interview by: Andy Ellis, Writer @andysmileyjay
Edited by: Paul Thorson, writer/editor @paulyt03
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Singer-songwriter Kelley Smith released her debut EP Moon Child after her 40th birthday. For some, that may seem like a late start in this world where everyone seems to be trying to “make it” as fast as they can. But everyone knows being an artist is a never-ending journey.
If you really care about the art and honing your craft, there’s no secret that it takes time. And sometimes, even though it may be tempting just to start writing, you need to actually live life to a point where you feel you’ve got something to say. Put Smith in that category.
I had the pleasure of talking to her about her debut EP Moon Child and her creative process. The interview below has been edited for clarity.
Andy Ellis: I’ve always had this belief that an album cover helps set the tone for the body of music it represents. Can you talk about creating the album cover? The two trees—one bare and one with leaves— seem very purposeful.
Kelley Smith: I'm so glad you noticed that. In the early days of the pandemic, I fell down the rabbit hole of middle-life contemplations. The Moon Child songs are what came out of that phase. Later, I commissioned artist David Hayward to create a guitar lady version of a very similar piece of his that I carried around with me everywhere when the songs were written. Her name is Sophia ("Wisdom" in Greek).
She's finding peace, freedom, and strength. Anyhoo, I hope that the listener can find their own meaning(s) in the two trees. But, in short, they represent extremes - and the woman is finding peace while living in the tension between the two. She's suspended so effortlessly between them, actually. Thank you for asking me about that. The art means a lot to me, and I hope it's a nice visual aid for my listeners.
Cover art for Moon Child
A.E.: These songs come from being up at night due to your insomnia. Do you notice a difference in your creativity from being up during those night hours versus during the daylight?
K.S.: Heck yes. My daytime life is noisier and filled with minutiae. It's harder for me to dig in creatively. Nighttime is when my brain feels free to roam. I often dream of melodies and lyrics, they wake me up, and then I decide if I want to surrender or not. Night songs tend to be more introspective, whereas day songs (so far) seem to be telling the stories of others. I'm trying to adapt to daytime creativity more, though, because I'm a mom, and I'm 40 now. I can't really afford to be tired and cranky all the time.
A.E.: You came to songwriting later in life, but musicians raised you. Were you surprised you didn’t start down this creative path earlier?
K.S.: Naw. I was afraid. Social anxiety sucks. It's not just a momentary discomfort. It's a lifetime of tricksy messaging about identity and worth. Making music was something other people did. And honestly, I think I needed to live some life first in order to write decent songs. Also, I don't really regret not pursuing music when my 4 kids were younger. We sang and danced a lot. We were always listening to old folk (artists)… heroes like Doc Watson and Elizabeth Cotten, which was probably priming me to identify so strongly with the genre. So...I was always a musician, even when I wasn't, and when I was ready to be (one), it came fairly naturally.
A.E.: “Moon Child” sets the quiet but peaceful vibe right away. I feel this song is you talking to your younger self who maybe still is trying to get a hold of what is keeping her up at night. How did this one come about, and what made it the album title?
K.S.: Yes! Sort-of. It's a conversation. I guess the who is up to the listener. I love your interpretation. One is trying to convince the concerned other that they are growing, and that's a good thing. I suppose it's the album title because it ties together the feel of the other songs, because it's an insomnia album, and because of the cover art I carried around with me everywhere when I was writing.
A.E.: Could you talk about writing the chorus for “Dust”? It feels like it could almost be a silent prayer for coping with loss and moving on. The song itself has a dark, old Irish folk song feel to it.
K.S.: "The peace, the pain of every season's change" - we live in the tension. I suppose this song is spiritual, though it doesn't necessarily resolve. Folks who observe Ash Wednesday smudge ash or dust on their foreheads. I think it's profound and beautiful, though scary and morbid. It reminds us of who we are and teaches us to be present in our lives.
A.E.: “Tea and Whiskey” seems to be about wanting to get back together with someone even though you know you just don’t work. The title alone seems to reflect that the more I processed the lyrics. Can you talk about writing this one?
K.S.: Oh man! I love hearing how these songs take on new meanings for new people! I almost don't want to give an explanation. It's belonging. It's escapism. And again, there's that tension. Don't neglect your inner child as an individual or in romantic relationships.
A.E.: I admit “I’ll Let Go” takes me in two different directions. One is finding someone who makes you feel comfortable enough to put your trust in them. The other has to do with the line towards the end about seeing them under trees as if they have passed. And you’re telling the universe you’re ready, too, if you can be by that person. How did this song come to be? The way that song ends left me in a calm, silent state, and I wanted just to stay there thinking about what I just listened to. What made you want to close the album out with that song?
K.S.: Wow, that's lovely. I guess that's what any art can do: help us think, process, feel. To go places we wouldn't have in that moment otherwise. I wrote this one in a cabin in the woods, and it...captures a very personal moment in my own journey. The line, "I'll cut my hair and go out singin' beneath the old oak trees," - is a picture of freedom to me. I'm always wanting to get back to that wild and free woodsy Minnesota girl.
It was written later, after production was already underway for the other songs, and has a certain resolve to be okay with no immediate resolution. There's fatigue in-between the lines. If I were to let go of striving to understand life, the universe, and everything, would there be someone or something there to catch me?
I came home from that cabin and made a scratch track of the guitar part, which we (my producer Joel Schwartz and I) ended up using in the final version. This song is raw, down to the fiddle parts, which I composed and tracked a couple of months after buying my first fiddle.
A.E.: From a larger point of view, what made this group of songs the best fit for your debut statement as an artist?
K.S.: I released Moon Child just after turning 40 years old. The songs are my first batch, written like a middle-life coming-of-age story. An introverted dreamer with social anxiety, finding her courage and her voice. It fits. Down the road, you'll hear me tell the stories of others and maybe get a little bit more cheeky and bold.
A.E.: Your music definitely put me in this state where I could see you playing these songs in the middle of a forest somewhere. Why do you think this kind of music seems to fit so naturally in nature?
K.S.: I had the freedom to roam about in the woods as a little girl. I sang my favorite songs to forest animals. My childhood was picturesque: Pre-screens. Tadpoles, fireflies, and endless summer days. I think I'm always trying to get back there a little bit. The forest is in my bones, so it makes sense and makes me smile that you'd say that!
A.E.: What do you want people to take away from this record?
K.S.: I love the idea that this thing can take on a life of its own, so...whatever they want, I suppose.
A.E.: Someone is at your show, and it’s their first dive into the local indie Minnesota music scene. Who are 3 other artists in the scene you suggest they check out?
K.S.: It's hard to pick three, but I really dig non-showboatey, rugged music. So, my Minnesota music hero is Charlie Parr. Also, I've been sharing some shows with Drew Peterson, who is a vibe altogether. Maygen and the Birdwatcher, because Maygen and I are both moms who showed up to music a little later in life. Also, check out Wild Horses. Their voices = tops. Okay, that was 4! WHOOPS.
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Purchase Moon Child on Bandcamp or listen wherever you stream your music.
