Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Kelli Baker moved to New York in 2012, with $500 in cash, chasing the heels of Hurricane Sandy.

She was taught music and voice in the church choir, went on to audition choral groups, performing the National Anthem for the NBA at 17 (Phoenix Suns), fronting a hard rock band, pairing in a folk duo, and eventually, writing and performing for herself.

Kelli has been featured on Governor’s Radio, Breaking Sound Radio, Rising Stars Radio with Rick Eberle, The Douglas Coleman Show, OhBaeBee, DiscoverYou Radio, The Long Islander, The Island Now, and was named one of Newsday’s Rising Stars of Long Island.

In this interview spotlight, I chat with Kelli about her latest music, technology, challenges and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)

I’m originally from Arizona, and have been in New York for seven years- but New York has been in my blood since I can remember.  I think New York was home to me before I even got here.

I’m writing the words that have been hiding on my tongue for years.  I have always written filtered music- filtered to hide the way I want to say that things I have been scared to say. (That’s a tongue twister.) What if a certain person hears it and thinks of me differently? At some point, I just said the hell with it and threw myself in.  I’m not for everyone.  My music is not for everyone, but it’s for someone.  

I always say it’s a blues-rock possessed by the devil kind of vibe I create- music you hear walking past an alley, and you catch it from sneaking in the back door.

If you see me in person, I’m not nearly as dark. I think that’s what surprises people the most. 

What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?

I had an AHA moment.  If you dive into the lyrics of my song, Red Winter, you can walk through that moment with me and feel it for yourself.  I came out of an experience- which I am so grateful for- a better person. It wasn’t easy- I didn’t want to put myself in a position where my emotions could be jeopardized to that point again. A lot of pain from that experience came from my own insecurities behind held to my face in a blaring way.  When you’re finally seen the way you have feared you would be seen, the things you say about yourself in your head? You have to channel that hurt and get something out of it. 

 It comes down to being the most honest version of myself. You have to take care of yourself.  You have to say the things you don’t want to say, and do the things you have putting off, to be the person you owe it to yourself to be. Stop wasting time.

I continue to want to be the most authentic version of myself, and that version will ALWAYS write music like this. I’ve finally figured out who I am. 

How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?

This is my third release with multi-platinum producer, Philip A. Jimenez, (Wheatus, Teenage Dirtbag). Each time, we’re pulling more out of each other, because we understand the language we’re building together. He knows what I’ll like, or won’t, where I want it to go…. he’s an incredible talent. 

Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?

I would say just that, over saturation.  But for me, I’d love to make enough to do it full time. I’m fortunate because I can do it at all. If anything, technology has eased many things and combined roles I’ve always wanted to play into one big part. I use a reference from The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath a lot to explain this.  Each leaf represents a different path, and as time goes on, the leaves fall. I was always standing under the tree. Now, I am the tree. 

What was the last song you listened to?

I’m been loving watching Jimmy Vivino’s (@jimmyvmusic) daily quarantine jams on Instagram.  He’s my new guitar hero and I’m discovering all kinds of great music through his posts.  Today, was “Goin’ Down Slow- St. Louis Jimmy Oden 

Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?

I love good vinyl, because you hear it the way it was meant to sound.  I love the ease of an mp3, and I love the nostalgia of a CD. My first CD was Nirvana, Incestide. 

How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why? 

I’m a Spotify gal.  In another life, I wanted to be a music supervisor. I love making playlists to a specific time, or an emotion in a specific time.  My latest playlist is “Songs for 1989”– the playlist is based around driving around Phoenix in the back of my mom’s tan Monza. 

 Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?

Instagram is my main hang (@kellibakermusic), but I use different platforms for different purposes. I share what I’m up to, but I also share a lot of other artists that I can’t stop listening to. I’m the kind of person that finds a new song and listens to it non stop for two days until it settles in.  I’ll remember that time and what I was doing, associate that song with that time period, etc. 

Navigating a crowded airport in Phoenix alone, on my way home for an intense visit? – Otherside, Perfume Genius

Driving with the windows down on warm Arizona streets to Thunderbird Hospital, where I would visit my friend every night for a month before she passed away? -Star Me Kitten, R.E.M.

When my dad unexpectedly passed away I had to work the next two days. I was broken- I stared at a computer screen, watching the same video over and over. -Elastic Heart, Sia

Anything else before we sign off?

Thanks for chatting with me! I always say, stick around to see how far the rabbit hole goes….