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[0:00] Quincy Brown: 76. “Suddenly Seymour,” and this is Sentimental Men. We're here to talk, and maybe scream, about our favorite women in musical theater.

[0:14] Kevin Bianchi: It's gonna take a million dreams for the world we're gonna make.

[0:50] Quincy Brown: The Greatest Showman is good. We forget that sometimes.

[0:51] Kevin Bianchi: It is good. I've never forgotten it. For a day in my goddamn life, I've never forgotten it.

[0:58] Quincy Brown: And you know what, Kevin? You know who shops at my Trader Joe's on a regular basis would be one Mr. Hugh Jackman.

[1:04] Kevin Bianchi: Really?

[1:07] Quincy Brown: Yes, like once a week. One time he reached right past me to get the watermelon cucumber juice, and I was like, I love The Greatest Showman.

[1:14] Kevin Bianchi: Is he Hugh Jackman, or is he incognito?

[1:16] Quincy Brown: Um, he wears a mask.

[1:19] Kevin Bianchi: I love that that's the new celebrity thing now. Taylor Swift talked about in her podcast episode with Travis Kelsey, which was amazing, how she went to a football game with Travis and literally walked in the main entrance and just had a hat and a mask on and no one plucked it.

[1:30] Quincy Brown: He comes in like that. He is also a hundred feet tall, so it is a little easier for Taylor Swift to blend in than Hugh Jackman.

[1:41] Kevin Bianchi: One time I held the door for him and he said thank you, so he's very nice.

[1:45] Quincy Brown: He's very sweet.

[1:46] Kevin Bianchi: He is sweet.

[1:47] Quincy Brown: I just saw him at Radio City.

[1:48] Kevin Bianchi: Tell me how it was.

[1:50] Quincy Brown: I mean, it kind of felt like I entered a different timeline because it is such... Firstly, he like, kind of like 15 minutes in was like, how many of you only know me as Wolverine? And so many people rose their hands, which to me in the year 2025, if that's how we're still thinking of Hugh Jackman, I think you've missed a lot of things in culture.

[2:11] Kevin Bianchi: I just don't, I feel like he's kind of shaken the Wolverine of it all, but maybe I'm just living in a bubble.

[2:16] Quincy Brown: Yeah, I feel like we probably have a skewed opinion of Hugh because a lot of his more recent things are very pertaining to us.

[2:26] Kevin Bianchi: Like, I think like if you asked like my brother or like your brother, what Hugh Jackman is from, they both would probably say Wolverine.

[2:34] Quincy Brown: And with that context, you then buy a ticket to see his show titled Hugh Jackman Live from Radio City from New York with Love, I believe it's called.

[2:44] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, maybe. I don't know. I'm not an X-Men girly.

[2:47] Quincy Brown: I don't know what that fandom's like.

[2:49] Kevin Bianchi: Because there was just like...

[2:51] Quincy Brown: Also the X-Men fandom is a lot of gay people.

[2:53] Kevin Bianchi: So...

[2:54] Quincy Brown: Is it?

[2:55] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, because it's a very like queer allegory. I think a lot of gay people like X-Men.

[3:01] Quincy Brown: Interesting.

[3:02] Kevin Bianchi: We were going from...

[3:06] Quincy Brown: To...

[3:10] Kevin Bianchi: What have I done, sweet Jesus? What have I done?

[3:12] Quincy Brown: No.

[3:16] Kevin Bianchi: I was loving it. It's like, who is this for?

[3:21] Quincy Brown: For us.

[3:24] Kevin Bianchi: He rented out Radio City for the gays.

[3:28] Quincy Brown: It was... He did do... There was a lot of Greatest Showman, a lot of Greatest Showman, which I was not upset about at all.

[3:35] Kevin Bianchi: No.

[3:36] Quincy Brown: And I was actually texting videos to a lot of my straight friends who are obsessed with The Greatest Showman, straight guy friends. It was great. He is such a showman, pun intended.

[3:46] Kevin Bianchi: Some would say he's the greatest.

[3:49] Quincy Brown: And just so clearly loves being on that stage and doing his dancey dance, singy sing thing. It was like a super enjoyable evening at Radio City.

[4:01] Kevin Bianchi: I think it's a tour. I think you have ample opportunity to see him. I think he has several, like many residencies.

[4:12] Quincy Brown: It was a good time. And he's... You know what I kind of walked away with? He is so good at the crowd work aspect of live performance.

[4:22] Kevin Bianchi: There was a lot of crowd work. He was going into the crowd. He was pulling people up on stage to do little bits and stuff. And that's really excellent.

[4:30] Quincy Brown: I kind of feel like he should be a talk show host or something.

[4:33] Kevin Bianchi: I think there's a fun lane for him there. If James Corden can be a late night host, so can Hugh.

[4:40] Quincy Brown: And I don't even mean that shady. I just mean like Hugh Jackman, literally, if he can sell out Radio City, he can do what James Corden did and be on TV at night.

[4:51] Kevin Bianchi: No, I mean, Hugh Jackman is an A-list celebrity.

[4:53] Quincy Brown: He's an A-list.

[4:54] Kevin Bianchi: Did he ever guest star on Glee?

[4:56] Quincy Brown: I don't think so.

[4:57] Kevin Bianchi: OK, then I think he should do a Glee-esque reboot where he is like the teacher, because that also feels kind of like perfect for him.

[5:07] Quincy Brown: But like on a channel that's allowed to curse, like a Showtime show.

[5:12] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. Or FX. Yeah.

[5:15] Quincy Brown: And it's like set at a college or something like somewhere that is a little... We can see his sex life a little bit.

[5:21] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. Also for the gays.

[5:25] Quincy Brown: No, it was great. Highly recommend. Go see it.

[5:28] Kevin Bianchi: I love going to Radio City. That was the first time I had been at Radio City for not the Rockettes or the Tony Awards.

[5:35] Quincy Brown: And so it was cool to see like a normal kind of concert show.

[5:38] Kevin Bianchi: Oh, that's not true. I went to Lorde's Solar Power back in the day.

[5:42] Quincy Brown: It's just such a cool... It's like so massive. It's so unlike anything else.

[5:48] Kevin Bianchi: I've also gone for Quinn 92 and Chelsea Cutler.

[5:50] Quincy Brown: So you've been lying to me.

[5:55] Kevin Bianchi: It is huge. I walked in on Friday. It was kind of like this thing where I forgot I had tickets to it and then realized a couple hours... I texted you a couple hours before you responded.

[6:04] Quincy Brown: I was working, working my fingers.

[6:07] Kevin Bianchi: And I was walking in and I was like, wow, what a cultured evening I'm about to have at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

[6:14] Quincy Brown: Cut to Sweet Caroline saying, trouble from The Music Man.

[6:20] Kevin Bianchi: He did the greatest hits.

[6:22] Quincy Brown: Which I just... Going back to like, is he still just Wolverine to some people? It's like, this is a man who's done enough movie musicals that he has a greatest hits to do.

[6:34] Kevin Bianchi: And yet, yeah.

[6:36] Quincy Brown: I feel like Music Man should be his calling card moving forward. That was kind of like perfect for him. Like he should just do it, do that.

[6:44] Kevin Bianchi: No, I want people to be like, oh, Hugh Jackman, Harold Hill, not Hugh Jackman, Wolverine.

[6:48] Quincy Brown: Yeah, maybe there would be a new movie of Music Man.

[6:53] Kevin Bianchi: Sure, I'll take it. Put it on record.

[6:57] Quincy Brown: It kind of made me want to watch the Les Mis movie again because they played some scenes from it on the big screen.

[7:02] Kevin Bianchi: I also... Should we watch it together? Because I've been also craving this lately.

[7:06] Quincy Brown: Okay, maybe we'll do that for Patreon.

[7:08] Kevin Bianchi: Oh my God, a commentary track for the Les Mis movie.

[7:12] Quincy Brown: For our commentary on the Les Mis movie.

[7:15] Kevin Bianchi: And it's just us going, mm-hmm. It's going, ooh, mm-hmm.

[7:21] Quincy Brown: They played the bishop scene where the bishop is like, yes, I did give him these things.

[7:25] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, it was great. I am listening to the Les Mis audiobook right now.

[7:34] Quincy Brown: Why?

[7:35] Kevin Bianchi: Because I like to have long things to listen to as background noise. And it's like 68 hours long. I've been listening for like three hours and we just got... I just met that bishop.

[7:46] Quincy Brown: The book is so... If you think it's a long musical, it's four times that long of a book.

[8:00] Kevin Bianchi: Is it a good listen?

[8:02] Quincy Brown: I like the voice of the narrator. He has a nice speaking voice. And I like this translation that I'm listening to. It's very accessible. So yes, is the answer. It is a good listen.

[8:15] Kevin Bianchi: I love an audiobook. Send me your audiobook recommendations.

[8:19] Quincy Brown: I'm starting to read again real books.

[8:24] Kevin Bianchi: Paper.

[8:25] Quincy Brown: Paper.

[8:26] Kevin Bianchi: That's very surprising for you as an individual person.

[8:31] Quincy Brown: Well, I do so much podcast listening that the thought of like an audiobook doesn't really excite me because it just feels like more of the same.

[8:39] Kevin Bianchi: I need... My boyfriend was telling me I need an activity that grounds me instead of just waking up and going straight to working or scrolling. So I figured a hard copy book is a good way to kind of get in touch with the earth.

[8:54] Quincy Brown: I love that. Good for you.

[8:56] Kevin Bianchi: Good.

[8:56] Quincy Brown: Thank you for listening to the boyfriend. You can tell him that I co-signed that.

[9:02] Kevin Bianchi: And I used to read a lot. I used to really read a lot. I like reading. I just like...

[9:06] Quincy Brown: It physically makes me tired.

[9:09] Kevin Bianchi: But audiobooks, I can listen all day. I can knock a book out in a day.

[9:17] Quincy Brown: My concern about audiobooks is I zone out when I'm listening to things. So then I'm like, fuck, I'm going to have to rewind to like get what I missed.

[9:23] Kevin Bianchi: I don't have that problem. I think you absorb more than you think you do.

[9:28] Quincy Brown: Sure.

[9:29] Kevin Bianchi: Can we move on?

[9:32] Quincy Brown: Yeah.

[9:34] Kevin Bianchi: To talking about today's guest who is...

[9:38] Quincy Brown: Yes.

[9:39] Kevin Bianchi: Who is Miss Kelsey Watts, which I'm low-key very excited to have someone like Kelsey on the podcast. I mean, to have Kelsey specifically, but to have someone with Kelsey's journey on the podcast because she has a very cool path.

[9:54] Quincy Brown: Now, what is her journey, Kevin?

[9:56] Kevin Bianchi: It's so funny you should ask. Kelsey grew up in a musical family performing at church and in her school plays. This particularly interesting. She studied opera, vocal performance and commercial music at Belmont University in Nashville.

[10:15] Quincy Brown: You can study commercial music?

[10:16] Kevin Bianchi: That's fascinating. That's the first thing that I wanted to say was like, that is such an interesting formula for like being a pop star. Opera, vocal performance and commercial music. It's kind of like a perfect trifecta.

[10:32] Quincy Brown: Yes. Come on, Elle Woods. After she went to school, Kelsey competed on season 19 of The Voice, where her version of Kelly Clarkson's "I Dare You" got her a place on Team Kelly Clarkson, which is a slay.

[10:50] Kevin Bianchi: Since competing on The Voice, Kelsey and her music have gone on to be featured all around the world. She has accumulated over 100 million views across social media, including TikTok and Instagram with her original music, but also with her covers of iconic pop songs.

[11:09] Quincy Brown: See that social media game? That's what she learned in commercial music classes.

[11:11] Kevin Bianchi: To market herself.

[11:17] Quincy Brown: Yeah, honestly, probably. Kelsey, most pertaining to this podcast, is currently making her Broadway debut in Six as Jane, Heart of Stone, Seymour, the ex-wife track.

[11:40] Kevin Bianchi: One of us had the right words.

[11:45] Quincy Brown: I love Six so much.

[11:47] Kevin Bianchi: I know. I hope it runs forever and ever and ever.

[11:52] Quincy Brown: You were obsessed with Six pre-Broadway.

[11:53] Kevin Bianchi: I do remember this. I think you saw it in London?

[11:56] Quincy Brown: The last show I saw before the pandemic was Six on the West End.

[12:01] Kevin Bianchi: No, that's not true. The last show I saw before the pandemic was The Minutes, starring Armie Hammer, before he got cannibalism cancelled.

[12:12] Quincy Brown: And it reopened with the guy from Schitt's Creek.

[12:15] Kevin Bianchi: I saw it.

[12:16] Quincy Brown: Mine was the company revival.

[12:19] Kevin Bianchi: I was so sick. Everyone in the audience was so sick. I think two people were out. And then two days later, the COVID shutdown happened. And then we started a podcast.

[12:29] Quincy Brown: Thus, the inception of Sentimental Men.

[12:32] Kevin Bianchi: So thank God.

[12:34] Quincy Brown: Yeah, so she's currently making her Broadway debut in Six, which I think is some... Well, that is something I wish more of the pop girlies and the recording artist girlies would be doing. Six is such an easy gateway show for the pop girlies to cross over into theater.

[12:55] Kevin Bianchi: I agree. And I think, like, I don't know how long Kelsey's in the show, but it feels like a show...

[13:00] Quincy Brown: Like a year.

[13:02] Kevin Bianchi: But I feel like you could do, like, a shorter stint in it.

[13:06] Quincy Brown: Totally. Well, I don't know. I guess learning all the background stuff, like the background vocals, is probably a time commitment if you're not going to do it for a year.

[13:15] Kevin Bianchi: I don't know.

[13:16] Quincy Brown: Yeah. Who, Quincy, is your dream... What girlie would you put in Six?

[13:20] Kevin Bianchi: I've asked you this before. I would really love to see Emma Hunton in Six.

[13:28] Quincy Brown: Probably in the Jane Seymour track.

[13:29] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. I was talking pop girlies, but I love that answer, too.

[13:36] Quincy Brown: I'm sure Emma Hunton would love to know that she was the first name that came to mind.

[13:42] Kevin Bianchi: Speaking of, we must go see Exorcistic, the musical.

[13:45] Quincy Brown: Gotta go.

[13:46] Kevin Bianchi: Okay, pop girl. Put Renee Rapp.

[13:48] Quincy Brown: Ooh, okay, as which one?

[13:50] Kevin Bianchi: Again, Jane Seymour, but, like, an off-the-wall pick that I think she would kind of slay is the queen of the castle.

[13:56] Quincy Brown: The dirty rascal.

[14:00] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, that's what I was going to say as well.

[14:02] Quincy Brown: My gut instinct would be to put Sabrina Carpenter in as all you want to do, all you want to do, baby.

[14:12] Kevin Bianchi: I thought, sorry, not sorry, don't lose your head.

[14:15] Quincy Brown: Oh, yeah. Also that, too.

[14:16] Kevin Bianchi: That's what I'm saying.

[14:17] Quincy Brown: Oh, we've talked about our, like, dream, our, like, NBC Live Six with the stars, right? We've done that.

[14:24] Kevin Bianchi: We've done that.

[14:25] Quincy Brown: And it feels like we have a whole new crop of pop girls since we've probably discussed that.

[14:28] Kevin Bianchi: Probably.

[14:29] Quincy Brown: Where would Chapel Rowan go?

[14:31] Kevin Bianchi: You know I love you. Chapel Rowan would do House of Holbein, like, as, like, a seventh girl.

[14:38] Quincy Brown: You know what I mean? Like, to turn it into, for NBC Live, to get a seventh name in there.

[14:44] Kevin Bianchi: Taylor Swift can be...

[14:46] Quincy Brown: You know I love you, boy, every single way.

[14:50] Kevin Bianchi: That's, like, a good song for her. Better than Heart of Stone.

[14:52] Quincy Brown: I would not put Taylor as Heart of Stone.

[14:54] Kevin Bianchi: That's what I'm saying, because, like, I feel like she would slot into, like, one of those two.

[14:59] Quincy Brown: Oh, because, yeah, and she would totally go well into, like, one of a kind of category.

[15:04] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, totally Taylor would be. And also Taylor would never agree to go anything but last.

[15:12] Quincy Brown: Life of a showgirl, baby.

[15:14] Kevin Bianchi: Life of a showgirl.

[15:17] Quincy Brown: Back to Kelsey.

[15:19] Kevin Bianchi: Back to Kelsey. I can't wait. I'm so excited to talk to her. I'm happy we got these two, like, non-Wicked guests in before we head into Wicked Bonanza.

[15:28] Quincy Brown: Oh my god, Banana Ramza. It's our busy season.

[15:31] Kevin Bianchi: You, me, and Elvira, we get busy every October.

[15:37] Quincy Brown: It's time!

[15:41] Kevin Bianchi: Right, like, the ice is melting and you and me are like...

[15:45] Quincy Brown: Someone did the meme and it was Ariana and Cynthia in a Bucket of Ice that said they're defrosting, and I meant to, like, put us in the Bucket of Ice.

[15:54] Kevin Bianchi: All right, let's talk to Kelsey. We're off the rails.

[15:57] Quincy Brown: Did you want to talk about Nicole Scherzinger at all?

[15:59] Kevin Bianchi: Oh my god, wait, yes, wait, okay. Listeners, in our episode outline, all he has written is Nicole SCH and then he stopped typing, and I have no context as to why Nicole would be in this outline.

[16:13] Quincy Brown: Because Kelsey competed on The Voice.

[16:17] Kevin Bianchi: I love The Voice because I love the blind audition element of it. If you are also a fan of that type of show, that format, there's a new show on, well, it's not really new anymore. There's a new-ish show on Netflix called Building the Band, you bitch, called Building the Band.

[16:38] Quincy Brown: Is this the Cottside one?

[16:41] Kevin Bianchi: Why don't you let me tell you about it, Quincy? And you're like, why'd you write Nicole Scherzinger down?

[16:49] Quincy Brown: Hey, is that the show?

[16:53] Kevin Bianchi: So it is a show. I'm not being rude.

[17:01] Quincy Brown: Can I say one more thing?

[17:04] Kevin Bianchi: Okay, but one more thing. Do you ever let anyone else talk?

[17:08] Quincy Brown: Um, it is a new show. It is like The Voice meets Love is Blind, where they have all these singers in these little pods, and they take turns singing for each other. And then they sort themselves into bands based off the blind audition.

[17:25] Kevin Bianchi: Then they exit the pods, like Pussycat Dolls. It can be any. It could be all boys, all girls, or co-ed. Then they leave the pods, and they get mentored by Nicole Scherzinger. And Quincy, you specifically are gonna eat this show up. It is just like hot girlies in their slutty little pop outfits, belting, riffing, whistle toning, and then like arguing over who gets to sing lead. It's so good.

[17:56] Quincy Brown: And the boys are a mess. It's one of these things that makes me like, it is so hard to be a woman. America for Error really hit it on the head. It's like these boys show up and are so uncharismatic, and just like yelling into a microphone. And everyone's like, oh yeah, man, excellent tone. And then there's girls like singing the house down booths, and people are like, I don't know. It's pitchy. I don't know if she sounds like someone I would vibe with. It's so good. You gotta watch it. But Nicole Scherzinger's on it. So is Liam Payne, which is a little sad. But they do like a very nice in memoriam thing to him.

[18:37] Kevin Bianchi: Like he doesn't finish the season?

[18:39] Quincy Brown: No, he finished it prior. I think they filmed it like a year ago. I think they filmed it between West End and Broadway sunset.

[18:51] Kevin Bianchi: For Patreon, can we discuss the scuttlebutt with maybe happy ending and Evita slash ALW slash Jamie Lloyd?

[19:00] Quincy Brown: Okay, so Patreon listeners, you keep on keeping on. Everyone else, we will see you in the interview.

[19:07] Kevin Bianchi: Okay, Kelsey Watts.

[19:09] Quincy Brown: Thank you so much for joining us on Sentimental Men.

[19:12] Kelsie Watts: Yes, I'm so excited to be here. This is gonna be awesome.

[19:16] Quincy Brown: We are so happy to have you here as a non-Wicked guest. Some context on us is we began our podcasting journey as a very Wicked-centric podcast, and then have branched out. But one thing that we have learned with all of our non-Wicked guests is that they all have some sort of a touchpoint with the musical. So we like to start by asking, what is your Wicked touchpoint?

[19:39] Kelsie Watts: Are you kidding me? I'm literally like every day, I'm like, paint me green, please. Anytime, just I volunteer. Like you just let me know when you got an opening.

[19:50] Quincy Brown: Okay, that was my question. Yeah, pink or green, and would you do it?

[19:57] Kelsie Watts: Yeah, 100%. I mean, I remember whenever Wicked was like just becoming massive. Like the first time I got to see it on Broadway in 2009, and it was actually my very first Broadway show I've ever seen.

[20:13] Quincy Brown: Wow.

[20:13] Kelsie Watts: That was really, yeah.

[20:14] Quincy Brown: So I would say that could also be like a totally separate.

[20:16] Kevin Bianchi: Who was Elphaba in 2009?

[20:18] Kelsie Watts: I know, yeah, we'll have to check.

[20:19] Quincy Brown: It would have been like May or June of 2009.

[20:23] Kevin Bianchi: Okay.

[20:24] Kelsie Watts: So like something in that area.

[20:26] Quincy Brown: Listeners will check our records.

[20:28] Kelsie Watts: Yes, like and I remember literally, and I was in a state of complete shock. And like, oh, I was like, oh, I mean, the second that the first half ended, I was like, we'd be like, like just like ugly cry.

[20:43] Kevin Bianchi: Ugly cry.

[20:44] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. Yep.

[20:44] Quincy Brown: And I feel like I would be I would be green. I love I love Glinda. I think she's amazing. And I would love to sing it and just play the part for like the fun of it, you know. But I definitely vocally relate more to Elphaba, but also like character wise, like I would be typecast more as an Elphaba than I would a Glinda.

[21:05] Kevin Bianchi: Okay, so what is your theater history?

[21:07] Kelsie Watts: Yeah, I was gonna say like, when you're watching the show, you're already a theater kid, right? Like you're, you're growing up, you're musical, you're singing already.

[21:15] Kelsie Watts: Yes. So I mean, like, so I was brought up singing like my whole family's really musical. So I was brought up on, gosh, like Celine, Mariah, Whitney, but then also like Boston, Def Leppard and Kiss. And then also, you know, the Les Mis 10th anniversary soundtrack. So like, you know, I mean, like there, you know, there's just like a hodgepodge. And then you have like the gospel stuff in it. So it was just a lot. But I did like some theater in high school, but then I've never done like professional theater, like until now. So it wasn't something that I ever thought was going to be in the cards for me. Like, I really was just like, wow, this is incredible. But you know, like, back in the day, I say back in the day, however many years ago, like, you know, it wasn't acceptable to have tattoos on Broadway, you had to be a certain size, you had to look a certain way, you know, like it was, so it was wasn't nearly as accepting of everybody. And as it now is, which I'm so grateful it now is. But I really just kind of like, wrote myself off and was like, oh, that's never gonna be a thing.

[22:19] Kevin Bianchi: And lol, now here I am.

[22:22] Kelsie Watts: Yeah, we were talking before you joined us about how Six specifically is just like a show that everybody is right for one of those girls or all of them. Like it's, it is, like you're saying, such a show that is like, welcoming to anybody that fits into it.

[22:34] Quincy Brown: Oh yeah, I love it. And how it's the perfect bridge for pop ladies wanting to cross over into Broadway.

[22:50] Kelsie Watts: Six feels like the perfect middle ground to marry both of those skill sets.

[22:54] Quincy Brown: Yes, it really is. I was very excited, but I was like, oh, we're using in-ears? Sick. Microphones? Awesome. Band? Got it on lock. I was like, this is amazing.

[23:05] Kevin Bianchi: Wait, Six has in-ears on stage?

[23:06] Kelsie Watts: Yeah, we have in-ear monitors the whole time. And we're actually in the mic. Yeah, so like, if you're not singing into your microphone, like nobody will hear you. Like it is all actually like working like, you know, like a game.

[23:16] Quincy Brown: They're not props.

[23:17] Kelsie Watts: No, they are functioning microphones. Yep. Yeah, you have somebody like live mixing the whole show.

[23:24] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[23:25] Kelsie Watts: I know. So I'm over here like super excited and everybody else that's in the cast is like, what the heck is this?

[23:30] Quincy Brown: Yeah. And I'm like, well, everything else I'll be asking y'all questions about. But this I got. So like, I can help you.

[23:33] Kevin Bianchi: Okay, you've told this story before, but just tell us how Six happened for you, because I think it's a longer story than most people would realize.

[23:43] Kelsie Watts: Oh, for sure. I'll give you the Cliff Notes version. So I was doing a gig on a showboat. And we had, you know, like as a singer, we're just trying to make a living as an artist. You're just like, whatever will pay the bills. Amazing. So I was on a showboat and bartending. And at the same time, it was great. But anyway, so I did a gig. And this lady came up to me at the meet and greet after the show. And it ended up being Roberta Ducek, who's the musical supervisor for Six the musical, who I'm now like such great friends with. I'm obsessed with her. But she gave me her card and was like, hey, I would love to chat with you. I think you would be a great fit for something that we're working on. And it was right before Six had even come to the States. So they were just casting for the very first cast.

[24:31] Kevin Bianchi: Okay.

[24:32] Kelsie Watts: This is pre-pandemic.

[24:34] Kevin Bianchi: And this is pre-pandemic.

[24:35] Kelsie Watts: Oh yeah. Most people assume that because I have such a large following, that I was just like handed a role. And that's just that has nothing to do with it at all. Like, I don't think they could care less about my mom. After COVID, she invited me to come audition. And they called me for par. And I got to Chicago. And then they asked me to come to New York. And then they cut me. And I was like, what? Cool, cool, cool. Dang it. And so I emailed Peter Van Dam, the casting director. I was like, hey, what can I do to be better? Like, what was it? And he goes, have you ever acted before? And I said, no, I definitely have not. And I was like, no, I've never touched that in my life. And he was like, if you could work on that, that would be amazing. And I was like, oh, sweet. So like, send me. Who do I go to? I was like, I can do that. Yeah. And so he gave me a coach, Benji Shaw, who I started working with via Zoom. And then they called me again the next year. Still as par. I think they were casting for the tour. I made it to the finals. Like, I sent myself to the UK for whatever reason wasn't cast. Then they call again the next year. By this point, I'm just expecting an annual phone call from them. Like, cool. And then they asked me to come to a boot camp. But they flew me in, put me up in a hotel, and they called me for Seymour. So I was in New York for about five days with about 30 other girls. And we were doing one-on-ones for acting, music, choreography, all of the things.

[26:16] Kevin Bianchi: Were you attached at all to par at that point or didn't care?

[26:19] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. For a while, I really didn't like Seymour. I was like, hold on. Now I love her. Now I'm like, oh, she's freaking fierce. But at the beginning, I was like, I don't even have a kid. I have a dog. Because that's what she's so geared towards at the beginning. And now I'm like, she's so much more than just a child. But I was like, okay, cool. I knew that vocally, Seymour would make a lot of sense, too. So I was like, okay, cool. Well, the boot camp came and went. And I mean, gosh, I didn't hear anything for over a year. By this point, I'm full-blown social media, just releasing music, artist. I quit all of my other jobs. I'm bartending during the day to pay for my own music. So it's all kinds of things. And I was so not expecting this to happen. My husband and I closed on a house three days before I found out that I got this in Nashville.

[27:14] Kevin Bianchi: Of course.

[27:14] Kelsie Watts: Yeah, straight up. Insane. Insane. So we're in Home Depot picking out blinds for this house.

[27:21] Quincy Brown: And what does your husband do?

[27:23] Kelsie Watts: He owns a practice in South Africa. He's from Johannesburg. So he owns a medical practice over there. But he was managing the bar that I was bartending at in downtown Nashville. And so my manager calls me. And she was like, Kelsey, I need to talk to Jane. And I said, Melinda, who the heck is Jane? She goes, Jane Seymour. I said, what? She goes, you're going to Broadway. Out of nowhere, out of just simply nowhere. So I looked at the person helping us pick out blinds. And I was like, I'm going to need a second. I'm going to need to recover. I got to call my parents. I guess we're moving to New York. I mean, so it was a whole thing. But yeah, so I mean, it was a journey. You know, like there were things that I had started working on on my own outside of the musical because I didn't expect this to happen. You know, like I really didn't. And lo and behold, here we are.

[28:20] Quincy Brown: You talked about needing acting lessons, which is interesting because there is a level of emoting and storytelling in pop solo music as well. How do you differentiate between the two?

[28:32] Kelsie Watts: Yeah, so I think one of the things, and I still take acting now. I'm taking Asmeret, who's a great, great friend. I take from her like one-on-ones. And I'm taking dance one-on-one and all the things. And one thing that I've really been working on is figuring out, OK, well, how do I speak this like Kelsey, but the character, you know, like internally, like because I believe good acting is good acting. I don't believe there's like musical theater and film. It's like good acting is good acting. So and that's what I really want to be able to do. And so it took me a while to figure out different nuances of how things were received. Like if I'm on stage and I say something in a certain way, I've never been in acting classes. I didn't go to musical theater school. Like I've never had these certain types of experiences. So it was a lot of technical things that they'd be like, this reads this way. And I'd be like, oh, I didn't even realize that. So then I would adjust it and be able to move differently. But as far as the storytelling goes, that's just, yeah, I'm like, my gosh, I can do that all day. But at the same time, I'm not being Kelsey. I'm being a character, but also in a concert setting. Six is really weird because you're like kind of yourself, but you're not really yourself. And you have to still kind of like ride that line of what would this character do? But how do I make it as natural as possible while still putting on a show? As a singer songwriter, separately from this, it's like you have a stage persona you put on for that too. So it's like separating that from the Jane Seymour stage persona. It's interesting coming from your background, specifically separating your performance style from this character's performance style, as opposed to someone who maybe only performs in a musical theater setting. It's just like, okay, how do I play a pop star? There's almost a secondary challenge for you of separating it from yourself more.

[30:35] Kelsie Watts: It was, yeah, because there are certain things that I would just naturally do like on a stage like I just got off of an arena tour with TSO. Yeah, totally. This is great. And then they'd be like, oh no, that's too big or that's no, we need it more like this or not. I was like, wait, hold on. So, yeah, I mean, so it was it was a challenge, more so just learning how to learn the show and learning how to to be this character that's very similar to me, but also having to yeah, you're having to like separate multiple layers, which is really interesting.

[31:10] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. So walk us through the process of learning the show. You get the call that you booked it. What happens next?

[31:17] Kelsie Watts: I went on tour with Transylvanian Orchestra two days later and poor Brandon, my poor husband, moves everything into the house. God bless him. I've just moved him all over everywhere. He moves everything into the house. I'm gone for like two and a half, almost three months. And then we have to move everything out of the house because we had to get a property manager to rent it out. So I get back from tour like January 1st, 3rd. No, the third. I was home for three days and then I moved to New York and I had an Airbnb with a friend of mine for a month because rehearsal started on the 12th.

[31:54] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[31:54] Kelsie Watts: So, I mean, it was. Yep. And then we had four weeks of rehearsal.

[31:58] Kevin Bianchi: Four is a lot, though. I feel like.

[32:00] Kelsie Watts: To replace in a show. Did you rehearse with your cohort?

[32:05] Kelsie Watts: Yes. So they replaced the whole cast all at the same time.

[32:08] Kevin Bianchi: That's nice.

[32:08] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. Full changeover.

[32:10] Kevin Bianchi: Yes.

[32:10] Kelsie Watts: So I think, yes, I'm very grateful. And I think I've noticed that the trend that they do in the show, like unless people are like leaving sporadically, it seems like they like to take a whole cast and turn the whole cast over because of the dynamic of the show or like people wanting to come see it again, to see multiple queens play different people or.

[32:32] Kevin Bianchi: Right. Yeah.

[32:33] Kelsie Watts: So it was great because all of us, there were three of us that had a Broadway debut. The other three had already been on Broadway. Three of us had moved in. Three of them have already been living in New York. So it was a really good combo of like everything just meshed really nicely. And so the rehearsal process was exhausting, but was great to have that kind of a dynamic with everybody.

[32:56] Kevin Bianchi: What was surprising to you about the Broadway rehearsal process?

[33:02] Kelsie Watts: I think the most surprising thing about the rehearsal process was just how intricate it is. And I don't, and I don't know if it's like this with every show or if it's just like this with Six, I'm sure it has to be, it has to be with everything because there's mass ensembles and most other shows. But the whole time we don't leave the stage, the entire show. Like I go get a prop at one point and that's like about it. And so the formations are like constantly like a Rubik's cube, like all over the place. Like, and it was, it was just so intricate. So, so intricate. You know, I've never been told stand on this number or, you know, be on the inner gold rim or the outer gold rim, or you're going to be on the pink X or the blue X or this.

[33:48] Kevin Bianchi: And so you have every single time, every time, exactly the same.

[33:53] Kelsie Watts: Yes. And so, you know, because as a pop artist, like I just perform, right. You know, sure. Like, but, but I get to play off of the band members, you know, like I'll have, if it's the same show, I mean, generally the same kind of movement motion, but the crowd is different every day. So what I'm going to say could be different, you know, the mood may be different, who you're interacting with may be different. So there's a lot of guessing in that. But with this, it was just like, nope, same every single time, which makes sense because somebody could get hurt because it's, you know, you're moving so many, you know, there's so many moving parts. So I would say that was definitely the most surprising part for me was how incredibly intricate everything is.

[34:33] Kevin Bianchi: You know, we talked to a lot of actresses who have done Wicked, which is similar to Six is kind of this international hit. And they're always a little surprised when they go that there are confines. It's do your own thing, but within the confines of what this character is. I guess Six is a similar show in its status, but I suspect that it's slightly looser with allowing the different women to have their own interpretations on the tracks.

[35:02] Kelsie Watts: To an extent.

[35:04] Kevin Bianchi: I was actually really surprised we didn't have more freedom than we do, because it seems like a show that would be so like free. And it's not most, I mean, even like, like, I'll just use my song specifically. So the, I'm able to emote specific parts of the song, like I want to, like, if I want to go into head voice instead of chest voice, I can, you know, if I like, if I feel like this would make more sense to me artistically, then they would like, you have to get everything approved. So like the riffs, like the truthfully riff, I had to get that approved. The ending, the end, the big, yeah, going into everything on that also have to get that approved. If you ever want to like change it, you have to get that approved and it has to be the same every single time. So it's not like you get up there and just kind of like, just do your thing. It's, it's actually really set, but I will say at the beginning, you know, they do give you, hey, how does this fit you? You know, let's find something that fits you. And I came in and was like, hey, I feel like this would be great. I feel like this would be great. If you hate it, tell me and we'll fix it. So even halfway through the run, they had wanted me to change an intention in the very last chorus. And I was like, well, the riff that I have doesn't reflect that intention.

[35:32] Kevin Bianchi: Come on, reflect that intention.

[35:32] Kelsie Watts: It didn't though, I really didn't. I was like, I'm sitting here going like, man, if I'm going to, like, if you want me to feel like this sad, like, or like, this is like where you want me to go, like, I'm not gonna be like, yeah, like, yeah, no. Sad people don't riff.

[35:46] Kevin Bianchi: Right?

[35:46] Kelsie Watts: No. They just don't.

[35:48] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah.

[35:49] Kelsie Watts: They just don't like, no, like, unless you're fricking Jessie J and like, I'm not Jessie J, you know? So I was like, no. So I was like, it doesn't, that doesn't make sense. I was like, so let's set up a session so I can alter this riff. So it would be a more genuine, like, riff that, that would like make it like the emotion would come out of. Because my goal is like throughout the entire song, at least for me personally, throughout the entire song, A Part of Stone, I want people to know how I'm feeling, even if I weren't saying words. Like, even if I'm not saying words, I want them to know exactly how they're going to feel by the way that I'm singing it and delivering it, you know? And so like, if nine times out of 10, a riff doesn't serve that. So like, why do it? Like, it's pointless. Like, everybody can sing their face off, you know? Like, that's not what people are coming to see all the time. They want to, they want to feel something, you know?

[36:44] Kevin Bianchi: Before we get too far away from it, you kind of just talked about, you know, taking something and finding the ways to make it fit for yourself or fit to you. And I know you, you do a lot of covers. And I think very appropriately, you were Team Kelly on The Voice. And something that you and she have in common is, I think, this ability to make everything you sing sound like it's yours. Like, when you sing covers, they don't sound like karaoke. They sound like you made this song. You know what I mean? Which is like an innate skill.

[36:57] Kelsie Watts: That's the most massive compliment ever.

[37:00] Kevin Bianchi: And it's like, yeah, and it's like not even shade, but it's like, that's like a special skill, I think, to like really do that. So when you're taking something that you didn't write or that you weren't part of writing, what are the things that you look for that you're like, oh, this is how I can like put the Kelsey spin on this, or this is how I can adapt it to myself?

[37:06] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. I mean, you know, there's small things that I'll be like, for example, I think I posted Halo on TikTok yesterday, the day before, something like that. And in Halo by Beyonce, there's like a very iconic down riff. And I can barely do that because me and down riffs are not friends. So I really have to think about it. And so, but so what I do is I swap it. And I just like, I'll just like go up because that works better for me. So, you know, so there's like technical things like that. But then also, I've worked really hard with my vocal coach, Mama Jan Smith. She's freaking amazing. We've worked really hard on my vocal thumbprint. Because when I first started working with her, she goes, Kelsey, I was blonde at the time. But she was like, Kelsey, what makes you different from every other blonde singer out there? What is it? And I was like, dang, that's okay. Cool. That's a great question. And it doesn't have to be like a technical answer. But she was like, people need to know when you're singing a song that it's you. And so I think as I go through songs, for TikTok and Instagram, it's always just kind of like, what's going to pop off that. And so nine times out of ten, because you're just like working to continue to build a fan base nine times out of ten. It's just picking a song that I know is going to do well. Like if I sing Alicia Keys, it's going to do really well every time. Beyonce is going to do well every single time. Like I can give you a list of songs that I'm like, that will pop off just because it's that song. But it's also because I think I'm very intentional about not over singing. And there are moments, especially whenever you're doing something like with a karaoke track for social media, like you want people to still be able to feel something and not just be like, look, I'm singing for you to see that I can sing. And so I think it really is the intention behind that, that I think that's kind of what grasps people. And I would say Kelly Clarkson does the same thing. You can feel like you can feel that she means what she's singing, even if it's on her song.

[41:01] Kevin Bianchi: And that aspect of keeping the lid on it, like you're saying, is it's like the biggest of your big is there, but it can't be that the whole time. It's about picking the moment to go there and then keeping that lid on until then.

[41:15] Kelsie Watts: For sure. Because that'd be exhausting. I don't even want to hear myself do that all day. Like, how awful? I'd be like, can you stop?

[41:21] Kevin Bianchi: I know.

[41:22] Kelsie Watts: You've toured before plenty, but is there anything especially different or difficult about doing the eight shows a week on Broadway that you weren't prepared for?

[41:35] Kelsie Watts: Oh my gosh, it's the hardest thing ever. I guess. Oh my gosh. OK, let me tell you, touring is easy, man. I mean, like. Bruh, I mean, not granted, I was treated like a princess on these tours. So I mean, like, like I was I was very blessed to tour, you know, someone like TSO who has like millions and millions and millions of dollars in their budget. Like, yeah, I was like, this is the best thing ever. You want me to go be on Broadway and make how much work? Why? What? I'm like crazy. Rehearsal? Oh my word. So let me tell you, it is it's a lot. Like it is a lot. And I will say on top of that, it's the eight shows a week on top of rehearsals because they still have us in brush up rehearsals often, like which I mean, I get it. The type of show it is, you have to. But then I also have my own music and I'm still writing and recording and doing press, doing my own shows, trying to stay healthy, going to physical therapy, the gym, make sure I'm like getting enough sleep. I mean, the like, I always joke with people when they ask me to go get a coffee. I'm like, if you can find a spot in my calendar, I go for it. And I show them. I literally showed a friend today. I was like, let me like, let me show you. Yeah, I'm like, I'm not being dramatic. Like, let me just show you another club, another club, another club, another club. I was like, yo, I really you can come hang out between shows. But then typically I have a podcast between shows. Yeah, I mean, I'm so serious. It's crazy. So like, you know, so I'm really, I always tell people, I'm like, Broadway is like the freaking Olympics of performing. Like it's because you are, it's also like you have people that are buying tickets that are excited to come see you. But not always, you know, like, you know, it's not like you're Taylor Swift and you're touring internationally and you know, everyone's going to be insanely excited every single time and you're like, yeah, this is awesome. And granted, I'm sure her tours are very hard to, you know, they're very long. But you also being on Broadway, you do have an audience, like a theater audience perspective where like people typically aren't really rowdy. Like it depends on the crowd. You know, it's different types of people from all of it. It's just different. So on top of, you know, working like crazy, you're also like hoping like, okay, I think it's going to pay off. I think they're going to like it. I hope, I hope they're going to like it. You know, so I think it takes a lot like on you mentally as well. You know, so it's, it's a mental game just as much as it is a physical game. For sure. And it's hard. Like, I love it. I'm obsessed with it. And I'm so, so insanely blessed to be where I am. But yeah, whenever you're singing a ballad and you know, everybody gets up in the middle of your song because it's the slow song, so they can go to the bathroom or like get a snack, you know, you're just like.

[44:37] Kevin Bianchi: I know, but I mean, you know, it's just like, you have to work really hard, like not to get distracted or by the people like, you know, that are like falling asleep, like in the middle. It's, it's, it's just a different dynamic sometimes. So it's, it's, it's crazy. But I mean, I have such mad respect for people that are doing this for years and years. Like it's like day in and day out, like ensembles, swings, alternates. I'm just, it's, it's incredible.

[45:09] Quincy Brown: Something that a lot of like our Wicked guests have talked about is like the sisterhood that comes with being in that show. Like with actresses who play Elphaba, they, they all kind of stick together. Same with Glinda. And especially coming into the show and rehearsing with your other five queens. And I would imagine your swings and standbys as well. Like, what kind of sisterhood comes from that? Like, what is the group dynamic like dealing with a show like this, where it's like you're fighting, fighting for the audience's attention the whole time and everything.

[45:46] Kelsie Watts: And they don't take you under their wing and be like, Hey, this is Broadway, kid.

[45:51] Kelsie Watts: That was crazy. I mean, you know, I was, man, I was really, really excited when I found out everybody was actually cool. You know, like, because I'm coming in, the hang will be good. That's great. Because you're about to be living with these people, you know, like six days a week, minimally. So, um, I will say going into the, to the rehearsal process, you, everybody's kind of figuring out personalities. Um, but I will say nobody has ever had, we've never had any drama. Everybody gets along. There's no divas, like there's no egos. Everyone is just actually really awesome together, which is great. And now, like, we even took a trip together, um, a couple of weeks ago, we left, we left on a Saturday night after a double went upstate to a cabin all day Sunday and came back Monday before the show on Monday night. And, uh, yeah, I mean, and it's like, and we all just like hung out and took funny pictures and like watched the finale of Love Island. And, you know, I mean, just like, it was great. I mean, we even had like themes like in our dressing rooms like that, like downstairs there's, oh my gosh. There were like questions that we voted on every day for like, it was a whole thing. It was a whole thing. But I mean, it's really awesome to have like such a supportive group of people, like to where if you're not feeling great, you can be like, Hey, like I'm just kind of off today. And they're like, we got you. And they'll give you a little extra, you know?

[47:18] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah. Because people will ask often, they're like, do y'all actually get along? I'm like, yeah, we actually do. It's great.

[47:26] Kelsie Watts: It's kind of impossible to do the show without that relationship. Like six women on stage who can't stand each other would, it would read, it would be unwatchable or any six people. I don't mean to say like six women specifically, but like any six people.

[47:38] Kevin Bianchi: No, no, no. But still, yeah. Like it's such a small group of people. So if something's off, like you would, there's no set to hide behind. There's no nothing. No.

[47:49] Kelsie Watts: It's just you guys and your chemistry out there. And what has it been like entering the larger Broadway community? And how does it compare to the music industry?

[47:56] Kelsie Watts: You know, I don't even, I don't even feel like I'm like a part of the larger community yet. Like I, I mean, I'm so honest. Like, I'm just like, I, I have spoken to like a few people on Instagram. Like, so like I follow, like I mutually follow a lot of people or I'm followed by like other people in the industry that I'll follow back and connect with. And we'll have like small conversations and, you know, but as far as really like feeling like I'm a part of the community of Broadway outside of my show, like, I don't, I don't think I have that. And I don't think that's anybody's fault.

[48:38] Kevin Bianchi: No, it's interesting. Cause joining a long runner too, I feel like the new musicals are the ones that are kind of like at all of the industry events. So to be, it's an interesting perspective from a long running show.

[48:49] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I couldn't even tell you what events are happening. Like, I genuinely wouldn't know. I didn't even know the Broadway bowling was a thing until it was over. Like, like that's how much I'm like, I have no idea. So, you know what I mean? It's, it's different, but I would say it's kind of the same thing in the pop world, like pop rock music. You're, it's the same, you know? I mean, you, you're able to connect on things, but you're in your, you're working on your artistry and your show and like, you're super supportive of everyone. Like I'll always go to everybody's shows. I'll go support, like I'll pre-save your song. I'll share your music. Like, I mean, it's the same thing as on Broadway. Just, I think it's a completely different, everybody on Broadway is right here, you know, like I'm literally a couple of streets away. I mean, I think, yeah, yes, yeah. It's more physical. But again, we're all in the same time schedule. So like, you know, a couple of us are dark on Tuesdays instead of Mondays, but I mean, at the same time, it's kind of, you know, everybody's so exhausted from doing their show. The last thing you want to do is be like, Hey, you want to get a coffee before the show? You're like, no, I want to get there 31 minutes before, before start time.

[49:54] Quincy Brown: I know. I know. So like, I really would love, I would love to be a part more of a part of the community, like honest to God, that is like a goal of mine and something I would really love to have. I think it's probably going to take me being in another show for me to just get to meet more people.

[50:18] Kevin Bianchi: And do you have, I was talking to Gracie Lawrence, who is, has a band, but is also in Just In Time on Broadway. And she was kind of like, I want to do it all. I don't want to like stick to just theater or stick to just music. I want to be able to do it all. Where are you falling on that spectrum currently?

[50:35] Kelsie Watts: I am the type of person where I will pursue everything as hard as I can until something gives. So my thought is like, I'm an artist. I love writing music. I love touring. I love releasing music. But I also, I love musical theater. I love Broadway. Like I would love to go, man, go put me in Moulin Rouge, like greatest show in London. Like I'm there, you know, like, oh my God, Kelsey.

[51:00] Quincy Brown: Can, can I, I'm manifesting here.

[51:02] Kelsie Watts: Okay. I'm totally manifesting. The campaign starts now.

[51:04] Quincy Brown: I know the campaign we're campaigning for Kelsey as a teen.

[51:10] Kelsie Watts: And then Kelsey is never enough.

[51:12] Quincy Brown: Oh my God. That's the campaign in my heart.

[51:17] Kelsie Watts: Okay, great. And then if one day I get to be painted green, I was literally, that's what I was gonna say. I was like, and if I get to be painted green one day, I will actually pass away. I will, I will literally pass away and then come back so that I can do the role. If you use an example, like The Greatest Showman, like that's film. So, and there's so much music coming into film now that I would love, love to be able to get into that as well. So now that I'm in New York, I'm being really intentional about dance lessons, acting lessons. Like I'm looking for an agent right now. Cause I'm still, I mean, I have a manager and she's amazing and wonderful. But I don't have an agent. So things like they just work, they're two different things. They work differently. So, you know, so I'm trying to pursue everything as hard as I can until, until something gives, you know, I'll keep writing music. I'll keep releasing and singing on showboats.

[52:04] Quincy Brown: Yeah. Gosh, I really don't want to go back to that, but it's that same mentality of, it's just like, I'm going to keep doing what I got to do.

[52:10] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. Yeah. And it, and it really is like a, I totally believe that what's meant for me is going to come. So as long as I just keep working, yes, it's not going to pass me by. So as long as I keep working my butt off to actually be the best version of me. So that way, like in my off season, I'm still working really hard. So that way, whenever my numbers called, I'm like, yep, put me on coach. I'm ready.

[52:36] Quincy Brown: Okay. This is my formal request for a TikTok series though, of Kelsey's Broadway dream roles, where you just cover.

[52:44] Kelsie Watts: Yeah.

[52:45] Quincy Brown: Oh my gosh. Yes. Can I tell you? Okay. Defying Gravity has been posted every time I post it. Like Kristen Chenoweth follows me now. Right. And I almost, I almost died. I was like, because she's, you know, like royalty. And I was like, oh my gosh, this is a sign. It's going to happen one day. But because every time I post Defying Gravity, it's just like shoots off, but it's also because I'm just being stupid in my kitchen, like singing it. I'm not like, you know, I mean, like I'm just being ridiculous. So it's so fun, but yeah, that's a great TikTok series, Broadway dream roles.

[53:17] Kevin Bianchi: Okay. You kind of have talked about your business acumen throughout this conversation, but Kevin and I found it both very interesting that you studied commercial music in school.

[53:27] Kelsie Watts: Yeah.

[53:27] Kevin Bianchi: And what does that mean?

[53:29] Kelsie Watts: Yeah. Like, yeah. Like what is it?

[53:30] Kelsie Watts: I know exactly. What kind of classes did you have?

[53:32] Kelsie Watts: So I studied vocal performance, like I did opera at Texas Tech for the first two years of school. And then I transferred into Belmont. So commercial music really just means not classical for them. So, you know, you can study pop rock, jazz, hip hop, like, I mean, whatever you want to. And then I also did a minor in music business. So for me, commercial music was more so like, okay, you know, we had the normal classes of, you know, the basics that you have to cover, but then, you know, theory, oral skills, I mean, stuff like that. But then also we had talent skills.

[54:12] Kevin Bianchi: Yes.

[54:12] Kelsie Watts: Technical. But then we also had classes like writing charts. Like I can speak drummer, you know, I can speak guitarist and I can speak producer. Like, you know, if you, um, I was talking to my manager about this today, because I have a gig coming up in November. And I was like, if they don't have like my kind of sound guy, like I can go do it. I know how to run a board. Like I know, you know, I can tell you what the lights are supposed to look like. I can write all my own stuff. You know, I understand what it looks like to, you know, have my own LLC and understand how I have to run things through and invoices. Because this business is a business, you're an entrepreneur. If you're in this business, you are one.

[55:46] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, it's exactly right.

[55:51] Kelsie Watts: And that's like, you know, things like updating my one sheet social media. That's a job. That's not a luxury. That's a job. And, you know, making sure that your resume is like really solid, like good to go, which was hilarious because I had to make one the other day. I was like, what the heck do I do with this? Like, but it's things like that, like, but it's a new industry for me. So I was like, okay, let's figure this out. You know, I just haven't had to do it. So like, you know, there's stuff like that. But as far as commercial music goes, um, it was really helpful. You know, we had songwriting classes, um, contract classes so that we understand, you know, what a contract looks like, you know, I mean, I'm not an attorney and I have a great one, but, um, I can, I can understand it enough, you know, if that makes sense. So, yeah. But I mean, I'm very, very business minded when it comes to this industry.

[56:20] Kevin Bianchi: I was going to say that's a very like industry forward field of study, like with musical theater schools. Like there are some where you go and you really focus on like the performative parts of it. And then there are some where it's like, okay, and this is how you like get an agent. This is how you make a resume. This is the business side of things. And I think it's like a missing link for theater performers. A lot of them still on Broadway don't have a hard time recognizing that it's a business first and foremost.

[56:12] Kelsie Watts: And I understand the inclination to be like, but we are artists and this is capital A art, but it's also art at the most commercial level.

[56:20] Kevin Bianchi: But also you got to sing on some showboats, you know?

[56:24] Kelsie Watts: You do. You really do. I'm telling you. And it's, yeah. I mean, well, then like, I mean, especially like understanding how to advocate for yourself as well, like from a business perspective, you know, like I didn't always have a manager and I had to be able to be the person to say, that doesn't sound right. Let me get that double checked. Or like, actually this, no, I think this is actually the minimum and I'm doing this. Therefore I should like, like you have to learn and it's not fun to learn, like honest to God, it's not fun to learn how to do because they're uncomfortable conversations, but you have to learn how to appropriately advocate for yourself from a business minded perspective, a non-emotional perspective to then be respected by the people that are giving you the job.

[57:10] Kevin Bianchi: You know? And I think that, and I totally agree. I think that's something that's not often taught and it's not fun to learn in real time.

[57:19] Kelsie Watts: As someone in the cast with a large following, do you feel pressure from the outside forces to help sell Six the musical while you're in it?

[57:25] Kelsie Watts: Nah. I mean, now they are using my platform to run ads. I was like, sure. I was like, I was like, go for it. Dude, do your thing. I don't want to play the full house here. I was like, cool, awesome. And I will say like, I'm very, I'm very, very grateful, you know, that people will come from, people come from all over and they're like, oh my gosh, I follow you on TikTok and I'm so excited that you're in this. And I'm like, this is crazy. This is so cool. But I, I do my best on social media to stay as transparent as possible. Like, and to, and to stay like, just me. Like, yes, throughout the years, like I've elevated because I, that's just what, that's what I'm trying to do as an artist is elevate myself, you know? But like, I want to be the same person that people see in real time that they do on my pages. And so I think if I went over the top on trying to advertise Six, people would be like, what's, okay, Kelsey, what's the deal? You know, like they'd be like, why? You know, but I mean, I mean, but I like talk about it all the time, you know, like I'll do random wig prep stuff and, you know, I'll do like some makeup looks and things like that. But one thing that I really love about the show, like their actual, like the management of the show is they're so insanely supportive of what I do outside of the show and they, they really work well together and they don't fight against each other. I'm really grateful for that.

[58:52] Quincy Brown: Okay. So talk to us about your solo music. You have the new single.

[58:55] Kelsie Watts: Yes.

[58:57] Quincy Brown: Song of the Summer.

[58:59] Kelsie Watts: I mean, not quite. I feel like, you know what I feel? Side note. You know what I feel like the Song of the Summer actually is?

[59:04] Kevin Bianchi: Jet 2 Holiday?

[59:05] Kelsie Watts: No, no, no. But close. Do you have any kids?

[59:09] Kelsie Watts: Yes, I have one daughter. How about you?

[59:11] Kelsie Watts: How many baby daddies do you have if you don't mind me asking?

[59:19] Kelsie Watts: It's my favorite.

[59:22] Kevin Bianchi: That's the Song of the Summer for sure.

[59:26] Kelsie Watts: No. Yeah, yeah. So I released Fit In, I think about a month ago. And I'm obsessed with it. I love it. I'm about to release an acoustic version of Fit In as well.

[59:37] Kevin Bianchi: Yeah, yeah, yes.

[59:38] Kelsie Watts: It's, I'm really excited. But I mean, I, I was really passionate while I was writing it about the message. Like I was writing with a guy named DQ, who's a producer out of Nashville. And it was our first time writing together. And we were talking about, you know, what if Kelsey watches sound? Because prior to this single, I've been pushed in multiple directions. Oh, we should sing ballads. Or, oh, you should go straight pop and do this or do this. And like, nothing, it just didn't work. And so I was like, I'm going to figure it out. And Fit In is really, I think, the first song I've released that like, I'm like, oh, no, this is, this is me. This is going in the right direction. And while we were talking about that, he was like, well, so you felt like you had to like fit? And I was like, yeah. And then we started talking about school, like growing up. And like, I was never the cool kid. I never had a date to prom. Like, I wasn't invited to the parties. Like, I like people would kind of talk to me, but I wasn't accepted. I wasn't a part, you know, I didn't fit. I was the weird girl that just wanted to sing all the time. Or like, you know, was in theater, but wasn't really a theater kid. So like, I really didn't fit there either. Like, you know, I just, I just didn't fit. And for so long, I spent, I mean, even well into college, like spent so much of my life trying to look a certain way, lose a certain amount of weight, do my hair a certain way. Like, how do I need to do my makeup? What should I wear to like, make myself look like these people or to be invited to the party? Do I