Kelsy Karter is a Heroine of Rock Music
You may know her as the girl who made waves in the media after she got Harry Styles’ face tattooed on her cheek, or you may know her as the girlfriend of The Struts guitarist, Adam Slack, but regardless of where you know her from, you should know her name. As per the description on her YouTube channel, “If Angelina Jolie and Mick Jagger had a one night stand, you’d get Kelsy Karter”. The description also states that Karter is “a switchblade carrying, blue-eyed, rock&roll lady rebel”.₁ Born in Auckland, New Zealand, she grew up around a family of musicians and participated in theatre throughout middle and high school, both of which undoubtedly influenced her music later on.
Of course, we can’t discuss Kelsy Karter without talking about the epic stunt she pulled early last year. In January of 2019, Karter got a tattoo of Harry Styles’ face on her cheek as a nod to her single, “Harry”, which is indeed about her love for the musician. Naturally, the photos of her tattoo went viral and promptly propelled her into the public eye where everyone now knew her name. As per a Cosmopolitan interview with Karter, she stated that, “As a fellow musician, I really respect what [Harry Styles is] doing for rock and roll. I'm a female in the modern day movement of rock and roll and he's exposed the kids to sounds they might have not otherwise heard, because he came from the pop world and did a rock 'n' roll album," she said. "It's opened doors for people like me. I really respect what he's doing and love what he's doing — and he's nice to look at.₂
In the end, it’s no surprise that the tattoo turned out to be fake, but the stunt definitely worked in the girl’s favor. After the whole tattoo debacle, Karter gained a large amount of attention, and in turn, fans. While she received a fair amount of backlash from Harry’s fans, (teenage girls can be brutal), she also managed to gain support from some of his fans. If the tattoo debacle is the only thing you’ve heard about her, I highly suggest that you do a deep dive into her discography.
Her music is suggestive of the late 60s and early 70s, and is reminiscent of the girl groups from this time period. You can tell that her music is heavily influenced by the 70s rock era, but also has notes that are drawn from the 60s Motown movement too. Her voice is distinct, too. She’s got a bit of a raspy tone, and can hit high notes like nobody’s business. It’s no surprise that Mick Jagger is one of her influences; they both carry the same rebellious air around them.
In a time where Soundcloud music prevails, being a woman in rock&roll is a bold choice, and not always the one that is rewarded. Far too many artists are willing to sacrifice the music they truly want to create in order to fall into a neat spot on the top 40 chart and gain the recognition and fame they truly desire.
Kelsy Karter is not willing to sacrifice her creativity for fame, and perhaps that's what makes her such an ambitious artist.
After making waves with “Harry”, she released “What U”, a punchy, assertive song about being someone who makes their own decisions, regardless of what others tell you to do. Karter sings to a would-be lover in the song, stating:
The next single released was “Liquor Store on Mars”, which is a slower, more emotionally driven rock song about a heart-wrenching breakup, and what it feels like to be reminded of your ex regardless of where you look or go. The song also includes an epic guitar solo from her boyfriend, Adam Slack of the British rock group, The Struts.
Her most recent single is “Blast Off”, which begins with a hefty bassline, and is followed by Karter’s signature wail. Karter has stated that she has been working on a debut album, which she plans to release, fully equipped with music videos for each song, sometime this year.
Until then, you can check her out on all streaming platforms, and keep up with her on Instagram @kelsykarter.
₁:Kelsy Karter's YouTube Channel
₂:Cosmopolitan Article
Image courtesy of Kelsy Karter's Instagram account
Of course, we can’t discuss Kelsy Karter without talking about the epic stunt she pulled early last year. In January of 2019, Karter got a tattoo of Harry Styles’ face on her cheek as a nod to her single, “Harry”, which is indeed about her love for the musician. Naturally, the photos of her tattoo went viral and promptly propelled her into the public eye where everyone now knew her name. As per a Cosmopolitan interview with Karter, she stated that, “As a fellow musician, I really respect what [Harry Styles is] doing for rock and roll. I'm a female in the modern day movement of rock and roll and he's exposed the kids to sounds they might have not otherwise heard, because he came from the pop world and did a rock 'n' roll album," she said. "It's opened doors for people like me. I really respect what he's doing and love what he's doing — and he's nice to look at.₂
In the end, it’s no surprise that the tattoo turned out to be fake, but the stunt definitely worked in the girl’s favor. After the whole tattoo debacle, Karter gained a large amount of attention, and in turn, fans. While she received a fair amount of backlash from Harry’s fans, (teenage girls can be brutal), she also managed to gain support from some of his fans. If the tattoo debacle is the only thing you’ve heard about her, I highly suggest that you do a deep dive into her discography.
Her music is suggestive of the late 60s and early 70s, and is reminiscent of the girl groups from this time period. You can tell that her music is heavily influenced by the 70s rock era, but also has notes that are drawn from the 60s Motown movement too. Her voice is distinct, too. She’s got a bit of a raspy tone, and can hit high notes like nobody’s business. It’s no surprise that Mick Jagger is one of her influences; they both carry the same rebellious air around them.
Image courtesy of Kelsy Karter's Instagram account
In a time where Soundcloud music prevails, being a woman in rock&roll is a bold choice, and not always the one that is rewarded. Far too many artists are willing to sacrifice the music they truly want to create in order to fall into a neat spot on the top 40 chart and gain the recognition and fame they truly desire.
Kelsy Karter is not willing to sacrifice her creativity for fame, and perhaps that's what makes her such an ambitious artist.
After making waves with “Harry”, she released “What U”, a punchy, assertive song about being someone who makes their own decisions, regardless of what others tell you to do. Karter sings to a would-be lover in the song, stating:
❝Said goodbye to my exAre you gonna be nextWhat are you gonna doIf I open the doorAre you gonna walk through?❞
Effectively painting herself as a woman who is going to go after what she wants, instead of sitting back and waiting for it to come to her.
The next single released was “Liquor Store on Mars”, which is a slower, more emotionally driven rock song about a heart-wrenching breakup, and what it feels like to be reminded of your ex regardless of where you look or go. The song also includes an epic guitar solo from her boyfriend, Adam Slack of the British rock group, The Struts.
Image courtesy of Kelsy Karter's Instagram account
Her most recent single is “Blast Off”, which begins with a hefty bassline, and is followed by Karter’s signature wail. Karter has stated that she has been working on a debut album, which she plans to release, fully equipped with music videos for each song, sometime this year.
Until then, you can check her out on all streaming platforms, and keep up with her on Instagram @kelsykarter.
₁:Kelsy Karter's YouTube Channel
₂:Cosmopolitan Article
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