Sir Woman performing at the ACL Live Moody Theater in Austin, Texas on December 26, 2024. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Kelsey Wilson has been drawn to the magnetic pull of music since her earliest years. At the tender age of four, she picked up the violin, quickly becoming enchanted with her family's extensive record collection. Growing up homeschooled, her mother, deeply involved in the gospel church, surrounded Wilson with the sounds of gospel music. She fell in love with R&B and gospel legends like Otis Redding, Billy Preston, Aretha Franklin, and Nina Simone. It wasn't until her teenage years that she was exposed to genres such as country, rap, and pop. However, they didn't resonate with her as deeply as gospel, which she felt was ingrained in her soul.
Though Wilson never anticipated becoming a professional musician, fate had other plans. In the early 2010s, she found her stride as the lead vocalist and violinist of the Austin-based Americana band, Wild Child. "I was writing songs with someone who played the ukulele, and I realized I could easily fit melodies and lyrics over his chords," she explains. Over their 14-year tenure, Wild Child released five albums and toured with artists like Mt. Joy, Robert Ellis, and Shakey Graves. Despite the ease with which she created folk music, Wilson felt it wasn't her true calling. Although the band enjoyed moderate success through movie and TV show placements and commercial jingles, Wilson felt she wasn't being her authentic self. "I wasn't being my genuine self," she says. Unsure of what kind of music she would make if given full creative control, Wilson began writing songs in 2018 that would eventually become the first Sir Woman record—tracks that didn't quite fit into the Wild Child realm. Initially, she had no intention of forming a band or touring the record. "I just wanted to make an album that sounded entirely like me," she says.
The name for Wilson's vibrant solo project, Sir Woman, came to her in a serendipitous moment just as Wild Child was playing their last festival before going on hiatus. While wandering the festival grounds, a security guard called out to her, referring to her as "sir" and "woman." The moment resonated with her, sparking the memory of a dream where she sang a song that embodied the character she wanted to create. "It felt so appropriate and reminded me of Motown—classic but powerful. It was everything I didn't get to express in Wild Child," she recalls.
As Sir Woman, Wilson made a sensational entrance into the Austin music scene in 2022 with the release of her full-length, self-titled debut album. This led to performances at renowned clubs, earning her the title of Artist Of The Year at the 2023 Austin Music Awards, and coverage in prominent publications such as Rolling Stone, Spin.com, Variety, and the cover of the Austin Chronicle. The buzz around Wilson's project garnered Sir Woman over 30 million streams on Spotify.
Wilson is now channeling her deep passion for soul, funk, and R&B into a double album—If It All Works Out and If It Doesn’t. Creating one album, let alone two, was never her intention. During the making of both records, Wilson experienced profound loss. While recording If It All Works Out, her sister passed away. Between her debut and the second LP, she lost her father. These separate but significant chapters in her life needed to be shared distinctly. “It essentially became an album for a good day and an album for a bad one, because you need music for both experiences,” she explains.
Throughout the 12 tracks of If It All Works Out, Wilson clings to themes of love, positivity, and romance. The cinematic lead single, "Who You Gonna Love," pays homage to brassy Motown classics while embracing Sir Woman’s ethos of self-empowerment. “It was all the records from the '70s that I loved listening to growing up—I got to emulate and create my own version,” she says. "Heaven" reflects Wilson's long-awaited understanding of Bonnie Raitt’s iconic ballad "I Can’t Make You Love Me," expressing a desperate plea for one more night with a loved one. The album’s closer, "Making My Way," is a heartbreaking conclusion, grappling with the gravity of her recent losses. Wilson wrote the first verse after her sister’s passing during lockdown, unable to hold a funeral. When she finally completed the song, her father had also passed. “It was like the universe was making me wait to finish the song because it was connected to another major loss. It was the most cathartic recording experience I’ve ever had. A song has never meant more to me,” she reflects.
While If It All Works Out offers a hopeful perspective, If It Doesn’t is crafted to uplift during life’s challenges. The 10 tracks, though seemingly upbeat, were created during some of the darkest times in Wilson’s life. The '90s R&B-tinged lead single, "Never Gonna Give Me Up," is a cheeky dance number that pays tribute to her teenage music discoveries. "You never want to give me up / But you never want to give me love," she sings with playful flair. "Believe It or Not" meditates on unrequited love, while "A New Story" explores the power of personal reinvention. “I had a conversation with someone who believes people never truly change. As someone who has undergone drastic changes and emerged transformed, I strongly disagreed. This song reflects that belief,” she shares.
Ahead of the release of If It All Works Out and If It Doesn’t, Wilson will release singles from each record. If It All Works Out is set to drop this fall, with If It Doesn’t expected in early 2025. Wilson's journey as Sir Woman continues to capture the hearts of fans, offering a soulful blend of authenticity and resilience.
Fan reviews:Sir Woman shared the stage with Uncle Lucius at the ACL Live Moody Theater. They continue across the United States with the last stop at the Beer City Music Hall in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 15, 2025.
Amazing, incredible, the vibe was out of this world.
Sir Woman always puts on an amazing show. They are true performers, will always recommend this band.
Such an awesome concert!
Sir Woman
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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