Kelsi Mayne, a Canadian country artist now based in Nashville, is quickly gaining momentum in 2026. Alongside releasing new music, Mayne made her highly anticipated CMA Fest debut in June—a bucket-list milestone for any artist. I had the privilege of witnessing her dynamic performance on the Spotlight Stage at the Music City Center. Kelsi delivered an impressive set, just as I expected. I was also grateful for the chance to speak with her about her latest music and the surge of momentum she’s experiencing this year. Read on to discover more about Kelsi Mayne as an artist, songwriter, and individual.
Kelsi Mayne had an Nontraditional Start to Her Career
Most singer-songwriters will tell you they started singing as children, dreaming of performing from an early age. Refreshingly, Mayne’s story is different—her journey into music began as a twist of fate.
Mayne reflected on how her career started: “I had kind of like a Hollywood story. While I was attending university to study nursing, I worked part-time in bars to pay for my education. A new country bar opened, and a friend who knew I loved country music encouraged me to apply. It was a Coyote Ugly-type bar looking for ‘bevertainers.” The servers would also jump up on the bar to perform and sing. Originally, it was dancers, so I did my dance audition. I never had any formal dance training, but I could move. But it wasn’t what they were looking for. As I was leaving the audition, I said, I don’t know if this is what you are looking for, but I can sing too. They asked me to sing “Redneck Woman,” and so I started, “Well, I ain’t never.” I continued, and their faces changed. At that moment, I knew I got the job. They hired me to be their singer, and I did that until graduating from school.”
Kelsi Mayne had a decision to make regarding her career. She continued, “As graduation approached, I had to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. There was always the desire to explore this musical side of me. It was something I always wanted to do, but didn’t think it was realistic. But bar patrons began telling me I should consider a singing career, so I made the plunge.”
From Canada to Nashville
Like many Canadian artists, Kelsi Mayne moved to Nashville and immediately embraced its vibrant songwriting community. Co-writers are often in the crowd when she performs in Nashville—a testament to her reputation as both a writer and a person. Reflecting on her journey, Mayne shared, “I’ve been coming to Nashville for ten years. My first trip was in 2016, and now I’m finally living here full-time. Still, I’m constantly on the move for gigs and rehearsals. This move has been a long time coming.”
American musical influences surrounded Mayne while growing up in Canada. Kelsi explained, “I am originally from Windsor, Ontario, which is directly across the river from Detroit. So, I grew up with American things. Windsor is heavily influenced by American culture. The strongest radio waves and television were from Detroit. If you ask anyone from Windsor, they will use Fahrenheit for temperatures in the Summer and Celsius for wintertime. It makes for an odd situation in the spring and fall. I wasn’t familiar with Canadian bands unless they broke in the States like Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Justin Bieber. If they were not at that level, I was familiar with them because all we got was American music.” Being exposed to American musical influences made Mayne’s move to Nashville logical.
A Self-Taught Vocalist
When deciding to be a singer, Kelsi Mayne had no vocal training. But she didn’t let that stop her. The singer/songwriter explained, “My dad was a good singer, and he was always doing impressions of artists around the house. So, I started doing impressions too, which is how I taught myself to sing. My favorites to sing were from country artists. My best impersonation was Miranda Lambert. Miranda certainly influenced my decision to do country music. But I would also mimic Shakira, Cher, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Monica. But I owe much of my career to Miranda Lambert.”
Mayne’s vocal range is similar to Miranda Lambert’s, making it natural for her to draw inspiration from Lambert’s style. Kelsi explained, “Miranda knows her lane, and I do too. I’m not trying to be like Carrie Underwood singing all the notes in the world. I have a low range for a woman, and it took me a while to learn that. I used to write songs that were too high for me, but I realized I needed to make it easier on myself. Once I began playing to my strengths, I started to get to a different level. I have a low register, but I can also hit whistle notes.”
I witnessed Kelsi Mayne hit these whistle notes at CMA Fest this year, and it gave me chills. When you listen to her song, “All or Nothing,” you will hear them. Mayne discussed how those notes ended up in her song. The singer/songwriter reflected, “When we were in the studio recording ‘All or Nothing,’ it was the last song recorded at OmniSound before it was demolished. We had five minutes left of the recording session, and we were doing some ad-lbs. My producer and co-writer, Brett Sheroky, asked if there was anything else I wanted to do. I said I could do this if you want and began to sing these whistle notes. Over the intercom, Brett joked that we were waiting on the dogs to come in now. I am glad it was a safe space to try something new, because I feel like it works. Brett kept it in the song and was impressed since he didn’t know I could do that.
Discovering the Thrill of Songwriting
Kelsi Mayne had found her love for singing, but songwriting was not initially part of the plan. The Canadian native explained, “I was encouraged to move to a big city to pursue a music career. So, I moved to Toronto. My brother was already living there, so I told him I was going to crash in his living room. I slept on an air mattress for months until I could afford a bed and a room. While in Toronto, I met my first music contact. He told me that if I was going to take music seriously, I needed to learn an instrument and start writing my own songs. But I hated writing short stories in English class. It was not for me. But when I put them to music, it was like a drug.
Songwriting is so rewarding, especially when you find the perfect line and all the pieces fall into place. Kelsi exclaimed, “It was addicting and exhilarating! It’s like solving a puzzle, a mental puzzle in your brain, and not knowing the full result but having an idea of where you want it to go, then massaging it and making it work. You continue reworking it until it fits into what you are happy with. It has become one of my favorite things. It’s like being an archaeologist, dusting away the layers until you reach the bones of what you want. You don’t know what it is until you discover it.
Embracing Constructive Criticism
A vital part of honing your craft as a songwriter is being willing to receive constructive criticism. Mayne discussed how feedback has shaped her development as a singer and songwriter. Kelsi explained that everyone needs to hear constructive criticism, because otherwise you will continue doing the same thing and never improve. When I released my first album, I sent it to Brianne Deslippe from Big Loud, where she works on the marketing side, but I wanted her feedback. Brianne said, It’s good, but it’s not great. I felt I needed to hear that.
Mayne continued, “Brianne’s feedback was not a bad thing. She also described other Canadian artists, such as The Reklaws. The Reklaws had produced an album that was good, but not great. They returned to the drawing board and started delivering hit after hit. Sometimes that encouragement is exactly what you need to improve.
Kelsi Mayne Made Her CMA Fest Debut
Kelsi Mayne was allowed to make her debut appearance at CMA Fest in June. Her performance was full of energy. Mayne impressed the fans who made it to the Spotlight Stage on the festival’s first day. The singer/songwriter described what the opportunity meant to her. She said, “I went to last year’s festival as a patron to see how it all works. I wanted to see what goes down and the magnitude of it in real life. I have always heard about it but was never able to be in town during that week. After being at CMA Fest last year, I told myself I wanted to play next year. It was one of my bucket list items, and it’s amazing to see it come true. To be on the lineup with all the other names means a lot. It feels like I have Nashville’s encouragement now. It’s exciting to feel like I’m officially part of the family now.”
Kelsi Mayne Released “Out of the Blue” on July 3rd
Kelsi Mayne released “Out of the Blue,” a seven-song album inspired by events in her life. Mayne began releasing singles that make up this album in January of 2025. My personal favorites on the album are “For the Record, Can’t Sleep, and Time Machine.” The singer/songwriter reflected on the events that inspired the songs. Kelsi said, “The songs are personal, unfortunately and fortunately. 2024 was a crazy year. But it started strong, as I was engaged and planning a wedding. I was doing all these big things in my life. To have it going one way, then in a matter of twenty-four hours, everything turned on its head, upside down, and inside out. I received a message from another woman, and what she told me was enough for me to leave my relationship. I packed my things and moved back to Windsor a week later. Then a week later, my best friend sent us a message to tell us her brother had passed away. So, I am grateful I was home instead of in Toronto.”
Life sometimes doesn’t give us what we want but instead gives us what we need. This seems to be true in Kelsi’s situation. Mayne reflected, “Weirdly, there were a lot of things fate threw at me. It all worked out in the end, but I didn’t know why. I was able to figure out a lot of things in my life and what I wanted. I needed to go through it to get to the place I am today. At the end of the day, I’m grateful for all I went through. It sucked, but I am better for it. I know my songwriting is much better. I read an interview with Billie Eilish, and she talked about how she watches interviews from the previous year to critique herself. She looked back and said, “This girl thinks she knows what she is doing but has no idea.” I understand what she meant now. When I look at myself and my previous albums, I think I knew what I was doing, but I didn’t have a clue. Now I do, and it shows.”
For Those New to Kelsi Mayne
If you’re discovering Kelsi Mayne’s music for the first time, you’re in for something special. I highly recommend listening to her latest album all the way through—you’ll likely find yourself relating to many of the songs and admiring Kelsi’s genuine artistry. She hopes listeners will connect with her honesty and the artist she strives to be. Mayne said, “I want fans to see a new side of what it means to be a female artist. As a woman in country music, I’ve often felt boxed in by stereotypes. If people expect the pretty girl in a dress singing sweet ballads, that’s not me. I’m the opposite—my live shows are packed with energy, and I bring as much excitement to the stage as any artist, maybe even more than some of the guys.
My Thoughts
Kelsi Mayne is poised to make a major impact in the country music scene. Her new album offers a refreshingly authentic perspective on what it means to be a female artist in the genre. The album’s quality hasn’t gone unnoticed—she was named Undiscovered Nashville’s Artist of the Month for July, and her single “For the Record” is the most-streamed track on our New Music playlist this year. As Mayne continues to release new music, be sure to follow her on social media for updates on upcoming shows and releases. In the meantime, check out “Out of the Blue” on your favorite streaming platform or download it to support her journey.
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