The Sit Down with Kelsi Mayne
Rising Canadian artist Kelsi Mayne released her latest single – Someone Who Knows – at the end of September. This release was written in the aftermath of a cancelled wedding and decade-long relationship that ended overnight, allowing the song to capture heartbreak at its rawest, offering a lifeline of strength and perspective. With over 3 million career streams, we caught up with the Ontario native to find out more about the single, a busy 2025 and a bit of Toronto Blue Jays talk for good measure
Hey Kelsi, how are you?
Good, how are you?
Yeah, brilliant. Are you all ready for game seven then?
Oh yeah, I am just parked in Toronto and I'm staying in here the rest of the evening.
Are you going to the game or are you just finding a bar to watch it in?
I am going to just find a bar. It gives me a little bit of anxiety to be in the thick of everything, so I'm going to stay just outside.
It makes it worse being a game seven. You know, someone's got, someone's got to win or lose tonight.
Yeah, yeah.
What's the vibe in the city at the minute for it?
It's pretty electric. Last night, I had some friends that went to the game and they were all saying how electric it was, so people may be a little hungover today!
Which is more daunting, preparing to watch a game seven or releasing a new single?
Definitely the single! Personally, yes!
It's been about three weeks now since Someone Who Knows has been released. Has it been a bit of a whirlwind few weeks?
It feels like it was just yesterday! It's really cool to see just how fast it's been climbing and the traction that this one's gotten. It's my fourth single that I released this year and this one is special to a lot of people. It's cool to see it connect so well with other people.
Was it quite a tough one personally to put out there to the world or did you feel it had to be told?
It was a mixed bag for sure because it stemmed from my failed relationship last year and calling off my wedding. I think part of it to me felt like I wrote it because I wanted to initially prevent other people from going through what I went through and that was my motivation for it. Part of me was nervous about putting it out because I didn't want to throw him under the bus or show him in a negative light and that's why I was a little bit reserved about it because I know how much he's kicking himself and how he's regretting his mistakes and how everything played out. He’s the hardest on himself already, so I didn't want to add to that but I also felt like it was important. It was just a message that I feel like the world needs to hear because my experience is so common - finding out that your significant other wasn't completely faithful. It's sad that it's so common, but I feel like it just needed to be shared because of that.
In these last few weeks, have you had people message you with similar stories as well? And it's almost helped them, you releasing this?
Absolutely, and not just women, but men reaching out and saying that they've gone through it and for some this is later in their life too. People in their fifties have reached out and said I never thought it'd be in the situation. To me, people calling off their wedding was something I’d heard of happening and I'm like that's not me, that wouldn't happen to me, but it did. How I found out about it in the first place was where I released a wedding song last year in conjunction with the engagement announcement. That's how this other woman discovered that I existed. She reached out because she said that that's also happened to her. She didn't know that I had existed, but she said she reached out because she didn't want that to happen to me. It's kind of like a full circle.
Hey Kelsi, how are you?
Good, how are you?
Yeah, brilliant. Are you all ready for game seven then?
Oh yeah, I am just parked in Toronto and I'm staying in here the rest of the evening.
Are you going to the game or are you just finding a bar to watch it in?
I am going to just find a bar. It gives me a little bit of anxiety to be in the thick of everything, so I'm going to stay just outside.
It makes it worse being a game seven. You know, someone's got, someone's got to win or lose tonight.
Yeah, yeah.
What's the vibe in the city at the minute for it?
It's pretty electric. Last night, I had some friends that went to the game and they were all saying how electric it was, so people may be a little hungover today!
Which is more daunting, preparing to watch a game seven or releasing a new single?
Definitely the single! Personally, yes!
It's been about three weeks now since Someone Who Knows has been released. Has it been a bit of a whirlwind few weeks?
It feels like it was just yesterday! It's really cool to see just how fast it's been climbing and the traction that this one's gotten. It's my fourth single that I released this year and this one is special to a lot of people. It's cool to see it connect so well with other people.
Was it quite a tough one personally to put out there to the world or did you feel it had to be told?
It was a mixed bag for sure because it stemmed from my failed relationship last year and calling off my wedding. I think part of it to me felt like I wrote it because I wanted to initially prevent other people from going through what I went through and that was my motivation for it. Part of me was nervous about putting it out because I didn't want to throw him under the bus or show him in a negative light and that's why I was a little bit reserved about it because I know how much he's kicking himself and how he's regretting his mistakes and how everything played out. He’s the hardest on himself already, so I didn't want to add to that but I also felt like it was important. It was just a message that I feel like the world needs to hear because my experience is so common - finding out that your significant other wasn't completely faithful. It's sad that it's so common, but I feel like it just needed to be shared because of that.
In these last few weeks, have you had people message you with similar stories as well? And it's almost helped them, you releasing this?
Absolutely, and not just women, but men reaching out and saying that they've gone through it and for some this is later in their life too. People in their fifties have reached out and said I never thought it'd be in the situation. To me, people calling off their wedding was something I’d heard of happening and I'm like that's not me, that wouldn't happen to me, but it did. How I found out about it in the first place was where I released a wedding song last year in conjunction with the engagement announcement. That's how this other woman discovered that I existed. She reached out because she said that that's also happened to her. She didn't know that I had existed, but she said she reached out because she didn't want that to happen to me. It's kind of like a full circle.
Taking the positives from it, it's obviously had such a good response. Did you expect the kind of the numbers that you've got from streaming and the playlist ads from it?
No, because everyone's always like, we like up tempo, upbeat stuff from an independent artist. I mean, it still has that kind of cadencing that pushes it through almost like a train beat, but it's still a more sensitive subject. As it hits so close to home, it just kind of added more pressure to me wanting to see it do well. I just didn't want it to fall on deaf ears and just kind of fall flat. The whole point was to get that message out, so this one in particular was a more stressful release, but it's really nice to see the response.
Was it a tough one to see go live at midnight and early in the morning on that Friday?
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Every release, you're not sure how people are going to receive it. I always try to show my music to a few industry people beforehand, all like stuff that I have coming down the line, and their response to it was pretty overwhelming. I had an idea, but you still never know.
As you said, this is the fourth release of 2025. Was this always your intention to make sure this year was a quite steady release year for you?
Yeah, last year was such a transformative year for me personally. I really took it to pen and paper and wrote my butt off, recorded a ton and I'm still recording a ton because I have so many songs that came from all last year. I've been sitting on all of these songs and I'm ready - I'm kind of antsy. I have more still coming down the line that I'm ready to finally share with the world. I know everything takes time, so it's okay to tell yourself that one day at a time it's coming, but there’s an impatient side of me for sure! I have to calm down a little bit.
Are you hoping to build this into a bigger release heading into next year?
Yeah. It started with my song All or Nothing and I feel like this whole year has been just me like full force. We used to have this saying in track, “balls to the wall,” probably not the most politically correct thing to say, but I just wanted to go full force with everything this year. I want to just ride that momentum into next year and lead it into my next project. Eventually, a bunch of these will go on an album at some point next year. I'm still figuring that out!
No, because everyone's always like, we like up tempo, upbeat stuff from an independent artist. I mean, it still has that kind of cadencing that pushes it through almost like a train beat, but it's still a more sensitive subject. As it hits so close to home, it just kind of added more pressure to me wanting to see it do well. I just didn't want it to fall on deaf ears and just kind of fall flat. The whole point was to get that message out, so this one in particular was a more stressful release, but it's really nice to see the response.
Was it a tough one to see go live at midnight and early in the morning on that Friday?
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Every release, you're not sure how people are going to receive it. I always try to show my music to a few industry people beforehand, all like stuff that I have coming down the line, and their response to it was pretty overwhelming. I had an idea, but you still never know.
As you said, this is the fourth release of 2025. Was this always your intention to make sure this year was a quite steady release year for you?
Yeah, last year was such a transformative year for me personally. I really took it to pen and paper and wrote my butt off, recorded a ton and I'm still recording a ton because I have so many songs that came from all last year. I've been sitting on all of these songs and I'm ready - I'm kind of antsy. I have more still coming down the line that I'm ready to finally share with the world. I know everything takes time, so it's okay to tell yourself that one day at a time it's coming, but there’s an impatient side of me for sure! I have to calm down a little bit.
Are you hoping to build this into a bigger release heading into next year?
Yeah. It started with my song All or Nothing and I feel like this whole year has been just me like full force. We used to have this saying in track, “balls to the wall,” probably not the most politically correct thing to say, but I just wanted to go full force with everything this year. I want to just ride that momentum into next year and lead it into my next project. Eventually, a bunch of these will go on an album at some point next year. I'm still figuring that out!
One of the highlights of the year has got to be Breaking Bad, breaking into the top 50 at Canadian Country Radio. What was that one of those bucket list moments for you for the year?
Yeah. I mean, I've been doing this for like 10 years now and I've had so many friends that have reached that milestone and it's nice that it's my turn now. I knew Breaking Bad was also a special one that I got some really good feedback on early on. I figured that there would be a good chance and it always feels good to have your work recognized.
Does it still feel strange though, hearing your songs on the radio?
Oh yeah. Every time, almost every time it comes on randomly and I'm in the car and my first initial thought that comes to my brain is, oh, this is familiar, then I'm like, oh no that’s cause it's me! I still don't know if I'll ever get used to it and I don't know if I want to get used to it. I like that.
Yeah. I mean, I've been doing this for like 10 years now and I've had so many friends that have reached that milestone and it's nice that it's my turn now. I knew Breaking Bad was also a special one that I got some really good feedback on early on. I figured that there would be a good chance and it always feels good to have your work recognized.
Does it still feel strange though, hearing your songs on the radio?
Oh yeah. Every time, almost every time it comes on randomly and I'm in the car and my first initial thought that comes to my brain is, oh, this is familiar, then I'm like, oh no that’s cause it's me! I still don't know if I'll ever get used to it and I don't know if I want to get used to it. I like that.
You came on a lot of people's radars about six years back now in the Top of the c
Country competition in Canada. Do you look back at that and see how it shaped the early parts of your career?
Yeah, absolutely. I mean that program, I'm so grateful for. Um, I got to meet so many great people in that mentorship program. I got to meet so many people in the industry that have helped to continue to shape my career and it's like having that extra outside person vouching for you saying like, hey, you should take notice; you should turn and if she sends you something, you should listen to it. It's really been helpful for that.
Is it good to look back on that as you go into this latest release cycle and have some of those phone numbers available to you?
Oh yeah. I mean, Denise is the VP at Live Nation and I have her number and I texted her the other day. It's really cool to just have those kinds of relationships. There's Breanne from Big Loud who met with me for coffee after that program and I showed her my first album and she gave me feedback on it that I still remember to this day. That was my very first thing, I was proud of it and it took three years for me to make that; I showed it to her and she was like, it's good. It's not great, but it's good. It kind of hit me a little hard because at the time I was like, I thought that was like the best that I could do. Realizing now from where my songs have gone in my songwriting, I'm like she was totally right. I needed to hear that. It wasn't the easiest thing to swallow; she wasn't saying it was terrible, but it's been a good motivator in the back of my head for all my new stuff coming out. I want to prove myself every time I release something.
But then I did see a quote from Ron MacLean saying “She's sensational!”
Yeah, that, I mean, that's really cool. What a class act that man is and that was pretty early on too, but to have that kind of recognition definitely helps on a cloudy, rainy day. It's nice to look back on comments and stuff like that to, to keep you motivated.
You had quite one hell of a summer really with some of the live shows that you did because you did Boots and Hearts on the same day as Sam Hunt. That's going to be quite a cool one to have saved the poster for.
Oh yeah, absolutely. Just to play that festival is huge as that festival was first major festival to ever take a chance on me. Coming back there every time to play now, that was my fifth time technically playing for them and every time I want to make sure, they're like proud parents! I want to make them feel that way about me and continue to be that person for them that they can we discovered her first.
Dare I mention Calgary Stampede? Because it looks like you did nine nights in a row.
Oh, I did! We did four nights at the Nashville North stage and the rest of the time we did the VIP area inside the rodeo. Both are very different experiences but they're both so much fun and the feedback that we got this year was great. It's always so great to play for a massive crowd like that, it was about 5,000 people a night at Nashville North and the amount of messages that I received after from the fans saying hey, uh, I'm embarrassed to admit that I never heard of you before, but you put on a damn good show and you got a new fan. It was really cool that people took the time out of their day to tell me that. I hope to see that a lot more of that in the next year.
Did you get much sleep in those nine nights?
I did not! That's a fair question and no, the answer's no!
I was telling my daughter about playing the Calgary shows as she wants to go to Stampede one day, but she was more impressed with the fact you played Canadian Brew House in Banff. I think we went to three different ones the last time we were out there including the one in Banff!
That's awesome. We kind of just snuck that in as an excuse to go to Banff! We played three sets earlier that day and then drove out there and played another two sets in the evening. I think we counted at the end of the 10 days, we played 32 sets in 10 days. I got very sick after that as my body just gave out.
Next time you need to try and sweet talk someone at like either Lake Louise or Banff Springs to do a show there and obviously get the accommodation thrown in!
I will have you as my next booking agent!
Thank you so much, Kelsi. Obviously, good luck to the Blue Jays tonight as I think it's like 1am our time so I'll get the highlights in the morning!
Oh yeah. Yeah. Get some sleep.
Congratulations again on Someone Who Knows being out and we look forward to hea what’s coming next
Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Country competition in Canada. Do you look back at that and see how it shaped the early parts of your career?
Yeah, absolutely. I mean that program, I'm so grateful for. Um, I got to meet so many great people in that mentorship program. I got to meet so many people in the industry that have helped to continue to shape my career and it's like having that extra outside person vouching for you saying like, hey, you should take notice; you should turn and if she sends you something, you should listen to it. It's really been helpful for that.
Is it good to look back on that as you go into this latest release cycle and have some of those phone numbers available to you?
Oh yeah. I mean, Denise is the VP at Live Nation and I have her number and I texted her the other day. It's really cool to just have those kinds of relationships. There's Breanne from Big Loud who met with me for coffee after that program and I showed her my first album and she gave me feedback on it that I still remember to this day. That was my very first thing, I was proud of it and it took three years for me to make that; I showed it to her and she was like, it's good. It's not great, but it's good. It kind of hit me a little hard because at the time I was like, I thought that was like the best that I could do. Realizing now from where my songs have gone in my songwriting, I'm like she was totally right. I needed to hear that. It wasn't the easiest thing to swallow; she wasn't saying it was terrible, but it's been a good motivator in the back of my head for all my new stuff coming out. I want to prove myself every time I release something.
But then I did see a quote from Ron MacLean saying “She's sensational!”
Yeah, that, I mean, that's really cool. What a class act that man is and that was pretty early on too, but to have that kind of recognition definitely helps on a cloudy, rainy day. It's nice to look back on comments and stuff like that to, to keep you motivated.
You had quite one hell of a summer really with some of the live shows that you did because you did Boots and Hearts on the same day as Sam Hunt. That's going to be quite a cool one to have saved the poster for.
Oh yeah, absolutely. Just to play that festival is huge as that festival was first major festival to ever take a chance on me. Coming back there every time to play now, that was my fifth time technically playing for them and every time I want to make sure, they're like proud parents! I want to make them feel that way about me and continue to be that person for them that they can we discovered her first.
Dare I mention Calgary Stampede? Because it looks like you did nine nights in a row.
Oh, I did! We did four nights at the Nashville North stage and the rest of the time we did the VIP area inside the rodeo. Both are very different experiences but they're both so much fun and the feedback that we got this year was great. It's always so great to play for a massive crowd like that, it was about 5,000 people a night at Nashville North and the amount of messages that I received after from the fans saying hey, uh, I'm embarrassed to admit that I never heard of you before, but you put on a damn good show and you got a new fan. It was really cool that people took the time out of their day to tell me that. I hope to see that a lot more of that in the next year.
Did you get much sleep in those nine nights?
I did not! That's a fair question and no, the answer's no!
I was telling my daughter about playing the Calgary shows as she wants to go to Stampede one day, but she was more impressed with the fact you played Canadian Brew House in Banff. I think we went to three different ones the last time we were out there including the one in Banff!
That's awesome. We kind of just snuck that in as an excuse to go to Banff! We played three sets earlier that day and then drove out there and played another two sets in the evening. I think we counted at the end of the 10 days, we played 32 sets in 10 days. I got very sick after that as my body just gave out.
Next time you need to try and sweet talk someone at like either Lake Louise or Banff Springs to do a show there and obviously get the accommodation thrown in!
I will have you as my next booking agent!
Thank you so much, Kelsi. Obviously, good luck to the Blue Jays tonight as I think it's like 1am our time so I'll get the highlights in the morning!
Oh yeah. Yeah. Get some sleep.
Congratulations again on Someone Who Knows being out and we look forward to hea what’s coming next
Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
