Conversations with the Inspiring Kelsie Stiner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsie Stiner.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kelsie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have many hobbies and things I’m passionate about. Most recently, I’ve been really invested in the modeling and entertainment world. I traveled to New York for Fashion Week, have been in catalogs and commercials, and pursued many other great opportunities in a matter of one year. But ever since I was a child, I’ve been most passionate about music.

I started writing songs at eight years old. It was like second nature to me, I took whatever touched me emotionally and expressed myself through lyrics. It was my own version of having a diary.

I spent a lot of time writing songs for my family, especially songs to sing for my grandparents. My Grandfather was my biggest supporter. He loved to hear my songs so much that he would have me stand on the kitchen table (in the middle of family gatherings) and perform. Throughout the years, I played anything from silly country songs to more serious songs about whatever I felt at the time. No matter what I sang about, my grandpa would always tear up and say “Wow.”

Later in life, I began performing at public venues and bars. I even produced my own music that would later be released to music streaming apps (Spotify, iTunes, etc.).

To this day, the very last time I sang for a crowd was last year, at my Grandfather’s funeral. He had a rare case of dementia, frontotemporal disease.

When he was sick, I spent as much time as I could with him and it always involved singing. Even towards the end – when he was in comatose state and couldn’t even remember my name. I caught him singing along to his favorite song: “Amazing Grace.”

That’s when I realized I wanted to do more with my education and work in an environment where I can help others daily. It will be a lot to handle for the next few years – modeling and working part-time, going to school full-time, and still finding time for myself – but when I’m this passionate about something, I make it work.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have definitely hit a lot of bumps in the road. I don’t think I would even be me without my struggles.

I grew up in a conservative town where I didn’t feel I could totally express myself, or chase my dreams. My mother saw that and helped me by taking me out of public school so I could have the freedom to do me, and still do school at home at my own pace. I managed to pursue my dreams, volunteer, work, take extracurricular activities, spend time with my friends… I even finished school early with a 4.0 GPA.

They say the sky is the limit but when you have the support of others, limits are nonexistent.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a self-taught musician and aspiring model. You can find my music on all music platforms and keep up with my modeling journey on my Instagram: @kelsiestiner.

What sets me apart is that I am always finding a new journey to embark. To me, life isn’t that serious. If you want to do something, the only thing stopping you is yourself.

For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Women are well positioned to do anything – it depends on the specific person and what she wants. Nothing should stop a woman from pursuing an opportunity that she truly desires. Not all women are the same – we can be nurturers, fighters, or both. A woman wanting to be a firefighter or CEO is just as entitled to be what she wants as a woman who wants to be a mother.

Contact Info:

• Email: ks.bookme@gmail.com
• Instagram: @kelsiestiner

                                        Image Credit:
Geovanny De Leon, Karen Conrad, Paul Robinson, Elevation Magazine

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