This Weekly Woman is Kellie Haddock, a singer, songwriter, wife, and mom. A former widow, Kellie has lived through tragedy and found hope and joy on the other side. Her music draws from real-life stories of beauty, heartache, hope, and the celebration of life. Kellie has performed all over the world to audiences of over 10,000 and was part of a short film, The Thank-You Project, that told her story and was featured on Cosmopolitan, The Today Show, and The Huffington Post.
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Alice: Hi everyone. I’m Alice, the Social Media Manager for Jubilance. Today, I’m talking with Kellie Haddock. Kellie is a singer, songwriter, wife, and mom. A former widow, Kellie has lived through tragedy and found hope and joy on the other side. Her music draws from real-life stories of beauty, heartache, hope, and the celebration of life. Kellie has performed all over the world to audiences of over 10,000 and was part of a short film, The Thank-You Project, that told her story and was featured on Cosmopolitan, The Today Show, and The Huffington Post. She has some virtual concerts coming up too, so maybe we can check them out. We’re so excited to have her with us today. So thank you, Kellie, thanks for being on.
Kellie: Thank you, Alice. I’m happy to be with you and the whole awesome Jubilance community.
Alice: Awesome. So, we just like to start off with like a fun quick round. So, ice cream or cake?
Kellie: Probably jelly beans?
Alice: Even better. Cool.
Kellie: Ice cream cake but I’m, yes, I’m not a huge dessert fan but I love candy.
Alice: Oh, delicious. Lip gloss or lipstick?
Kellie: Lip gloss.
Alice: Okay. Reading or writing?
Kellie: Writing. I don’t have much time to read but I like it
Alice: Cool. Netflix or Prime?
Kellie: Oh, I would say right now, Netflix because we’re watching Madam Secretary. But we just went through Downton Abbey on Prime, which I saw you just sent out the whole email on what to watch next? So, that will be helpful.
Alice: Felt so good. Yes. Sweet or salty?
Kellie: Sweet.
Alice: Awesome. So, where are you living right now? Where are you?
Kellie: I am in Florida.
Alice: Oh, cool. What’s your favorite thing about living in Florida?
Kellie: I would say either the weather because I know we get a bad reputation for being hot. But really, our winter and the spring is like the perfect day for six months of the year. It’s beautiful. But I also just love all the nature like there’s these lakes and furs and this is beautiful. I’m grateful to be here. I love the beach.
Alice: That’s wonderful. What’s your restaurant there that you just love that you’re going to go to right after quarantine?
Kellie: Yes, yes. Probably Cocina 214. They have really good fish tacos and they have this dream called “The Swirl”. Because the frozen Margarita with sangria swirled in it. It’s so good.
Alice: Like everything
Kellie: Probably, Uber Eats could deliver as well.
Alice: I need that right now in quarantine. Yes. How are you holding up in quarantine?
Kellie: You know, I feel like what I see people posting on social media is like, I’m tackling this new hobby and I got all this time to Netflix binge. I don’t know, I feel like there’s like two realities and half the people are like, bored and then us parents are like, I am more exhausted and overwhelmed than ever before because I have kids 24/7, which I love them, but that’s a lot of one on one and then suddenly figuring out how to homeschool. So, I feel more exhausted than- life is a lot busier, let me put it that way, than it was before the quarantine.
Alice: Wow.
Kellie: Really sweet. But very cool.
Alice: Yes. What is your typical self-isolation day entail?
Kellie: Yes. So, I love to run. So, many mornings of the week. I get up and go on a run early, and then kind of get my head around my kids homeschool days. We try to focus really hard on their homeschool assignments, kind of through lunch/one o’clock. My goal is to have them all done with that by about one o’clock and then they can do some reading and write stuff in the afternoon. Then I try to focus on my work in the afternoon until we need to wrap up for dinner.
Alice: That’s wonderful. Can you talk about what your work is? Like what got you to where you are as a singer-songwriter-creator?
Kellie: Yes. So, I am classically trained. I went to a really amazing school as a kid. It was a school for the arts. It’s really competitive. If you’ve ever seen the movie Fame, that was literally like what my school was like. I loved it. You’re in theater, right?
Alice: Yes. I’m a theater director actually. So yes, I’m in that already world as well.
Kellie: Yes. It was such an amazing experience. Like the bell would ring and we’d all like harmonize with the bell. I’d loved it. But it was very intense classical training with piano and voice. I knew I wanted to do music my whole life. But I knew I also didn’t want to be a classical musician. So, I actually ended up majoring in dance in college. Just because I wanted to do some, I was dancing all the way through as well and wanted a fun degree. I was teaching music through dance. So, I taught for about 13 years and then my own career has kind of taken off. I only teach our kids now which I love teaching them piano, but then, now, do music full time professionally.
Alice: That’s wonderful. Can you talk about what kinds of music you write now since it’s not classical?
Kellie: Yes. So, I like to call it maybe inspirational pop. So, I love to write music that has a good message and also a good beat. Sara Bareilles’ drummer, drummed on my last video album, Wild Love. It’s so fun. But my music’s also highly emotive. So, I’ve got a lot of live streams plus a good beat and a good message. I try to be a hope bringer and a peacemaker with what I write about. So, kind of theme songs for life. So, whatever I’m learning, I think maybe this will help somebody else process something or learn whatever this is that I’m wrestling with. You know, you’ve all heard those songs that you listen to, and you’re like, oh, my goodness, that was said exactly what I was thinking, but I did that day. Those are the songs I really try to lean into and write.
So, I think music is a great tool. If I had to boil it down to any one message, it would be I know cliche. This is cliche, but it’d be a message of love and wanting people to know that they’re loved. There’s a passage that says, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. But if you’re not loving yourself, how can you love your neighbor? So, I kind of want to help people understand they’re loved. But I also want to stretch hearts to know how we can love our neighbors. That can look a lot of different ways. So, that’s where the peacemaker piece comes in where I really want to help see peace on earth. That’s a grand goal. But I think that happens when we love one person at a time.
Alice: Yes. I just want to shout out to the sisterhood that her song, Quiet, Quiet, is our first song on our playlist this week. So, everyone should check that out. I’ve been playing it on repeat. It’s so catchy. I love it.
Kellie: Thank you.
Alice: Really nice to work with and work too. Yes. Can you talk a little bit more about The Thank-You Project? What was that? So, it was a lacking documentary and how did it arise?
Kellie: Yes So, you had mentioned earlier that I was a widow. So, several years ago, my husband and our baby boy and I were in a really bad car accident. My husband was killed instantly and our son was severely injured. So, the doctor said, if he lived, he probably never walk or talk or show emotion. That was very hard and I could talk about that for a long time. But one afternoon, my new husband and I were watching Eli, our son, run and play in the front yard with bubbles. It was just this like, perfect, delightful moment. We looked at each other when he said, I can’t believe the doctor said he would never be able to do these things. He does have special needs, but he has defied every odd. We just thought, wouldn’t it be so cool to find those doctors that helped save his life. That helped him defy all these odds and thank them and kind of tell them the rest of the story. Here is he like 10 years later, thriving. So, we set out to do that.
It’s a five-minute video. We took about six months thanking the doctors. Every thank you was about an hour long and so incredibly meaningful. We didn’t imagine that so many of these doctors who’ve been doing their jobs at least 10 years had never been thanked before. So, the video shows maybe one or two doctors saying that, but probably about half of the 30 or so medical professionals, doctors, and nurses, that we thanked said they had never been thanked. I’ll get back to the story.
But it makes me think of what we’re going through right now, where when you have people on the front lines, medical professionals on the front lines, they’re dealing with people in tragedy. They’re dealing with people in the worst moments of their life, and you’re just trying to survive. You don’t have the capacity for gratitude. You’re just trying to get through the moment. These doctors and nurses, even right now, fighting for people’s lives, fighting COVID-19. They’re just on the front lines and they’re serving and they’re serving and they’re serving. It really is a thankless job, but they really are heroes.
I think I’ve heard stories actually in New York with people all clapping and cheering every evening for them. It’s so cool. I love seeing that these heroes are getting recognition. But it’s important to remember that they were doing this incredible fight day in and day out always even before COVID-19, you know? So, it was an incredible honor to get to thank them.
We had no idea I mean, we just were saying thank you but then the Today Show actually picked up our scoop when they heard of what we are doing. They sent down a crew to document it. The hospital actually asked us if they could document us doing The Thank-You Project. So, we never set out to make a viral video, that was never the goal. The hospital said hey, this is really cool with what you’re doing. If we help you, could we share the video? Then I was like, sure that’s great. So, then the Today Show found out and they said, hey, can we come? Come make a video of you doing this? We’re like, okay, that’s fine.
So, they filmed their version of the story in the summer. They kind of took first rights and they told the hospital you can’t share the story, but we do. What they did is they kept pushing back the air date and pushing back the air date. Well, it was one of those like, when you wait, waiting feels hard. But then the timing is always perfect. They ended up airing the story right before the Macy’s Day Parade on Thanksgiving morning, which is the biggest viewing of the year.
Then that really is what sparked the rest of the story going viral, which has been a blessing because it’s never been about me. It’s really about shining the spotlight on these heroes and the amazing work that they do day in and day out. Our hope was that medical professionals everywhere would feel thanked by The Thank-You Project and I’ve had so many amazing letters and notes telling me that’s really encouraging.
Alice: Wow. That’s amazing and so pertinent like you were saying to today So, I’m in New York City and we are clapping every night at 7 pm for all the medical professionals. It started off I think on the Upper East Side and I’m on the Upper West and like now I’m living with my boyfriend uptown like in the 150s. It’s like traveled throughout the whole city like every borough is clapping now and it gets louder each night.
Kellie: It’s so cool. That’s actually, I’m jealous to hear that.
Alice: Yes. It’s nice because I’ve told people like it finally feels like my city is back because finally there’s noise and there’s like, people acknowledging each other and like you’re checking in on your neighbor every night at seven like how are you? Like, hi, nice to see you. Yes. I think it’s important to think about thanking and like with your projects to like to thank these heroes that have, as you said, been working for their whole lives like this.
Kellie: Yes.
Alice: Yes. That’s wonderful. Can you talk about your travels all over the world? So, you’ve sung in so many different stadiums and to so many different people, where’s been your favorite place to perform?
Kellie: Probably my favorite was a castle in Austria. That was amazing. I just, you know, growing up watching like Disney Princess movies. I remember thinking like, I cannot believe not only am I in like a real castle. But it was like the acoustics in there were amazing. You’re in like the spire, like round and up high. That to me is like if I imagined Heaven, I would say it looks like that’s just like, like The Sound of Music, you know? It’s just like, pure goodness. It was so beautiful.
It was interesting because I went from Austria, where we were in Austria and I boarded a plane to Iraq immediately after that trip and my husband was with me in Austria. But I said goodbye to him at the airport and went to Iraq. This was at the height of ISIS a couple of years ago. I love both for very different reasons. But getting to share music with expats that are doing all different kinds of relief work in Iraq was amazing. I would see the food in Iraq was like. So with Austria, it was beautiful like the food was so delicious. It was wonderful. Iraq is nothing like Aladdin. I really went expecting like that.
Alice: Yes.
Kellie: It was like with the women who have like cute purses and like nice shoes. It looked a whole lot more like where we live than I would have imagined. Like the people and the food just what made Iraq just delightful.
Alice: Wow. Can you talk about creating an album in Mandarin? How did that come about? How did that arise?
Kellie: I would say I think life can be really unpredictable. I think when we are just open to the adventure and not trying to make sense of it all, I think a lot of amazing things can happen. The Mandarin project is a really good reminder for me to think outside the box. So, I’d never really imagined or planned it to make it a project in Mandarin Chinese. But this was when our story was going viral. I got invited to share music at a big conference in Hong Kong for several thousand people. They just sort of assumed that I would sing in Mandarin Chinese or whatever. She’s singing that in Mandarin Chinese, right? I was like, no. That wasn’t really the plan. But it became one of those like, well, why not? Like, maybe we could do that. Maybe I could learn and have a language coach and translator that people putting on the conference provided that they had a language coach for me and a translator. So, I was doing all the work to learn it for the conference. We just thought, well, we might as well record it. So, we were able to record that and it was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but completely rewarding. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. But I’m really grateful for the experience. It’s been a really cool tool to have in the tool belt.
Alice: Wow. You talk about your Peace On Earth tour. What was workmate that about?
Kellie: So, I think peace, like I was talking earlier about love, like love is something that’s starts inside of us before it can extend out. I think peace is the same thing. I think as an artist, we get to help articulate life. We get to help put words to what people are experiencing around them. I think it’s probably fair to say we all could have more peace both internally and also in the world around us. That’s really what Peace On Earth is like the Christmas album that I released last Christmas. But it was the traditional carols. But it felt like it was so much more than just a Christmas album, sort of this protested piece of how we want to see peace coming on earth. Hopefully, as people engage these rich lyrics, encouraging people to be peacemakers in their own families and in their own spheres of influences. So, the tour is really just a bigger way to spread that message of encouraging people to be peacemakers however, that looks in their spheres of influence. So, it’s not Christmas anymore. But I think that’s still the goal. So, it’s something I am focused on doing, whether it’s Christmas or not.
Alice: I think that’s something the world needs right now. So, why not? Let’s do some Christmas music. Yes. It makes you a whole lot happier.
Kellie: Sure. Yes.
Alice: Something I always asked the woman on this is what is your definition of womanhood? I know, it’s probably constantly changing. It could change like, 30 seconds from now. But for you right now, what is it?
Kellie: That’s a good question. I think that as women, we have a unique opportunity to embody beauty. There’s so much brokenness around us, but we have a unique role to represent an expression of beauty and that can look a lot of different ways. But I think that even in something as simple as doing your hair nice or putting on makeup.
But I think in how we love those around us, were an expression of beauty. I think we all have an opportunity to bring beauty into the dark and hurting world around us that it would start for true beauty. So, I think as a woman, I want to help encourage other women to realize the power that we all hold as women to be this moving expression, really.
Alice: That’s wonderful. Thank you, Kellie. If you had just like one piece of advice to give a woman that you met on the street, like one sentence or something about anything, what would it be?
Kellie: I love this question. I would say that it would be that every no can lead to a better yes. We can get so stuck in the no’s, either trying to avoid that rejection or being scared of getting a no. But in my experience any no I have received, any rejection, any closed-door ultimately, has led to better yes or it has taught me something and helped me become more successful or effective because I’ve learned from the no’s. So, I would say don’t be so scared of getting a no. Don’t be so broken if you face a no and somebody tells you no. But learn from it and keep going. Don’t get stuck in it.
Alice: I think that’s great, especially as artists.
Kellie: Yes.
Alice: Well, I’m starting it now, that you have to keep going through. Yes. Thank you. I thought for you to talk about Jubilance. So, how did you find us and what do you think of this like, PMS products?
Kellie: Well, I love it. I love this question. So, sometimes I joke that I’m like a professional Instagrammer because maintaining a role in social media is a really important part of being an artist. So, I have to spend time on Instagram every day. There was a really great ad that caught my attention from Jubilance in my feed. I clicked on it and then I’m reading and reading and reading and honestly, I love science. I love like, you give me some facts and some science that I’m like, I’m in. So, I just thought you all did a really good job of communicating the science of how this works and why it’s different from other products. I’m 36, and as I get older, like when I was younger, PMS was like a non-issue, but the older I get, the more it’s like, a real legit thing. Especially the last like three or four years, it’s like, every month it really holds me down. So, I’ve been looking for something to help me provide relief. Reading about it, I’ve tried tons of different supplements. But reading this, I’m like, this makes sense. I get this. So, I gave it a shot. I think I’m on my third, I’m starting my fourth month with it. So, I had three full months with Jubilance and I talked to my midwife, who delivered our babies, who do my annual. I actually just went to her probably about a month ago, and she was so excited to learn about it. She says to me-
Alice: That was amazing.
Kellie: For the first three months and call me and let me thinking? I say, great. So, I would say it’s interesting because each month, I feel like I’m noticing the effects of Jubilance more. It’s like you can tell it’s sort of, like more cumulative So, I would encourage anybody who’s new to it to like, kind of stick with it. I think my midwife gave good advice. It’s helped a whole lot. I think I would get the blues, like, a few days before I would start my period and it was like, the world is gonna end, you know? I feel like that has really lifted, which is awesome. Some of the other, like breast tenderness and other things, has gotten a whole lot better.
Alice: Oh, I’m so glad it could help.
Kellie: It really has helped a whole lot. That was part of why I wanted to reach out to you guys because anything I find, an organization, a product that I love and believe in, I just think how can I use the few tools I have in my toolbox to help you guys since you all have helped me and I just want to give back. So, I’m so glad that we could have this conversation today because it’s my little way of saying, go Jubilance. Anyway, hopefully, this helps encourage anybody who’s listening as well.
Alice: Yes. Thank you so much, Kellie. I’m so glad it can help you. We’d love to send you some more. So you’ll have to give me your, or I guess we have your address in the system and I’ll send you some more after this.
Kellie: That’s cool.
Alice: Yes. Then I guess my last question for you is, where can we listen to your music? When is your next concert or like the next couple so we can be a part of these virtual events?
Kellie: Well, I post live videos all here often pretty regularly on Instagram and Facebook. So, on Instagram, I’m @kelliehaddockmusic. On Facebook, I’m just Kellie Haddock. So, you can follow me there. I’m very active there. Then all my music is on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music. So basically, anywhere that you typically would stream, you can stream Kellie Haddock. I have several albums out. So, you can have fun digging into that. So, all my live shows are postponed until the fall, so you’re probably maddened. But this Friday, so that will be tomorrow that might be after this post. I’m doing a really cool, well, it will all be recorded so you could-
Alice: Oh, great. So, we can…
Kellie: I’m sharing music at a summit with several organizations, who are doing work at the border of Mexico and the US with refugees. So, they all provide different kinds of relief and aid to refugees right on our border. That’s something I really care a lot about. So, I’m really honored. I have a song I wrote called Song for the Refugee. So, I’ll be singing that live as well as several of my other songs, just to kind of support these organizations and the whole summit. It’s hosted by Border Perspective. So, you can go to their website and I think you can find a way to stream all the different topics. There will be a lot of talks, and a lot of different neat Q and A’s, if you are at all interested in what’s going on at our border right now. That’d be a great way to engage that.
Then this coming Thursday night, I will be doing a live concert on Instagram to benefit my favorite local boutique, Forema. So, if you want to tune in and enjoy an hour of live music, I would love to see you there on Instagram.
Alice: That’s amazing. Thank you so much, Kellie. Do you have anything else that you want to add?
Kellie: It gets to get to share the time with you, Alice and all of the sisterhood. I hope everybody feels loved and like you’re just getting a virtual hug right now from hanging out with us today.
Alice: Thank you so much for being on. It was such a pleasure.
Kellie: Thank you, Alice.
