For Kinsley, learning to live has always been about more than simply getting through the day. Long before the 22-year-old MCA singer-songwriter was preparing her debut EP, Learn To Live, she was turning to poetry and songwriting to make sense of the parts of life that were harder to put into words.
Now, with the six-song collection officially out, Kinsley is opening the door a little wider.
Written or co-written by Kinsley from start to finish, Learn To Live finds the rising Nashville artist navigating heartbreak, healing, identity and the complicated in-between moments that come with growing up. But rather than trying to package those experiences into something perfectly polished, she leans into the vulnerability that has become the heartbeat of her songwriting.
“I don’t think I know how to write something that isn’t at least a little personal,” Kinsley tells Celeb Secrets Country. “The things I enjoy writing most are the things I find the hardest to say out loud.”
That honesty hits especially hard on “The Waiting Room,” which Kinsley calls the most deeply personal song on the project, while the title track carries its own full-circle significance. The song was the first original she ever shared publicly, eventually resonating with listeners online and at writers rounds and paving the way for the project she’s releasing today.
Looking back, Kinsley says she’s proud that the song’s deeply personal message has found a life beyond her own story. “Our shadows are helping other people through theirs,” she says.
And that may be the clearest way into Learn To Live: these songs might have started with Kinsley, but she hopes they ultimately belong to anyone who needs them.
“I hope they know that they’re not alone because I’ve been right where they are,” she shares.
Kinsley gets candid with Celeb Secrets Country about the songs that brought her here — and the life she’s learning to live along the way. Keep scrolling to read our full Q&A below, and don’t forget to let us know if you’re loving Learn To Live by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
Celeb Secrets Country: At just 22, you’re stepping into this next chapter with your debut EP Learn To Live — but before we get into the music, who is Kinsley when she’s not writing songs?
Kinsley: “Kinsley when she is not writing songs is a dog mom, an older sister, an avid poetry writer / reader, a huge outdoors lover and a wannabe chef. A perfect day for me would have a bit of all those things.”
CSC: There’s something really special about calling your first-ever project Learn To Live, especially because the title track was the first original song you ever shared publicly. When you look back at the version of yourself who wrote that song versus where you are now, what do you think she would say if she could see this moment?
Kinsley: “‘Learn To Live’ is a mental health song, so I think if the version of myself who wrote this song could see this moment, she would be proud of the person I’ve become and happy to know that our shadows are helping other people through theirs. I also think she would be over the moon to see that the title track of my debut EP, as well as the song with arguably the most pre-release anticipation, is a solo write about something very personal.”
CSC: You wrote every song on the EP, and the project feels incredibly personal without being tied to just one story. Did you go into the writing process knowing you wanted your debut to feel this vulnerable, or did you realize along the way that these were the songs that needed to introduce you to the world?
Kinsley: “I don’t think I know how to write something that isn’t at least a little personal. It sounds a bit twisted, but the things I enjoy writing most are the things I find the hardest to say out loud.
So to answer that question, I would say both and neither. I subconsciously approach every song from a place of vulnerability, but I also definitely had a moment where I realized the weight of this collection of songs.”
CSC: Songs like “Pieces Of Me,” “The Waiting Room” and “Whiplash” each explore different sides of heartbreak, healing and self-discovery. Was there a particular song on Learn To Live that challenged you the most to write or revisit emotionally?
Kinsley: “‘The Waiting Room’ is by far the most deeply personal song on the project. When you listen to the track, there’s a verse towards the end that flips the lens onto my parents. I briefly touch on their experience in the waiting room, waiting for any news on me. This is the only song I have ever written about that chapter in my life and I don’t think I’ll ever write another.”
CSC: “Cold July” brings Caitlyn Smith into the picture, which feels like such a beautiful meeting of two distinct songwriting voices. What was it about that song — and Caitlyn specifically — that made you know she was the right person to bring into its world?
Kinsley: “Caitlyn is a writer on this song, and we wrote it nearly 2 years ago with Lauren Hungate and Gordie Sampson. I remember feeling a little starstruck when she walked into the room because I’ve always been such a fan of her. Throughout the whole write, Caitlyn was singing harmonies, and she even put them onto the day-of demo. When the time came to officially record the song, there was no question about whether she should be a part of it. I was so in love with the demo, and her vocals were a huge part of that. I was beyond honored when Caitlyn said she was down to make this a duet; her vocals make the whole song.”
CSC: A lot of your music centers on the idea of finding beauty and meaning in the messy parts of life. What have songwriting and this EP taught you about yourself that you don’t think you would have learned any other way?
Kinsley: “Honestly songwriting and writing this EP taught me a lot about my comfort zone. I’ve learned that I feel the most seen and safest in language that leans into the darker side of human emotion. That doesn’t mean cryptic and depressing, just that anything too overly bubbly can feel unnerving. I believe life is both darkness and light, and you can’t have one without the other. There’s a reason you can’t see the stars during the day. Writing this EP really showed me just how fundamental that feels to me.”
CSC: Your journey has taken you from California to Texas to Tennessee and now into the Nashville songwriting community. How have those different places influenced the way you write about home, relationships and growing up?
Kinsley: “Having moved around so much, I have experienced a lot of different lifestyles and environments. Each place influenced me in ways I will forever be thankful for. I now have a very strong understanding of who I am and the things that fill my cup. Writing about home is a tricky one for me because it isn’t a place. I don’t have a hometown I can lean into, but I do have a strong family that is my home. Growing up in an ever-shifting environment instilled me with a lot of independence.
CSC: You recently signed a global publishing deal with Sony Music Nashville, which is a huge milestone for any songwriter, let alone at 22. When you think about everything that had to happen before that moment, what part of your journey are you most proud of?
Kinsley: “I am the most proud of myself for never losing sight of who I am. I never broke, shifted or bended. I just worked as hard as I could to find a team who supports me and my music for exactly what it is. I have found that support in Sony Nashville, and I couldn’t be more excited to partner with them.”
CSC: If “Learn To Live” is your introduction to listeners, what do you hope they know about Kinsley after hearing all six songs?
Kinsley: “I hope listeners walk away from the EP feeling like I understand them, and I hope it’s obvious that these songs were written for them. I hope they feel seen, happy, sad and everything in between. I hope they know that they’re not alone because I’ve been right where they are. And I hope they know that God didn’t give up on me and He’ll never give up on them.”
CSC: And looking ahead, what is the dream you’re chasing now that this first chapter is finally out in the world?
Kinsley: “Now that this first chapter is finally out in the world, my next dream is to play as many live shows as possible. I think getting face-to-face with listeners is one of the most important things. I am so excited to dive into that whole world, feel the energy of a band and connect with the crowd.”
CSC: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, what’s a fun “secret” about making your debut EP that we wouldn’t know just by listening to it?
Kinsley: “If you watch the official ‘Pieces Of Me’ music video, I break character multiple times. The first time is literally in the first scene – I crack a smile and look to the left. I’m sitting on bleachers next to some friends who are partying and having a good time, and in order to make it look real, they were actually partying and having a good time. All those people were my actual friends, so trying to stay focused next to those idiots was one of the hardest things, and I think it made the whole video!”
LISTEN TO “LEARN TO LIVE” HERE:
