Born and raised in Southern California, artist/musician Kelly Jean Anderson first sang harmonies beside her father playing children’s songs at the piano. She studied classical repertoire from age five into her teens. Says Anderson, “I had visions of playing in front of people but my stage fright and anxiety was intense.” Singing in choirs and children’s plays, she was always very sensitive, and never comfortable. Says Anderson, “it didn’t come naturally. I felt my voice wasn’t good enough. I wanted to be perceived a certain way.” Adds Anderson, “I wanted to be this beautiful singer, but that wasn’t where I found my voice. I found it in the depth, the struggle, the wounding, and the pain. I didn’t understand that for a long time.”
Searching for meaning, connection, and validation led to challenging experiences, including early sexual trauma. As she navigated drug addiction (over 20 years), Anderson’s partner Kentucky (who later died by suicide) returned her to music, teaching her instruments and songwriting (The Honey Highway Country & Blues Show and The Thunderbird Motel). The relationship and music were intense, including addiction, mental illness, homelessness, and 15 years of dominatrix work. “It felt wild and out of control,” she admits. “I was rarely present enough to enjoy making music.” Turning 40 and getting clean left her with her dog and her music, and the slow work of rebuilding her life.
Despite it all, there was always a sense of light and possibility running softly in the background. Anderson leaned into reinvention, getting clean, and removing every part of her old life. She began meditating and practicing gratitude, writing daily goals and incorporating blessings for others. Then came the deep work.
Breathwork classes found her throat tight; plant medicine ceremony brought breakthrough. “This beautiful indigenous shaman was right in front of me. People were devotional in prayer and he was singing to them using leaf rattles,” shares Anderson. Feeling the vibration of the music, her body softened, and she began sobbing. “When I heard that, that is what I wanted to learn how to do,” says Anderson, “to know the power of my voice, how vibration can connect with others and help them.”
Singing, toning, humming, and reconnecting with her power, Anderson says, “without words, I get out of my head and it becomes meditative.” It’s a trance-like state. “I started healing my nervous system, intrusive thoughts, and limiting beliefs,” she confesses. Using an “I Love You” chant to forgive herself energized her, and developed a new tone of voice. Students began sobbing when she shared it. “This is magic in a grand sense, energy healing. We’re connected by our hearts, healing each other. When we work on ourselves, that vibration affects everybody you come in contact with.”
Beyond classes, Anderson’s first song (“Rosemary Soul”) was written in one day, absorbing outdoor surroundings. “I got lost in that song for four or five months, with different melodies, coming back to the bridge and obsessing on it,” she says. “It kept getting deeper and more beautiful. One day that stopped and I was done.” That’s my process—obsessing in a beautiful way, I feel so connected and alive.” While recoding, she learned, “to peel the piano to its most basic because the voice is where I’m really connected.”
Anderson has found her purpose with weekly classes and live shows. “I’m creating beautiful healing experiences,” she says. “It’s deeply moving. I made it through that really dark time in my life [and] now I get to make healing music that feels powerful and authentic. I feel really grateful.”
Playing the shruti box, gong, harmonium, crystal bowls, and other percussion (in addition to piano, bass, guitar, and ukulele), a meditation collection, piano project (commemorating Kentucky), and full healing sound album are available online.
Contact rosemarysoul999@gmail.com
Visit rosemarysoul.com
