With a star-studded roster of social media supporters including Diane Warren, Kristin Chenoweth, Hugh Jackman and Kyle Richards, it's no wonder Recording Artist and Songwriter Kelsie Watts is getting ready to make her Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning SIX The Musical, taking over the role of Queen Jane Seymour.

In this interview, Kelsie answered my call to share:

• What excites her about her upcoming Broadway debut
• How being a recording artist has prepared her for this moment
• How she became an advocate for mental health
• What song of hers she would make into a drink
• So much more

Connect with Kelsie: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook

In SIX The Musical, from Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to reclaim their identities out of the shadow of their infamous spouse – remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!

Kelsie will begin performances as Queen Jane Seymour on February 19, 2025! Click here for tickets!

Kelsie Watts
Photo Courtesy of Kelsie's Social Media

1. You are about to make your Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning musical SIX The Musical. What excites you most about making your Broadway debut in this show? I've dreamed of being on Broadway ever since I was a little kid! Musical Theatre was my first love before I started pursuing pop music. What excites me the most about my Broadway debut is that I get to play a character I can relate to AND be in a show that fuses together my love for musicals and also my artistry.

2. You found your way into SIX The Musical by a chance encounter with Roberta Duchak, the musical director for SIX. How did this meeting come to be? Let me tell you, I LOVE Roberta. She's an absolute gem of a human! Years ago I was performing on a showboat in a variety show. We always did a meet and greet post show and Roberta came up and handed me her card. She said she was casting for a new musical and that she'd love to chat. I immediately texted her following the show, not knowing she was a Broadway musical director haha. We have kept in touch ever since, that started my journey to Broadway!

Kelsie Watts, Photo Courtesy of Kelsie's Social Media

3. What was your audition process like for SIX The Musical? For a little context, I have never done a musical professionally. So I had absolutely no idea what to expect for the audition process. I was brought in to audition a few different times to be seen for other roles in the musical, but [Jane] Seymour was always my favorite.

I started taking acting lessons from Benjamin Shaw, and became consistent in my dance training with Natalie Aaron. I knew that even if I wasn't cast in SIX that the training would be very valuable for my career as a recording artist. SIX brought me in for a boot camp in NYC in 2023. A select group of girls and I did a week long intensive training and completely immersed ourselves in the show. Following that time I didn't know if I would ever be in the show, but was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work on my craft.

Fast forward to October 2024 and my manager got a call asking if I was interested in the role of Jane Seymour in the new Broadway cast for SIX the Musical! 

4. In the show, you will be playing Queen Jane Seymour. What do you relate to most about her? Crazy enough, I relate to multiple parts of Jane Seymour. I think she's often seen as a queen that's passive because she didn't fight back like the previous queens, but she's actually quite calculated. Her vulnerability is something that makes her strong.

I've had to learn how to show people the softer side of me and I love that I get to tap into that while playing this character. I also love that she's kind of awkward, and I am definitely awkward, so it's another fun point of the relatability.

5. What is one characteristic of hers you are glad you, yourself, do not possess? This is an interesting question. To be completely honest, I've fallen in love with Jane and who she was in real life. I've learned to really appreciate her personality and choices even if I wouldn't necessarily respond the same way. So I don't think there's a specific quality she has that I am glad I don't have personally.

Kelsie Watts and her husband Brandon
V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa
Photo Courtesy of Kelsie's Social Media

6. Queen Jane Seymour is known for being the only one Henry VIII truly loved. Who is someone you have truly loved? I am so blessed to say that I found the absolute love of my life. Brandon, my husband of 5 years. He is the most incredible human I've ever met. I didn't know a love like this existed outside of fairy tales until I met Brandon.

He is 100% supportive of my dreams and career, treats me like a queen, makes me laugh, and loves me and all of my flaws. If you look at my social media and see him in my videos, that's actually how he is all the time. Brandon is my best friend and I couldn't do life without him.

7. Jane Seymour was the lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn. While she was still alive, Henry VIII sent Jane a gift of money which she refused, apparently saying there “was no treasure in this world that she valued so much as her honor.” Have you ever encountered a time when you had to choose your honor over money? One thing I love about Jane is her faith. She gained a lot of respect by refusing a gift from King Henry VIII. I often forget how little power and influence women had back in that time. Jane refusing a gift was her taking a stance in solidarity with what she believed in. While I may not have had to choose honor over money, I have many times chosen my honor over opportunity.

8. In addition to making your Broadway debut, you are a successful singer/songwriter. Who or what inspired you to become a performer? Thank you! I have a long list of musical inspirations, but I'll just give a few. I grew up listening to a wide variety of music. Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey were often played throughout my home. However, bands like Def Leppard, Journey and Guns N' Roses were also a part of my upbringing.

I think that's probably why my music is a mixture of pop and rock. I can't think of a specific time I decided I wanted to be a singer. It's simply always been a part of my DNA.

Kelsie Watts Performing at LA Rita Theater
Photo Courtesy of Kelsie's Social Media

9. How do you feel your work as a recording artist has prepared you for Broadway? As a recording artist, I have the opportunity to perform live often and that sometimes means performing by myself for long periods of time. It's helped me develop the stamina, both physically and vocally, that is required for a Broadway show like SIX.

10. You do a lot of work advocating for mental health. What made you want to get involved in this work? I became an advocate for mental health because unfortunately, we lost my brother, Jordan, to depression in 2013. My family and I have made it our mission to create awareness and to change the stigma around mental health. It's very important to me to spread the message of hope and encouragement. Helping others is one way that we bring purpose to the pain of losing Jordan.

I wrote a song to help me work through my grief called, "I Can't Say Goodbye." Every time I perform that song, I dedicate it to anyone who's lost someone too soon. I'll keep creating conversation around the importance of mental health and hopefully it helps just one person every time.

Kelsie Watts
Photo Courtesy of Kelsie's Social Media

11. What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with their mental health? For someone currently struggling with their mental health first, I would say that you're normal. It's OK not to be OK. That's a big part of creating awareness is helping people know that they're not alone. Surrounding yourself with encouraging people is a HUGE help. If you don't have a community or someone you feel comfortable talking to, I'd suggest calling 9-8-8. There is always someone available to take your call and talk to.

12. If you could turn one of your songs into a drink (either alcoholic or non-alcoholic) which song would you make and what would the ingredients be? Oh wow this is a hard one. If I had to turn one of my songs into a drink, I guess it would be, "I Can't Say Goodbye," and it would be turned into a Diet Coke. Because it is a must have in my daily routine.

13. What is something we didn't get to talk about in this interview that you'd like my audience to know about you? I would like everyone to know that while I am on Broadway my recording career is not slowing down. In fact, I have a new single coming out SUPER soon!

It was written with producer DQ and it's 100% my favorite song I've released to date. In addition I want all the fans to know how grateful I am for them and I hope they are ready to take this crazy ride with me.

Kelsie Watts, Photo Credit: Michaelah Reynolds

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