Chelsey Whild’s first offering into the Birmingham music scene, perfectly titled “Fire”, is a heartfelt pop-driven album that rings of so many diverse influences (from early Alanis Morissette to One Republic, to Mumford and Sons, to indie loves like The Black Keys, and even more heavily pop influenced artists like Taylor Swift or Katy Perry) that it’s almost hard to put it in to one genre.

The balance between piano driven songs like the opening track “Maybe” (which has an almost 90’s “girl power” feel to it), to the sultry drum and bass built “Boys” (imagine if Stevie Nicks career had started in 2012), to an almost electro-folk feel in “River”, leaves everyone something to grab hold of. While each track has its own life, the real feeling can be gathered in the songs “Birmingham” an ode to one of the South’s greatest cities (and more importantly the place that served as most influential to Chelsey), “Own” which is a stripped bare look inside Chelsey’s mind, and “Fire” the title track.

After listening to this album several times, I have to say the aforementioned “Boys” is my favorite of all the tracks. The vocals are flowy and almost ethereal (as I said before, think new age Stevie Nicks), layered over very chill synth, and a drum and bass beat that keeps your head moving the whole time. It’s a catchy song, but doesn’t lose substance lyrically like a lot of “radio friendly” tunes do (“You say I’m too young, That I don’t understand, That may be the case, but that sure don’t make you a man” is just one of several lines that give this song depth).

Overall, and ESPECIALLY for her first time in the recording studio, Chelsey has put in a REALLY strong effort. Now I can’t wait to see where she goes from here, because the sky is the limit for this girl.n text goes here