Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiersi Joli
Hi Kiersi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in NE Missouri until we moved to Tennessee in 2019. I have loved music since I was little. I took piano lessons at 3. At 6, I got a cheap set of harmonicas from Santa and had no idea what they were or how to play. Mom told me what to do and from that first note I made on it, I was hooked. Mom found my first instructor who taught me for 6 months and advised my parents to find a more skilled instructor to help me grow. Mom went on mission and found SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica. The people from the organization are great and if you want to know anything about harmonica playing, this is where you will find it.
We found my first instructor, Sandy Weltman, in the St Louis area through SPAH. He is a wonderful instructor and person. He was so patient teaching a 7-year-old who liked to spin in his office chair during the lesson. He taught me the blues scales because he felt the repetitive 8 bar, and 12 bar blues style would be good structurally for learning and give me a sense of time at a young age. He taught me how to play “St. James Infirmary” for a performance at the SPAH convention in Denver, CO. I was awarded a William Rosebush Youth Scholarship to attend that year. It was great and I met so many great players and teachers. I have been a member of the organization for 10 years now. Many of the members who attend annually have watched me grow up and it has become like a family reunion. A big family of Harmonica players. Check it out if you are a Harmonica player.
Sandy taught me how to bend notes and do blowbends to get more notes out of the diatonic harmonica. He taught me some music theory so I could play with other performers and know how to understand what the next notes needed to be in order to sound good. I had many lessons with Sandy in person until we moved to Tennessee. I still talk to Sandy regularly and he will still give me lessons online at times when I need some pointers. I have a couple other harmonica instructors that I met through SPAH and occasionally get together for teachings. Todd Parrott is in North Carolina. He has helped me with country and gospel and blues skills. Ronnie Shellist has been a great inspiration helping me gain exposure to many of the older blues players and their playing techniques through his Harmonica123.com program. His blues teachings are great as he breaks down songs and licks to help students learn.
All of my instructors and peers have instilled one very important skill in me, listen first and not to overplay. When I am performing with a band, play to enhance the song then give it my all when I get the opportunity to solo. Additionally, you don’t want to play over the vocals.
When I was 9 I became the youngest endorser for Hohner Harmonica. I love my Hohner harps and I am grateful for the support they have given me over the years. In 2019 I tested a new harmonica microphone, the Dyna-Mic, it is a great asset and I use it all the time. It has a special neck rack to allow me to play harmonica simultaneously with my guitar and sing. I am also an endorser for Dyna-mic.
When we were moving to Tennessee I was happy and sad. Anticipating what was to come and leaving my friends behind. My mom told me to write a song about my emotions so I did and that is how I got started in songwriting. Sandy actually recorded that song, “Movin Blues”, for me and I can barely listen to it now because I was 11, I think, and my voice was not developed.
When we got to Tennessee I began playing guitar because I learned that the venues here only allowed live musicians. I began working on guitar with Nicky V. Hines in Nashville. Wow, what he has taught me is amazing. He asked me what I wanted to learn and I told him “everything,” and that is what I am getting. I have grown tremendously on acoustic and now I’m learning electric guitar. He also has a studio in his home. He records for many artists and has lots projects in the works. He has recorded some of my songs for me as well. Nicky has been a fan and supporter of my harmonica playing from the first time we met. So much so, he has been referring me to other studio engineers which has led to me being a more consistent session player for other recording artists in a variety of genres.
My first time through Memphis was in 2019 when we went to the Pinetop Perkins Master Class in Clarksdale. We stopped and I did a little street busking before we went to Clarksdale, MS. I knew then I wanted to come back. The Pinetop experience was awesome, playing with other talented youth interested in Blues music was great. It really was the first time I played with a complete group of others around my age. We were challenged to get together and play as a band, even though we didn’t know each other and never rehearsed. Plug and play. I was impressed with how we performed and sounded. We also had great instructors advancing our skills on our instruments. I have attended their blues masterclass workshop with a harmonica focus and acoustic guitar focus. I have learned some important Blues history from the Delta area as well. I have also made some great friendships through this experience. This past year I learned guitar skills from Memphis’ very own, Doug MacLeod. He is incredible and has become a great inspiration to me.
In 2024 I had the opportunity to be the youth representative for the Nashville Blues and Roots Alliance to attend The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge (IBC). Other than the extreme cold and ice I had a phenomenal time and great performances. I was also one of the featured performers at the Women in Blues Showcase as well. I brought a band with me and we rocked it at both showcase performances. The weather kept us from doing some of the other things that happen at IBC but we had a great experience.. As a featured artist with the National Women In Blues showcase, I was invited to play and interview on Radio Memphis. It ended up getting canceled due to the weather. However, we were able to reschedule it and I returned to Memphis late that summer.
I have to say 2024 seems to be my “break out” year. As an IBC and WIB performer, many people heard my set. Because of that, I started getting offers to come and play at various Women In Blues showcases and Blues Festivals including the North Central Florida Blues Society’s WIB Showcase in Gainesville, FL in May (which I have been invited back to perform at again this May 18). I was invited to perform at the Black Mountain Blues Festival in Black Mountain, NC in June all 3 days.
I do a lot of songwriting, independently and in co-writes. Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has a lot of great workshops and events to help nurture aspiring songwriters. I had been given the opportunity to start recording some of these songs with Nicky V. Hines and Notes 4 Notes. I currently have 3 singles released; “Hey There Blues”, “Took a Man”, and “I am Beautiful” (which is my 1st sync placement for a short film and already nominated for an award). I’ve also released my 1st holiday EP, “Between the Snowflakes”. I was a stage performer at SPAH in August, that was awesome performing in front of the people who had watched me grow in my craft for 9 years in the organization. I was awarded the Jim Pasquale Horzion award at the Pensacola Beach Songwriter’s festival (PBSF) in October for my song, “Took A Man” and my performance of the song. I had the pleasure of returning to Memphis with the invite from Sunny Bleau and the Moons to record harmonica and background vocals on some songs on their latest album “Passion and Regrets,” which was produced by Mick Kolassa and released January 2025. Rounding out my big eventful year I was personally invited by none other than Bonnie Raitt to her show and a backstage meet! This was huge for me as she has been such an inspiration to me and my music for honestly as long as I can remember! Shortly after that, I got a call from the Notes 4 Notes studio. They are a non-profit organization to help youth experience music. As one of their recording artists, they selected me to be a part of the opening act for Lauren Daigle at the Ryman Auditorium on both Friday and Saturday night.
2025 has started out just as strong. I was the youth representative for the Memphis Blues Society at the IBC in January. I took full advantage of the opportunity I was given in returning to Beal St. I was active in the late-night jams with Billy The Kid and The Regulators which was so much fun. I was also invited to join Piper and The Hard Times during their showcase at B. B. Kings. While there, Radio-Memphis invited me back to interview and perform. Thank you Ric Chetter and Mark Caldwell! Just a few short weeks later I headed north for a 2 night “Womein In Blues” Showcase in Detroit Michigan at the legendary Token Lounge and at The Riviera Theater in Three Rivers, thanks to Sunny Bleau and The Moons. I had my own set and joined them during theirs to lay down some harp that I played in on their album. In just a few short weeks I will be opening up for Misty Blues Band at Hop Springs Beer Park in Murfreesboro, TN on April 23. I also have some other events coming together and some Nashville gigs this summer as well, so keep an eye on my Social’s for those details.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being young is a challenge. Not all venues will let me perform after certain times and some not at all because of my age. I have overcome that by planning accordingly. Some over 21 venues will allow you to come in to perform and then immediately leave afterwards but I usually stick to the ones that don’t have an age limit. The Local is one of my favorite Nashville venues for that reason. Such a friendly vibe and all of their food is amazingly delicious. Finances have limited me some. However, I try to be as social as I can, with as many as I can, on the nights that I am able to get out to show my support for fellow artists. I am very grateful to have such supportive parents. My mom is my chauffeur and my manager for all of my music stuff which allows me to stay focused on schoolwork and music. I do drive just not into Nashville yet. My dad has been the sole wage earner since we have been in Tennessee. We live very frugal but it sure has allowed me to be very humble and extremely grateful for what I have, what my parents are able to do for me and any opportunities that come my way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a musician and singer/songwriter. I am probably best known for my harmonica playing. I have a professional sound, tone and advanced technique. Furthermore, I have been complimented by many that I naturally have a good ear and that my playing is very tasteful without overdoing it, making the harmonica special in each song. This is primarily because I have been playing for 11 years and because I had professional teachers, not just random youtube instruction. A couple of years ago I started with a vocal coach, I get a lot of compliments now on how much my singing has improved, which I completely agree. My guitar skills have gotten a lot stronger as my lessons with Nicky progress. Plus, some of my cowriters lay down these intricate guitar riffs that force me to learn them in order to play the song out. I probably work most on this now because I play harmonica on rack while playing guitar and it can get challenging at times with certain riffs I love songwriting and I get complimented on the level at which I come to the table with ideas and the melodies I come up with to go with lyrics. As my songwriting skills have flourished it has provided me with opportunities to write with some top Nashville songwriters.
I would say, I have to be most proud of earning the rising star award last October from PBSF. I entered the song into the contest not knowing what to expect. Those wanting to enter could enter as many different songs as they wanted. They had multiple genre categories. However, I only entered one song. I was told they had hundreds and hundreds of entries. However, I was chosen for not just the song itself but for my musicianship, my singing, the way I presented the song, the whole package is what made me standout above everyone as they issued me the very first “Jim Pasquale Horizon Award” in memory of Jim Pasquale who created the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Fest. His wife, Reneda tells me he would’ve loved me as he loved Blues music and loved the harmonica.
What sets me apart is first and foremost, visually speaking, is my bright curly red hair. I am always getting compliments on it. My parents say it makes it easy for them to find me in a crowd, lol. Musically speaking, I think it is a combination of the harmonica having become more of a rare instrument and even more rare to find ones who can play beyond simple chords. Going one step further someone who can shred on harmonica while simultaneously play the guitar is another thing that I feel sets me apart from others. Also, I do have some strong vocals that sometimes when people first meet me and have no idea I sing and then I get on stage and belt out or throw some grit in there, I can see their faces and that is pretty cool.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the Blues history! I think it’s important to learn about the music your performing and the historical events that surrounded the emerging sound of the Blues. It’s important to learn about the ones who created it and brought it to the rest of the world.
When I was there for IBC’s in 2024, It was very disappointing that the sidewalks were untreated and ice was everywhere. Especially during a big week long event and there was no treatment done to the sidewalks or roadways. Many people fell on the ice. No parking really anywhere so everyone had to walk a distance in such bad road conditions with wind and -4 degree temperatures was disheartening. This is why we didn’t do much that year. There were no shuttles or assistance with helping IBC attendees to get around during this treatorous condition. I will say, this past January, with the big snow prediction, I was happy to see some pre-treatment being done to the sidewalks and because of this when the snow fell, it melted quickly so thank you to Memphis and Beal St. for that!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/kiersijoli
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/in_the_key_of_kiersi?igsh=MWo0M2g3YTl5Zno1eA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1KtudaMDT2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kiersijolimusic?si=zv-K4isfQKN89f80
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kiersi.joli?_t=ZT-8unlRA1h5QM&_r=1
