Kelsey Dodd’s New EP "Forever Evergreen" Celebrates Holidays, Family, and Timeless Memories
By Natalia J
Kelsey Dodd, at just 17, is no newcomer to music. Since age five, Kelsey has been on a steady journey fueled by her passion for singing and the performing arts. From vocal lessons across genres and styles, to musical theater, and training on piano, ukulele, and (a recent dabble in) guitar, she’s set to release her debut EP, “Forever Evergreen.” Originally planned as a holiday project of reimagined Christmas classics, Kelsey shares that during the process of selecting songs, she became inspired to create an original track that captures her deep, imaginative connection to the colors, emotions, and memories of the holidays and family.
Based in Saratoga, New York, Kelsey brings a vibrant blend of musical influences to her work, from contemporary pop, soul, jazz, and classical sounds. She’s drawn inspiration from greats like Barbara Streisand and Ella Fitzgerald to contemporary artists like Adele and Kelly Clarkson, for her ability to sing powerfully, and convey deep emotion through her voice. Kelsey shares that her style has also been shaped by her background in musical theater, where she’s learned to give each performance its own narrative. She really commits to delivering the story behind each song—something you’ll experience when you listen to “Forever Evergreen.”
The EP’s title track, “Forever Evergreen,” co-written with Cassandra Kubinski, and produced by Joel Moss and Jim Mastrianni, is the emotional centerpiece of the project. This original song embodies Kelsey’s authenticity and love for the holiday season, which she describes as a time when, no matter what happens throughout the year, the holidays serve to reconnect with family, yourself, and the things you cherish most.
“No matter what we’ve lost, no matter what we knew,
Who had a golden year or who’s feeling blue
Those memories wrapped in red on that snow white scene
The moments that we share this season stay forever evergreen,” she sings in the chorus line.
Kelsey describes the Evergreen tree as a symbol of both nostalgia and continuity—a constant rock, much like family and tradition. The color green represents the refreshing, and regrounding elements of connecting with her family, where each time, they get to create new moments with one another.
In addition to her original song, the EP includes four classic Christmas covers. She laughs that the selection process started with her bringing a binder full of 30+ Christmas covers to her team that she knew and loved, but needed support narrowing down. Her team comprises Grammy-winning producer Joel Moss, whom Kelsey met through the Saratoga Children’s Theater, producer Jim Mastrianni, and musical director Cassandra Kubinski. The team’s creative process included brainstorming over dozens of these holiday tracks, finally landing on the songs that sparked the most joy and musical uniqueness with Kelsey’s delivery.
Joel played an instrumental role helping Kelsey cultivate an animated experience in the EP, full with live instruments like saxophone, clarinet, and organ to capture that classic Christmas warmth. She mentions not wanting to give too much away, but loved some of the creative touches they made to each track; Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song,” features a nod to the Nutcracker, while “Let It Snow” gets a jazzy twist with playful hints of “Jingle Bells.” Each song infuses Kelsey’s emotional connection to holiday memories and colors, and combines nostalgia with the newness of each season. While initially planned as an EP of just covers, the team delightfully realized that an original track would complete the collection, rounding out the project.
For Kelsey, “Forever Evergreen” represents more than a musical project. The EP celebrates self-expression, authenticity, gratitude, family, and tradition. Through her music, she hopes to inspire fans to embrace their own roots and cherish the people around them. “This project allowed me to bring myself to the table, to share my memories, and to watch them come alive in the lyrics and music,” she says. It captures a very real and foundational part of herself.
As Kelsey steps into her future with dreams of performing and releasing more original music, she’ll be headed to NYC to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater.
To readers and future fans, Kelsey offers a closing piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid to share yourself with the world, being genuine and authentic can lead to some of the greatest gifts life could give you. Don’t be afraid to open those doors.”
For a musical reminder to celebrate family and the little things that make this season so special,
Catch “Forever Evergreen” coming out November 15th.
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