In the organizer's words:

Kelsey Waldon has long been one of the most important voices of the new Americana generation. Her songs combine poetic storytelling with an unmistakable, grounded voice and an intensity that also captivates audiences live. On stage, Waldon convinces with an honest presence and musical depth that oscillates between folk sensibility and raw country energy. After successful tours of the USA, she is now coming to Germany for the first time, stopping off in Cologne.

Growing up in a small community in western Kentucky, her musical path began far from the limelight. Her childhood in the countryside, in a hunting lodge at the end of a gravel road, still shapes Kelsey Waldon's music today. After her first appearances on the local scene, she established herself as one of the most independent artists in modern country and Americana. In 2019, she signed with folk icon John Prine's label, Oh Boy Records, which is considered an accolade in the scene. Since then, she has toured with artists such as Tyler Childers, Charley Crockett, Margo Price and Lucinda Williams and was honored with a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's American Currents exhibit in 2024.

With her current album "Every Ghost", Kelsey Waldon shows an impressive emotional depth. The nine songs deal with topics such as addiction, loss, family patterns and self-healing and contribute to new inner strength. In "Ghost of Myself" she works through old shadows, "Comanche" tells of letting go of loved ones, and "Tiger Lilies" is a touching tribute to her deceased grandmother that addresses passing on, roots and memory. The album closes with Hazel Dickens' "Ramblin' Woman", a hymn to female independence and self-determination.

Her songs are in the tradition of great female country poets, but are deeply personal and timeless. She embodies what is known in Nashville as the "true outlaw spirit": Attitude, honesty and artistic freedom.

Kelsey Waldon comes to Cologne in 2026. The audience can look forward to an evening full of intense guitar sounds, haunting lyrics and an unmistakable voice that sounds raw, tender and powerful at the same time. An authentic Americana experience that gets under your skin and makes courage, heart and depth tangible.