For some, music is just background noise or a way to pass the time. Then there are others for whom music is so much a part of who and what they are that there is simply no life without it.
You could say these should be the core attributes of any musician, but unfortunately, not everyone has this inherent passion. Then there are those like Kelsey Wilson, who has an emotional voice and the music’s soul to match it. Growing up in a family where her mother was heavily immersed in the gospel church, Wilson could not help but let this soak her up, hence leading to the discovery of talented artists like Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and more.
With this, she eventually found a place as the lead vocalist and violinist of the Americana band called Wild Child. Sticking with this project for well over a decade, around 2018, Wilson penned some songs that just did not fit in the frame of Wild Child… and as a result, a new window was opened for Sir Woman.
Releasing a few tracks as Sir Woman in 2019, 2020 saw the release of the debut EP Bitch, and songs like “Highroad” and “Making Love” immediately stood out as playful R&B cuts with style. From here, the self-titled debut Sir Woman album also emerged in 2020 with a ton more excitement with tracks like “Party City,” “Blame It on the Water,” and “Good Lady.”
This was a great new creative exploration from Wilson, and in the time that followed, she has continued to grow, Releasing Secular Music (solely under her own name in 2022); now, in 2025, she brings Sir Woman back to the forefront, releasing the second Sir Woman record, If It All Works Out, on February 21, 2025.
An epic return; let us be clear that it has not been entirely radio silence for Sir Woman since 2020 because plenty more sessions were recorded in between. In fact, there are several tracks recorded in 2023 and 2024 (“I Know Better,” “Never Gonna Give Me Up,” “Who You Gonna Love,” “A New Story,” “Heaven,” and “Making My Way”) which are featured on this new collection. Furthermore, it also includes a more recently released smooth-sounding single, “Get Out Of My Mind,” which features the duo of Uncle Roy & Spice.
With seven songs already available for listening pleasure, the remaining four songs of If It All Works Out are pure R&B and Soul bliss. With eleven tracks in total, the coolest aspect is that this album is not all Sir Woman will be releasing in 2025 because on May 16th, If It Doesn’t will arrive as a second act.
A big year for the project, let us break down the sounds of If It All Works Out, which is best described as colorful R&B with tints of Soul, Funk, Psychedelic, and Jazz. With Wilson being the driver of this bus, the songs are very personal to her experiences of heartbreak and navigating through it all. With that in mind, songs like “Circles” are a perfect example of the feeling you get when you are unsure whether you are coming or going in a situation. This is while “I Know Better” and “Think Too Much” extensiate those emotions of being torn apart and finding a way through it all.
Throughout all of these very heartfelt lyrics, there is simply magical instrumentation that oozes from the speakers with a very smooth aftertaste. Altogether, the thick bass is a backbone, as the delicate keyboards hum behind the guitars. Delightful accents to what is truly a great-sounding modern R&B oasis, Wilson’s singing is the icing on the cake because it is passionate yet playful with riffs here and there.
Overall, Sir Women is a great place to start if you are looking for an R&B band with a sense of Rock-n-Roll, Funk, Soul, and more. That is why Cryptic Rock eagerly awaits the next album in May and gives If It All Works Out 4 out of 5 stars.
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