ICYMI: #WomanCrushWednesday IG Live featuring Courtney Paige Nelson

BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer

While many musicians tend to realize their passion for music at a very young age, others reach adulthood when they discover that music is what they were meant to be doing all along. This is how it happened to work out for model-turned-musician Courtney Paige Nelson.

Nelson always loved to write poetry, but never quite realized how easily her poems could be set to music to create songs.

“Music is my fate,” Nelson said. “I’m very blessed that I figured out what I’m meant to do.”

Nelson said that her modeling career helped to prepare her to face rejection in the music business. Nelson said that facing rejection in modeling is much harsher because the rejection is based solely on surface appearances.

“Music is more personal,” Nelson said. “I’m taking what I’m thinking and feeling and putting it out there for people to listen to.”

While the COVID-19 global pandemic has halted live performances for the time being, Nelson said she dedicated her time in 2020 preparing for 2021. During that time, Nelson wrote four songs that will be part of an upcoming EP, tentatively set for release on March 22. Each song is based on something she personally experienced in 2020.

The first of these four songs, called “Cease and Desist,” is out now. Nelson said this song is about something that was taken from her which set her back in her music career.

“You have to be open and honest,” Nelson said. “Artists have a responsibility to connect with people.”

Nelson said that she is excited to get back on stage and connect with her fans to hear the ways in which her music has helped them. Mental health awareness is very important to Nelson, as two years ago she had received treatment after attempting to take her own life.

“If my music helps somebody, I’m doing my job as a human,” Nelson said.

Nelson is also very passionate about the idea of women in the music industry having their voices heard. While Nelson says she is always very open and direct, she has had an experience where she felt that she was not being heard and was being talked to a certain way just because she was a woman.

“Music needs to be commercially viable, but it also needs to be me,” Nelson said. “I’m not Katy Perry, I’m Courtney.”

In addition to her EP, Courtney is also working on two music videos and the release of her own jewelry line in partnership with Never Take It Off, a jeweler that works with lots of artists to create unique pieces reminiscent of the artists’ personal styles.

Nelson said she had the idea that she wanted to work with them a few months back and is very excited to have been given the opportunity.

For more on Courtney Paige Nelson, you can check out the entire interview on Instagram @OfficialWomenWhoRock.