Singer-songwriter Celeste Marie Wilson recently released her single/music video, “If I Sin For You?,” an intoxicating song about forbidden love. She is bewitched by a lover she knows is not good for her but whom she cannot resist – “like a moth to a flame.”
Hailing from East Texas, Wilson began playing piano in third grade. Later, she added the guitar. At first, she wanted to be an author. Her enchantment with poetry evolved into songwriting. Her sound blends elements of rock, pop, and jazz into wonderfully alluring music.
Yet it’s Wilson’s voice that sets her apart. Potent and soulful, it’s one of those voices that grabs listeners by the ears and pulls them in with tones at once compelling, sultry, and oh-so evocative. To paraphrase Jackson Browne, “This girl can sing.”
Wilson has won a bunch of awards for songwriting and is working on her debut EP.
Guitar Girl Magazine spoke with Celeste Marie Wilson to discuss the inspiration for “If I Sin For You?,” and her definition of tone.
What three things can’t you live without?
The three things I cannot live without fall in the following order: my dog (Dipper), caffeine, and my guitar named Emily Spinach.
What inspired “If I Sin For You?”
The fact that I am unable to love casually. I only know how to love everything I am. This can turn out to be a very dangerous way to live.
Was writing “If I Sin For You?” easy, in the sense of just flowing out, or was it difficult?
‘If I sin for you?’ actually started as another song titled ‘Seeds of Love.’ I tried recording it three times, but it just would not work. I went back to the drawing board, and suddenly ‘If I sin for you?’ flowed out in one afternoon.
Did “If I Sin For You?” turn out the way you thought it would?
Yes! As soon as it was finished, I knew I wanted it to have a beat drop with guitars and drama. Oh! I love a song with some drama in it!
What do you want people to take away from the song/video?
The most important thing to me is that they are entertained and have a good time. I love a good romance movie, and I wanted the video to have a level of yearning that would drive Mr. Darcy mad. Oh my gosh! They made eye contact! Y’all know exactly what I’m saying.
How did you get started in music? What’s the back story there?
With the risk of sounding a little crazy, a couple of sleepless nights, a lot of melatonin, and a whole bunch of prayer led me here. A million slices of life started to get to me, and I realized that I hated what I was doing. I threw caution to the wind and called a producer at 3 a.m., and the rest is history.
What kind of guitar do you play? Which amps and pedals are you using?
I have an acoustic Washburn named Emily Spinach and a blue, electric, Epiphone Les Paul named Marilyn (cause she’s pretty).
What is your definition of tone and has your tone changed over time?
I think an artist’s tone is everything they’ve ever experienced combined into one work of art. Everyone, artist or not, has a tone in the way they dress, speak, and act. In other words, my tone develops with who I am as a person. I’m a very different person than who I was when I started music. I was proud of who I was then, and I’m proud of who I am now.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Maybe touring or who you’ve played with, something that’s stood out.
The highlight of my career is when I had a kid in the audience, dancing, giggling, and having a great time. I love kids, and if I can make a kid’s day, then I did something right.
What is your definition of success?
Success is finding joy in the journey to the top.
What can your fans look forward to over the next six months? Music videos? Live gigs?
So, so much! Music videos! Songs! Collabs! Live music! Make sure to check out my website to stay updated on all of it!
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