Southern Soul Singer, Cecily Wilborn, Talks About Life, Music, & Breaking Barriers Unapologetically

Cecily Wilborn is an infectiously charismatic star rising to the top of the musical food chain. She’s destined to break the prestigious barriers presented by a defunct era of exclusivity for country music.

Wilborn grew up singing on the church choir underneath her father’s leadership in Marianna, Arkansae. Although Wilborn was a staunch PK (Preachers Kid), Wilborn didn’t have the upbringing where most kids are lathered with strict rules that separated Christianity from secular influences. 

In fact, Wilborn's rearing is the opposite of traditions where the family played all music types especially, rhythm and blues. 

Wilborn says that it was her parents that inspired her to sing. "My dad and my mom together as a team, infused music in me from two different directions, and they really created a monster.”

She’s a grand a force to be reckoned — Wilborn has a voice that is unintentionally powerful, with country intonation. It’s both rowdy and controlled— a trifecta of rhythm, Blues and Country music commingling beautifully like streaks of lightning against a darkened sky. 

Wilborn has duality to write storylines that are meaningful, but also sing those songs with symphonic balance where the arrangements wed perfectly against her robust vocals. She’s released one album called Kountry Girl (2024), The Love Notes EP (2023), and about 9 singles with “I Need The Blues” as a popular and refreshing anthem.

"I started doing cover songs about 2016," says Wilborn. "Yawl, I learned everything about music. I already had a country background. I already did a lil gospel, dabbled in R&B, but man when I dived into the blues, and I started doing those covers around, I'd say around 2021, or 2022, I had gotten a job at BB Kings. I was in school full-time to be a music producer. I had put out Southern Man, and Southern Man wasn't a hit yet but it was picking up, so I had like so much going on at one time, and man... The song that I wrote for my husband, "Southern Man, It really kicked all this off."

Wilborn had listeners in a chokehold when she released “Southern Man," with her zesty innuendos about snagging a fine southern guy that’s gentle, understanding, and easy on the eyes. The ballad is a timeless song, and symbolic like the urban hits from Angie Stone, "Black Brotha," and Indie Arie, "He is the Truth."

Wilborn agree that she didn't initially start out as a southern soul vocalist, but that's what the fans dawned her with after hearing the song. 

Wilborn found her talent early in life, and never let g go, so although she battled the ups and downs, she never quit. By the time Wilborn hit her fourth pregnancy, Wilborn was in college, still singing and juggling the life of a fulltime wife, student, and mom at a young age. "I was just waiting for God to open the door, no matter what part of my life it came in whether I was old in age, middle aged or a kid. I knew that I wanted to do  this, and I told God, ‘’Whenever you open the door, I'mma do right by it." 

Doing right is what Wilborn did by remaining obedient and not limiting her talents. The singer writes her songs, where she processes the storyline. She ties the tangible pieces together phonically so she can sing to the masses. Wilborn wrote the singles "Red Cup Blues," "Pickup Truck," and "Party," without music.

Southern Soul is a popular genre next to Country music where the rhythmic antidotes for the placement are Blues and R&B. It's not a new placement, but Southern Soul grew largely over the last few years with the uptick of Black vocalists integrating their style into country music, and changing the game for novice artists that didn't think they could sing country.

Megastars like Beyoncé would go on to introduce an album, and a collective of indie artists as well as known country singers to challenge the perception of what that music should sound like, but Beyoncé wasn’t appreciated on the Country Platform. Be was snubbed at the Country Music Awards. Wilborn said that it upset her that Cowboy Carter wasn’t selected as an award recipient at the CMA’s.

“I feel like there’s a time and a place for everything, and I adore Beyoncé for taking that first step and being our sacrificial lamb because somebody's gotta do it first, and it aint about who does it first, and it aint about who does it better. It’s about who gets it done.”

Wilborn goes on to say that she’s grateful for the example, so when it’s her turn whether in Bluegrass or Rock n Roll, she’ll know how to handle the moments gracefully because she doesn’t plan on stopping at Southern Soul.

“It’s not so much about the fame; I love the experience when people first hear Southern Soul… Like, when they first hear and the look on their face when they never heard  of it—Man that’s such a blessing. That’s such a great feeling, so that’s why I want our music everywhere. Shoutout to people like King George, 803 Fresh, Young Guy, CharMeka Joquelle and J’Cenae ”

Speaking of her mark in the music industry, Cecily release newest single, “I Need The Blues.” Wilborn said she reached out to a friend Avery Mills, to give her the melodies for country and blues. Once Wilborn heard the piece of music, she knew it was restorative… “I had enough time to sit there and kinda vibe to it, and by the time I got done, I said, ‘This is a release song. This is my getaway song. This is gone take me somewhere.”

Wilborn recently signed to Blackground Records 2.0 after some failed business dealings as an independent artist, and it’s the best decision she’s made since pursuing a career as a versatile singer. “The machine is machinin,” she exclaimed.

"I Need The Blues" is available for download on all streaming services.

 Watch full interview here.