Canadian country artist Kelsi Mayne closes out the year with “For The Record,” a deeply personal single that unpacks one of the most complicated chapters of her life. The song traces the whirlwind romance that followed her broken engagement, the heartbreak that came with it and the clarity she found in the aftermath of it all.
“For The Record” closes out a major year for you. When did you realize this was the
song you wanted to end 2025 with?
I was going through my catalogue and wanted something a bit badass in a bit up-tempo to
follow my last single, “Someone Who Knows,” which showed a more vulnerable side that I’ve
never done before. “For the Record” is just a continuation of my story and what I went through
last year so it was a perfect, natural progression.
The track revisits a whirlwind chapter that followed a broken engagement. What felt most important for you to be honest about when telling this story?
A lot of my songs are me just wanting to get something off my chest and to set the record
straight. I never got the closure I wanted in my whirlwind relationship that followed, so this is
more of me venting and wanting him to hear it to be honest lol.
You’ve described the relationship as something that felt “safe and fated” at first. Looking back now, what signs do you think you were choosing to believe in at the
time?
Because the two of us had just gotten out of long-term relationships, his 8 years, mine 10, he
had me believing it was fate and that we were meant to find each other at that time. I also met
him while he was struggling with an alcohol addiction so I felt like my new purpose was to help
him through it. He was also very different than my ex and was incredibly romantic… I’m talking
stop me in the middle of the street and sing me a song he wrote on the spot for me— Hallmark
movie kind of romantic. Which I realized was something I was missing in my previous
relationship.
Writing about addiction—especially when it’s tied to someone you loved—can be incredibly delicate. How did you approach telling that part of the story with care while staying true to your own experience?
It is very delicate. I didn’t quite get into it with this song, but I do recognize that it needs to be
addressed with grace. It is a disease and I just try to be as empathetic as I can through my
frustrations around it, but I think it’s OK to be honest about your feelings and how it affected you
as well.
There’s a moment in the story where you chose to step back so he could get sober for himself. How difficult was that decision, and how did it change you?
That was really hard because all I wanted to do was help, but I realized that the more I tried to
help the more it was enabling him. Ultimately a decision to get sober needs to be made by that
person and for themselves and themselves only. Taking a step back was a decision made purely
from love. I knew that there was a chance we wouldn’t get back together, but I thought that he
would have recognized how much I cared for him that he would have come back to me. But that
wasn’t the case. I realize now that I think my purpose in his life was to help him realize that he
deserved better than the way he was living and that he is special and worth it to save. And I’m
ok with that. I grew a lot from this experience and developed a deeper understanding that I
never had before, which has definitely helped to shape me as a more well-rounded writer.
You’ve said this song came from a place you never expected to be in again. Did writing “For The Record” feel more like reopening a wound or finally closing a chapter?
Writing is definitely cathartic for me so I feel like setting the record straight with this song helps
to heal and close that chapter of my life even though I’m revisiting it every time I have to perform
it.
The song includes subtle references to the walls of Jericho and Fleetwood Mac’s “Silver Springs.” How did those images and influences naturally find their way into the
lyrics?
Those were through my brilliant car rider Kd Amond. She’s just a walking encyclopedia. Silver
Springs was something we were talking about before we even started writing this song. We took
three different days to write this one and then on the third day we were looking for a B side
Deep cut title and circled back around to Silver Springs and it fit so perfectly. Very kismet that
that happened and also the fact that Silver Springs is trending right now on TikTok and
Instagram, also seems they use serendipitous.
Working with Scott Cooke on the mix and master, how did you want the production to support the emotional weight of the song without overpowering it?
There’s not a ton of instruments on this song so I knew the mixing was an important factor and
I’m so glad I trusted Scott with this. He really brought out the best tones and quality to evoke the
feeling that I wanted to portray. I think female vocals are some of the trickiest to mix because the
frequencies land in the same spots as a lot of main instruments like guitars. Our inspiration with
production was Eric Church’s “Homeboy” and I also wanted it to feel like you were at a live
show, and I think we did that.
Sonically, you blend country storytelling with R&B, Motown, pop and rock influences. How does “For The Record” fit into that evolving musical identity?
I’ve had a hard time really identifying or describing my style. And I feel like this song is my new
calling card for that lol. There are hints of R&B with some of the trills that I sing, there’s some
Motown in the backup vocals, definitely some outlaw country rock throughout the whole thing
and the catchiness of it brings some pop into it. Definitely going to be putting out more songs
like this in the future.
This single builds on the momentum of “Someone Who Knows” and what you’ve called one of your strongest years yet. What personal or artistic growth are you most proud of from 2025?
My songwriting 100%. Because I’ve been through so much in such a short time, I feel like I
know what I’m talking about now. And I’m able to translate it onto paper and connect with
people in their souls. Just this week, I’ve had three different Nashville artists say that they’re
cutting four of my songs which is just an extra reassurance that I’m just hitting my stride.
Fans often connect deeply to your emotional honesty. What do you hope listeners who are navigating heartbreak or complicated love take away from this song?
I hope they find some comfort in them. When another person is able to verbalize and actually
put into words exactly what you’re feeling and going through, it’s nice to know you’re not alone. I
also hope that anyone who has done some wrongdoing can also take away some lessons from
my songs. That they take a look at themselves and reflect and hopefully make some changes
and become better people too.
As you step into 2026 with a new album on the way and a live show that continues to grow, how does “For The Record” set the emotional tone for what’s coming next?
This is a song I can’t wait to play live. It’s meant to have its own moment in our set. As a female
country artist, we are often stereotyped as only writing and singing ballads. It’s my mission to
defy that stereotype and prove as many people wrong along the way. This is one of those songs
that’ll help me do it.
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With “For The Record,” Kelsi Mayne turns heartbreak into clarity, closing one chapter while confidently opening another. As she heads into 2026 with a new album on the horizon and momentum firmly on her side, Mayne continues to prove that her greatest strength lies in telling the truth—even when it hurts.
