Singer-songwriter Kirstie Lynn likes to call herself a “prairie transplant.” Originally from Upstate New York, Lynn has grown fond of the region’s sweeping grasslands and its flora. Her recent EP, Blazing Prairie Star, takes its name from her favorite native wildflower.
The six-track recording—which was released on July 24—uses plenty of imagery of flames and heat as the flower’s name suggests, but, at its core, the release captures Lynn at a crossroads. “[Blazing Prairie Star] was inspired by this time in my life,” she says. “I was on the precipice of a new decade of life, feeling like ‘what the hell am I doing?’”
Written over the past two years, that sense of uncertainty echoes in the title track’s chorus as Lynn reckons with what comes next: “Blazing prairie star, you think you’re goin’ far / filling up all your nights singing to an empty bar.”
Regardless of that self-doubt, Lynn has plenty of momentum. She’ll spend the first half of this month touring France before returning to officially celebrate the release of Blazing Prairie Star at Lawrence’s Northside Social on August 21.
Although the songwriter has been making music most of her life, Lynn says she never imagined herself as a folk musician. A classically trained soprano, she spent years focused on landing roles in operas and musicals. “I’ve been writing songs since I was 13, but I never planned to do anything with them,” she says. “It was just a way to process things and express myself.”
That changed during the pandemic. With performances and rehearsals on hold while pursuing a masters degree in vocal performance at Carnegie Mellon University, Lynn began posting snippets of her original songs on Instagram. Her friend (and now frequent collaborator) Galen Clark, a guitarist, offered to record her. An opportunity to tour the album followed.
“It just kind of fell in my lap,” Lynn says. “My voice coach said ‘Kirstie, you have to go on tour. You might never get this opportunity again’.”
Her classical training shines through in her crystal-clear tone and expressive vibrato, often drawing comparisons to Joan Baez—that stylistic resemblance has even garnered some attention on TikTok (@kirstietheworsty). And despite her shift to folk music, Lynn still enjoys singing opera daily, whether it’s a part of her warm-up routine or brushing up on an old aria for fun.
Lynn first moved to Kansas City in 2018 without ever having visited after her post-grad plans fell through. She decided to follow a friend who was moving to the area. “I kind of ran out of options,” she says. “I moved here on a whim. I didn’t know anything about Kansas City, except for the song in Oklahoma.”
Although she left after a year to pursue her masters degree, KC stayed with her. After graduating in 2021, Lynn returned to KC with the momentum from her debut album Tears and Medicine and quickly established herself on the scene. “I’ve been pursuing folk music ever since,” she says.
GO: Blazing Prairie Star Release Party. August 21. 7 pm. Northside Social (444 Locust St., Lawrence).
