Kelsie Watts Earns First iHeartRadio Music Award Nomination

Official Announcement | Published: Feb 01, 2026 3:52 PM EST

(BMA) Kelsie Watts is earning major recognition for her powerful Broadway debut as Jane Seymour in SIX, earning an iHeartRadio Music Award nomination for "Favorite Broadway Debut." The iHeartRadio Music Awards will air live on FOX on Thursday, March 26 at 8/7c, with fan voting now open for several weeks at iHeart.com/awards, where fans can cast free daily votes.

The breakout sensation will take her final bow as Seymour in the Tony Award-winning musical on February 15. Riding a wave of career highs, Watts is also slated to perform the National Anthem at the highly anticipated New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins game Tuesday, February 3, at UBS Arena, televised live at 7:30 pm on TNT and streaming on Max and NHL.com.

Watts gushes, "I didn't expect to start off 2026 with an iHeartRadio nomination, but here we are!! I'm so blessed to be where I am...and I can't wait to see what God has in store!!"

Born into a musical family in Lubbock, Texas, Kelsie discovered her voice at just two years old and, encouraged by her talented parents, honed her artistry through church performances, school plays, and later formal training in opera and commercial music at Belmont University in Nashville, where she began songwriting and creating the music that launched her career.

Her self-released work soon caught the attention of industry professionals, leading to a feature on AJ McLean's (Backstreet Boys) solo single "Hurts to Love You," and later that year she captivated audiences on Season 19 of The Voice with her viral performance of Kelly Clarkson's "I Dare You," earning a spot on Team Kelly and millions of social media views.

Kelsie has quickly solidified her place as a rising independent pop artist. She wrote the emotional ballad "I Can't Say Goodbye" in honor of her late brother. Additional releases include "After Midnight," produced by Craig McConnell, and "Forgetful," a duet with Nate Amor written by legendary songwriter Diane Warren. Watts' current single "Fit In" is climbing the charts, reaching the Top 20 on digital radio. The original is accompanied by both a high-energy remix by DJ SmashKash and Mix Master David and a stripped-down acoustic version produced by Watts and featuring guitarist Joel Hoekstra from Whitesnake fame.

For the 2025 holiday season, Watts released "Christmas in New York," a nostalgic love letter to the magic of the Big Apple at Christmastime. In celebration of the release, she performed at several iconic Christmas events, including NYSE Treelighting, Tavern on the Green Treelighting, Washington Square Treelighting and the Lighting of the Iconic Vessel. Christmas in NY was featured on Disney's LIVE with Kelly and Mark. Watts recently reimagined Sia's "Chandelier" as a stunning, stripped-down, piano-driven ballad for The GRAMMYS ReImagined series.

With the announcement of her iHeartRadio Music Award nomination, plus her upcoming performance at the highly anticipated NHL matchup, Kelsie Watts is entering a momentous next chapter. As her work continues to write and record new music spanning Broadway and high-profile live performances, 2026 is shaping up to be a milestone year, filled with new music further solidifying her place as a multifaceted force in entertainment.