Tell us a little about yourself
I’m Darcy — singer, songwriter and professional feel-all-the-feelings human. I moved to Colorado in 2018 for a fresh start, hoping to continue my career in marketing for the arts, but found myself busking at farmers' markets in Highlands Ranch and the South Metro Denver area after not landing my dream job.
I’ve been in Colorado for about 8 years now, and it really feels like home — the sky, the community, the natural spaces here just fit.
The South Metro area feels especially sweet, thinking back to the ways that neighbors here really supported me. My busking days awakened a whole new chapter in my life.
Tell us about your music.
I’ve been a musician in my heart since I was a kid: I grew up singing in church and making up little songs around the house before I ever thought of music as something you could publicly claim as “a life path.” I’ve been actively creating music for a little over a decade since I picked up the mandolin after college. My music lives in that singer-songwriter world with soul, folk and pop influences, and sometimes spoken-word when the emotion wants to speak instead of sing.
I write about my inner life experiences with love, loss, growth, healing, spirituality and the messy middle parts. I like songs that feel like a conversation — the kind that make people nod and say, “Okay, wow… same.” My goal is that my shows feel like we’re all in the living room together, not like I’m up on some distant stage.
I'll be releasing new tracks in 2026 and can't wait to lean into more topics of relationships and the spectrum of feels that come with the heart.
What does Music is Medicine mean?
For me, Music Is Medicine means music doesn’t just entertain, it heals. Not in a clinical way, but in the soul. It reminds us we’re not alone, it gives language to big feelings, and it can shift our entire nervous system in three minutes.
Some songs are like a hug, some are like a mirror and some are like a deep exhale. I write and perform with the intention that something in the music helps you move something inside.
What is your muse, and who are some of your favorite musicians?
Oooh, this is so hard to narrow down... I'd have to say that real life is my main muse — messy conversations, heartbreak, healing, nature, quiet mornings, loud epiphanies. I’m inspired by those moments when life cracks me open in a good way and offers overwhelming feelings.
I’m drawn to musicians who are honest and emotionally present — artists who tell the truth and don’t polish the humanity out of it. Voices with soul, songs with storytelling, people who let vulnerability be a strength. My tastes range widely, from Alison Krauss and Jewel in my earlier days to Taylor Swift, Rising Appalachia, Amistat, Ian Munsik and Kacey Musgraves in the present.
Where do you perform, and where can readers find you?
Community gatherings and concerts where people come to actually listen. I’ll be performing around Colorado and beyond over the next few months, and I'm looking for more folks interested in hosting house-concert listening experiences for their community. I bring the music and vibes, they provide the space and people to have a shared experience.
A few highlights coming up are a Friday residency series at The Study Wine Bar in downtown Denver, a special experience called "Love in the Attic" on Thursday, February 12th, in Downtown Denver and an intimate, catered house concert for women in Parker on March 26th.
Limited tickets will be released for the February show any day now on my website. darcynelson.com/shows.
The easiest way to keep up is through my website and social media. I keep my show calendar updated and post upcoming events as they’re announced. There are always a few surprise shows that pop up along the way.
What is next for you and your craft?
I love this question and aim to keep growing and evolving each year. In this next chapter, I'm leaning into creating more music, more shows, more collaboration and deeper trust in my voice as it keeps evolving. I’m writing new songs, exploring recording projects and creating more experiences where music and healing meet: workshops, retreats and immersive concerts.
The theme right now is expansion, and I'm excited to lock in the sounds of an electric guitar custom-made for me by Burnt Strings (my brother's project), and mastering my looping pedal to expand my sounds in real-time solo sets.
Final Thoughts?
I've really enjoyed this conversation, and if I had final words to share, it would be an encouragement for each of us to dream and live audaciously, offering our best to the world and making the most of each moment. Sending love to all reading this!