We are Black. We are Queer. We are Musicians.
Founded by Cel Wilson, Keys For Life LLC centers black and queer artistry as the foundation of music literacy and performance, fostering a community where all musicians can express themselves authentically. Through virtual and in-person voice, songwriting, and piano lessons, students from all backgrounds are welcomed into an educational environment that celebrates black identity, affirms queerness, and embraces diversity to build a network of lifetime learners and skilled instrumentalists.
No one should be subjected to spaces that stifle creative ingenuity; every path at Keys For Life leads you on a journey toward proficiency, the confidence to perform publicly, and creative wellness, allowing each individual to share their perspective with the world. Join our community of excellent musicians dedicated to leading audiences into deeper levels of healing, forgiveness, and love both for themselves and for others!
Keys For Life LLC is the only black and queer owned music education business in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Unlike any other vocal studio or songwriting program in the area, Keys For Life intentionally places R&B, Soul, and other afrocentric genres at the center of its curriculum. These genres, rich in technical skill and deeply connected to local and global cultural movements, are used to craft a student experience that is both educationally intensive and culturally relevant, celebrating the significant contributions of black musicians throughout history.
In region where many 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals struggle to find supportive community, Keys For Life LLC is committed to creating an affirming space for a diverse student population. By connecting students to one another and encouraging them to share their artistry through public performances, Keys For Life fosters a community where individuals can build meaningful relationships and support each other’s creative growth, individual healing, and self acceptance.
Heal. Forgive. Love.
Cel Wilson is a music educator with the goal of creating a more socially, creatively, and spiritually well society. He launched Keys For Life LLC in the summer of 2022 with a collective decade of teaching experience under his belt and the vision of building community at the intersections of BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ identity.
Cel received his Bachelor’s degree of Music Composition with an emphasis in Technology in the winter of 2020, studying vocal music, production, composition, and performance in the process. Having walked the stage two years prior anticipating confirmation of his degree in the spring of 2018, his original path of graduation, marriage, and a career as a recording artist began to fall apart at an accelerated rate as he recognized his own queerness and a need to deconstruct and reconstruct his worldview.
It was through this season of self-discovery and acceptance that he learned the process of healing, forgiving, and loving first hand. Cel continued exploring his desire to enrich the lives of others while putting his life back together during the global shutdown in 2020. This journey sparked the conception of The Piece’s Thesis, a podcast of music analysis that celebrates the ingenuity of contemporary black and queer music.
Currently, Cel lives in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma collaborating with local organizations in hopes of seeing the world around him become more socially, creatively, and spiritually well. If you would like to follow along with this journey, join Keys For Life LLC’s monthly newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming events, workshops, and virtual meets. You can also join the community of excellent musicians on Facebook and Instagram, or take the first step to launch your own Journey!