Ruston Kelly Pickleball Love Story: Pop punk singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly revealed that a first date on a pickleball court not only sparked a lasting relationship but also inspired his fourth studio album Pale, Through the Window. Kelly shared the story in an interview with Pickleball.com, calling the sport a turning point in his life.
The First Pickleball Date
Ruston Kelly explained that his first date with Tia Cubelic happened on the court during a hot summer day in Nashville.
“The person that this record is about, our first date was on the pickleball court. She says ‘Why don’t you meet me on the pickleball court?’ I showed up and I’ve never played before, and she completely obliterated me. It was in the heat of Nashville summer and it was a first date, so I was just sweating bullets in more ways than one,” said Kelly.
He admitted his lack of skill may have worked in his favor. “It might have played in my favor that I was really bad at it. I was overcompensating trying to be good at pickleball and it made it even worse, so hopefully it was a little endearing.”
From Courtship to Music
The date led to a relationship, and pickleball soon became a regular date night activity for Ruston Kelly and Tia Cubelic. Their connection also inspired his new song “Pickleball,” which reflects the excitement of that first meeting.
“I met up with my producer who was playing this guitar riff, and while he was playing, I went to the piano and just started singing how I felt in the moment. You know, ‘You fill my soul with solid gold, I’m complete and I’m whole, where you go, I’ll go,’” Kelly explained. “They don’t all happen like that. Most of the time there’s quite a bit more elbow grease involved with meeting the muse. But with ‘Pickleball,’ there was a substantial and spiritual meaning to it… That was an enjoyable experience to create a song that meant a lot, but also is fun to listen to.”
Music Video with a Twist
The music video for “Pickleball” was filmed on a court in Nashville. Ruston Kelly wanted it to capture the fun side of the sport while keeping a playful tone.
“I wanted it to be like Blink-182 where there’s a slight undertone of humor to it because you’re literally on a pickleball court and there’s people hitting back and forth,” said Kelly. “I thought it’d be fun.”
Lasting Impact of the Sport
Ruston Kelly believes that playing pickleball that day changed his life for the better.
“That day, playing pickleball changed everything in my life going forward. Meeting her, I was also experiencing a creative dearth. I didn’t have any songs written for this album. And then I show up to play pickleball on a whim and meeting her, and playing that changed everything,” Kelly said. “I wanted to call the song ‘Pickleball’ because the sport has such a special place in my heart because my life after that day drastically changed for the better.”
News in Brief: Ruston Kelly Pickleball Love Story
Ruston Kelly says a first pickleball date with Tia Cubelic inspired his new album Pale, Through the Window and his song “Pickleball.” The Nashville match sparked their relationship and reignited his songwriting. The track’s music video was filmed on a court, highlighting how the sport reshaped his life and creativity.
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