Taylor Kelly

Born and raised in Rochester, NY, vocalist/trumpter Taylor Kelly continues to be leading light in the vibrant Philadelphia music scene with her deeply personal transfusion of jazz, soul, and funk. Combining her smooth, powerful, technically-informed voice with rich hip hop, electronic textures and complex arrangements, Kelly’s palette is a dynamic blend of moods saturated with melodic contour, intricate harmonies, and authentic, articulate lyricism, her essence establishing a niche strikingly all its own.

Since 2015, the Berklee College of Music graduate has released six projects with her song, “California” nearing a million streams while audience favorites “Maybe” (2021) and “Let You Go” (2023) have been heard on radio stations around the country, including the highly-regarded NPR-affiliate, WXPN 88.5FM in Philadelphia.

Of the new collection, The Spins, it’s her most fully-realized work to date. “The Spins is really me being present with myself. It's me processing the ways OCD had taken over my life with some songs written even before knowing I had the condition. It's a lyrical mouthful alongside very careful attention to detail, with textured sounds like trumpets, strings, a myriad of synths and even sound bites from exposure therapy sessions weaving in and out of the melody. It was important to me to capture all of me and all of my voices. It's truly me bearing all,” said Kelly.

At her core, Kelly has an unyielding, marrow-deep commitment to self-expression through music, truly enjoying every opportunity to transfer this passion to her listeners, whether virtually or in person. Immersive transcendent affairs, Kelly has uplifted, inspired and energized thousands of ardent concertgoers with her spiritually freeing performances. She’s proudly shared stages with St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Dirty Loops, Moonchild, Becca Stevens, Monophonics, Neal Francis, Stolen Gin, Giacomo Turra, Lavalove, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.

In addition to her own gigs, Kelly also curates/hosts IRIS, a new monthly showcase/jam session that highlights femme voices of the past, present and future. Happening every third Wednesday at Silk City Diner in downtown Philly, some of the best and brightest local artists have already taken part, including Zayna Youssef (of Sweet Pill), Suzanne Sheer, Noél Scales, and Karlia with the May edition shining a light on Rieko Safiyya, mitamu, and Shan Dae.

It’s been a glowing first decade.

Gear

In my live performance, I always use a TC Helicon Voicelive Touch. For me, it's about arrangement and adding and taking away layers depending on what the song needs at different points. It allows me to really deliver the songs the way I want them to be heard - whether that's taking you to a trippier place with massive delay or beefing up a chorus by adding in an octave below the melody. It makes everything sound bigger and more interesting and I love how cinematic it can feel.

Tags