Life is all about experiences, lessons, and opportunities. It’s up to each of us to be able to recognize the differences and seize the moments when they arrive.
Atlanta-born, Urban pop singer and songwriter, Kelly Morgan realized her big break had come when she was blessed with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase her amazing vocals on the stage of Showtime at the Apollo with Steve Harvey, where 1.3 million people watched her breathtaking performance. It was then that life opened up possibilities for her. And because of her chance to sing on such a prominent show, she was bestowed with many lessons that helped to improve her future performances.
But that’s not where it all started, Morgan has been singing since she was 7-years-old with her grandmother being an inspiration, a guiding voice in her ear and a force in her life, and giving her just the right encouragement to pursue her dream of singing. Being the influence Morgan needed, her grandmother instilled the belief that helped to shape her talent.
Sadly, her younger years weren’t all happy though. Morgan had to sustain acts of bullying against her that led to the belief she wasn’t good enough. But her motto, “big dreams and a big heart to follow” kept her going along with her faith in God. She used music and singing as an escape coupled with the impact of her grandmother’s influence, which gave her the push past her fears that she needed allowing her to dive deep into her calling.
After building her confidence and her skills, Morgan went full speed ahead and leveraged social media, her passion, her talent, and her faith to catapult her to social media stardom. Then, it was all over―this self-taught singing and songwriting phenomenon became a fan favorite. She grew fast, and today she continues to ride the wave of her ongoing and growing success, and she’s just getting started.
Meet Kelly Morgan as she talks about her music journey, lessons she has learned, and her latest release.
1) Tell us a little about your beginnings growing up and when you knew you had what it took to be a singer?
I spent most of my childhood with my grandparents. My earliest memory is my grandmother singing the take me out to the ball game and the Crackerjack song to me as a little girl. My grandpa always had the temptations on and I just remember always being around music. I knew I had an element of what it took to be a singer when I was with my grandmother, she told me the fact I was able to sing back to her what she sang to me when I was a little girl that I had potential.
2) As a child, you were bullied. At what age did it happen and how did it impact your life?
I started getting bullied when I was 9 years old. I was always the new girl. We moved for a good portion of my childhood. Being bullied had a great deal of impact on my life, especially at that age. It made me feel like I wasn’t good enough or that I didn’t fit in with kids my age; I was always trying to straighten my hair. It got so bad at one point I would hide behind my books while walking to class, but it also made me turn to songwriting, and the rest is history on why I picked up a pen.
3) What words of advice can you give to help other children who might be experiencing bullied?
The advice I would give to kids who are being bullied is to please know you’re enough, don’t overdo anything to try to fit in, embrace your uniqueness, and go to your counselor because they are there to help you. And please know that someone cares for you. For me, I turned to music and Jesus during that time. Find an outlet, don’t let it make you turn into someone you’re not, and don’t let it turn you bitter.
4) You appeared on Showtime at the Apollo in 2018. What was that like and in what ways did that boost your music career?
I feel like it made me want to go to the drawing board as an artist, to improve. If anything, it was an eye-opener for me. It was a game-changing moment for me. It definitely helped me as a singer in that regard.
5) How would you describe your style of singing and what impact do you want your music to have on people?
My style of singing is a blend of R&B and Pop. I want my music to be relatable to anyone who listens to it. I want them to be like, “Hey, I can relate to that story.” I want it to touch people so that it holds significance to a moment in their life.
6) You’ve opened for Ashanti and Ja Rule on two different occasions. What were those moments like and did you learn any lessons from them?
I loved opening for Ashanti & Ja Rule. The first concert was my first mainstream concert with mainstream artists; it was so fun. The crowd received my music well, especially this one song I wrote called, “How Could You Be?” It taught me to be more open when it comes to my artistry and songwriting. The crowd received that song the best out of the two. The lesson I’ve learned is to be more open with the audience about my feelings through my music.
7) For anyone who wants to become a singer in the industry, what advice can you give them?
My biggest encouragement for singers who want to make it up on the stage like me is… I would tell them to go for it. Don’t be afraid to just step out and have faith that you can do it. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else’s process, and know what’s for you is for you. Remember why you started to be a singer, and remember the little moments when you first made a note and how it made you feel.
8) You’ve had some amazing things happen to you since coming on the music scene. You’ve been on a New York Times billboard, performed at New York Fashion Week, and appeared on Fox’s Emmy Award-winning TV show, Teen Kids News, in 2019 and 2021. At what point in your career, will you feel like you’ve made it?
OMG! This is a great question. Thank you so much, by the way.
I’ll feel like I’ve made it when I’m able to fully do what I love―being able to do shows every night on a consistent basis, and for my music to be able to touch all kinds of people despite their race, age, and career choice, etc. And being able to have a hit song where everyone knows it and it’s able to impact people who listen to it.
9) You have a new song out, tell us about it?
I Wanna Fall in Love (Remix) is my latest song. I wrote that song about falling in love with music. I just changed some words around like Ingrid Sinatra did for the song, Love Drought to make it more relationship-based. It’s about falling in love and wanting to relive that feeling all over and over again.
10) You’re a singer and songwriter. Have you done any collaborations? Who would you love to collaborate with?
Yes, I am; Woot Woot! I have done 2 collaborations so far, one with a rapper and one with another female singer.
I hope to be able to collaborate with Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift on songwriting. They can really write a song and tell a story with the writing.
As far as singing… Beyonce. The other ladies, Whitney Houston and Selena have passed away, but if they were still alive, I would definitely have loved to do a song with them.
11) You’re an actress too, where can we find you acting?
Yes, you can see more of that side of me soon when the time is right.
12) Since being in the music industry, what lessons have you learned about the music business to protect yourself as an artist?
I would say, the lessons I’ve learned are don’t trust everyone and keep your circle small. I’ve also learned that you have to work ten times harder to achieve goals successfully and to always do your part no matter what.
13) What’s next for you?
What’s next for me is… YOU will have to stay tuned. I’m very excited about where God is taking me in this season.
14) Where can people follow you?
Instagram │Google │Facebook │YouTube
For information, contact her publicist: Desirae L. Benson – DesiraeBBB@gmail.com
Writer, Debbie Stokes is a contributing writer. Follow her on Instagram @iamdebbiestokes
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