KELLY LYNCH: BIOGRAPHY
Most artists can speak of their early affiliation with music. But for Kelly Lynch, growing up to the sound of soul and R&B was literally unavoidable. The US singer was born into a musical family, as her dad, himself a musician, was in a band with his brothers.
"Some of the earliest music I heard was my dad's music," laughs 18-year-old Kelly, who's the youngest of four children. "Music was such a prominent thing in my family, and I always knew that it was what I wanted to do. There was never any bigger passion for me."
Her passion is about to be fulfilled with the release of her debut single,
True Love. The piano driven ballad is laced with Kelly's strong yet sultry vocals, as she passionately croons about the joys and sorrows of loving someone and knowing that
'they love you too/ coz you matter to them/ the way they matter to you.'
"I think my music is uplifting and offers something that people can relate to," explains the singer who hails from Illinois. "I sing about love and other situations that I've been through, and just offer my perspective on different things. I think a lot of the messages in my music are universal that most people can identify with."
Currently putting the finishing touches on her debut album, Kelly promises that the offering will feature a variety of musical styles. Citing artists like India.Arie, Norah Jones and Alicia Keys
as her inspirations - and having also discovered country music while flicking through radio stations in her teens - it's no wonder Kelly's musical output is eclectic.
In keeping with her family's history of working together, Kelly's album will be co-produced by her father and her eldest brother, who, together run the family's label and production company, Prominent 1. Seeing the constant development and success of her family's company has enabled Kelly to develop a good grasp of business and technology - an essential trait for any artist coming through in today's digital era.
"Growing up in a musical and technological household, I've been able to connect with my favourite artists via MySpace, iTunes and other platforms," she says. "I'm always downloading music for my computer, iPod and phone and I want my fans to be able to connect with me in the same way. I would love to hear one of my songs set as somebody's ringtone, or know that people were able to receive a clip of one my shows on their phone. I'm always shopping online as well. I'm quite fashion conscious and always try to keep up to date with the latest fashion shows via YouTube."
Not content with singing and songwriting, Kelly is also learning to play the guitar. But in addition to her musical pursuits, the talented songstress is equally focused on her education. Preparing to graduate from high school in May, Kelly is determined to succeed academically before giving music her full attention.
"I'm still in school so there's always homework," she says. "I'm taking pre-calculus and literature, which both require a lot of work. I also do track and I play on the tennis team, and I do a strength and conditioning class, which involves lifting weights and stuff. I'm probably one of the strongest girls in my school!"
Equally strong in mind, Kelly is set to make waves in the music industry. Fiercely determined and yet down-to-earth, Kelly Lynch is definitely a talent to pay close attention to. Ask her how she wants to be viewed as an artist and the answer is simple:
"I want to be defined as a fun-loving girl and as a trend-setter who brings change to the industry."