Emery Kelley

Emery Kelly Emery Kelly

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Emery Kelly

By: Olivia Vitarelli

As a fifteen-year-old auditioning for The X Factor, Emery Kelly never suspected that an omniscient Simon Cowell would place him in a boy band, saving him from elimination and ultimately landing him on sold-out stages and red carpets. Now, approximately eight years later, the actor and singer-songwriter plays a recurring role on a new Disney+ series, performed and co-wrote a critically acclaimed ballad for an original motion picture, and will soon release a dynamic debut solo album.

Kelly, born and raised in New York, has always been deeply drawn to the entertainment scene. “I’m very passionate about it,” he says. “I was always into entertaining, since I was five years old.” In 2013, that passion, nurtured through Emery’s involvement with musical theater, took on a new life. Kelly auditioned for The X Factor, and, at just the age of fifteen, became a founding member of the pop boy band Forever In Your Mind. “My sister auditioned for American Idol in 2011, so that’s what inspired me,” he says of the decision to try his luck on the singing television series. While Emery was cut from the competition as a solo act during boot camp (the first phase of the competition following initial auditions), Simon Cowell saw promise in the young performer, and chose to save him from elimination, thereby placing Emery and two fellow contestants in Forever In Your Mind.

The band would go on to release a multitude of singles and EPs, as well as tour with iconic artists such as Demi Lovato, Fifth Harmony, and Jesse McCartney. “I learned how to be more creative with my music, how to write songs, and built a lot of performing experience,” Emery says of his journey with the band. While Forever In Your Mind has been inactive for the past few years, Kelly holds the possibility of a reunion close to his heart. “I’m totally down one day in the long future,” he says. “But right now I’m focused on my debut solo album Some Of My Emotions (or S.O.M.E).”

The upcoming album, which marks the singer-songwriter’s exuberant launch into his solo music career, teems with promise of lyrical sincerity and rejuvenating vibrations. “I believe it’s gonna change the game,” Emery reveals with enthusiastic anticipation. “I’m excited for everyone to experience S.O.M.E for what it is, what it stands for, and what it can do for people after they hear it.” Kelly’s eagerness to share this body of work undoubtedly correlates with the countless hours he spent building, tearing down, and

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reconstructing the project. “The process has been amazing, many ups and downs,” he says. “I created two different albums that were gonna be the S.O.M.E album. But they just didn’t fit with me.” Ultimately, Kelly concludes lightheartedly, “...[the] third time’s the charm!”

Sonically, listeners can expect a subtle nod to Emery’s previous pop roots, fortified by an altogether departure to a cutting-edge contemporary sound, one that Kelly believes cannot be tethered to a single genre. “I think there may be one or two songs that are influenced from my experiences [in Forever In Your Mind], but for the most part it’s a completely new sound,” he notes. “It sounds sonically different from anything I’ve heard before.”

While, according to technicalities, S.O.M.E will be the musician’s debut solo project, Kelly’s soaring vocals can be heard in their solitary glory on his track The Answers. The Answers, a stunning ballad championing self-acceptance, was written for the original motion picture Max Winslow and the House of Secrets, and was even considered for an Oscar nomination at this year’s 93rd Academy Awards ceremony. Emery, who also stars in Max Winslow and the House of Secrets, co-wrote and performed its moving ballad. “It’s surreal,” he says of the stream of accolades and consideration for a Best Original Song nomination. “And it was for the first song I put out as a solo artist, so it’s very special to me that it got that much love.” Kelly’s songwriting process, which typically varies from session to session, was unprecedentedly simple for the creation of The Answers. “The crazy thing is, I went to the studio when [co-writers] Jeremy Ryan and Cooper Anderson had already made the beat,” he says. “We were writing a bunch of poetic stanzas, and put it all together into one. Then I sang the whole thing and it kinda just worked.” To Emery, the song tells us to be ourselves. “It’s okay to be who you want to be,” he remarks. “[It’s about] spreading love and positivity!”

In Max Winslow and the House of Secrets, Emery portrays Aiden, a darker character jaded by his previous experiences and surroundings. The role, a stark departure from Kelly’s comedic roots, posed a new challenge to the actor. “I wasn’t nervous at all to play the role of Aiden,” Emery reveals. “I was actually really excited, because it was the first time people got to see me act more dramatic and more real than doing kids and family acting.”

The comedic ground from which he hails is the set of Netflix’s Alexa and Katie, a sitcom following two best friends as they take on both high school and Alexa’s cancer treatment. “It taught me a lot,” Kelly says of his role as Alexa’s brother, Lucas Mendoza, on the beloved series. “I got to learn so many things on set and so many things about the TV/film industry. One thing I can say is it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get where you wanna get to in this industry!”

Alexa and Katie’s final episode aired in 2020, but fans can now catch Emery on-screen again in Disney+’s new dramedy, Big Shot. The show follows Marvyn Korn (John Stamos), a college basketball coach who is fired and subsequently assumes a coaching position at an all-girls high school. “My role is Dylan,” Emery explains. “He’s a basketball player who is a good friend of Louise [a player on Korn’s team]. Watch the show to find out more!”

Whether acting, singing, or writing music, one truth connects all of Emery’s multi-faceted pursuits: he is always entertaining. “I find purpose in connecting with and entertaining others,” he comments. “I wanna change the world with the power of positivity and love.” Kelly maintains this deep-rooted passion for driving positive change throughout every medium he explores. “Don’t give up on what you’re pursuing. Keep going and stay strong,” he says. “Be yourself and surround yourself with the right people that help you create your vision.” Emery then concludes, “Get ready for S.O.M.E!!!”

Photographer: Heather Koepp Stylist: Sky JT Naval Grooming: Ashley Francisco

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