Claude Kelly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Claude Kelly
Kelly in 2015
Background information
Born	(1980-12-27) December 27, 1980 (age 44) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Pop R&B soul dance country
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter music producer
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Weirdo Workshop RED Music

Claude Kelly (born December 27, 1980) is an American music producer, songwriter, and singer. He has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Claude Kelly has helped create many successful songs for famous artists. Some of these artists include Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, and Bruno Mars.

In 2015, he formed the music group Louis York with Chuck Harmony. Together, they also started their own record label called Weirdo Workshop.

Early Life and Music Education

Claude Kelly was born and grew up in New York City. His mother, who was from Jamaica, introduced him to many different kinds of music. These included jazz, reggae, blues, and R&B.

As a child, he learned to play the piano and flute. He studied at the Third Street Music School Settlement. He also sang with the New York Boys Choir. After high school, Kelly went to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated in 2002 with a degree in music business and management.

Career in Music

Becoming a Songwriter

After college, Claude Kelly worked as a singer for recording sessions. This means he sang on other people's songs. Soon, he started writing his own music. His first song was used in 2002 for a Japanese clothing brand.

In 2006, he wrote "Daddy's Little Girl" for the artist Frankie J. This song helped him get a contract to write music for Warner/Chappell Music. That same year, he met producer RedOne and started working with him. He also worked with Lady Gaga when she was making her first album.

Kelly later met Akon. They wrote a song called "Hold My Hand". They thought of Whitney Houston for the song. But Akon liked it so much that he recorded it as a duet with Michael Jackson. This was one of Michael Jackson's last recordings. It was released on his album Michael in 2010.

Writing Hit Songs

Claude Kelly is sometimes called the "Studio Beast" because he has written so many hit songs. He wrote "Circus" for Britney Spears. This song was very popular and reached high spots on music charts.

He also co-wrote "My Life Would Suck Without You" for Kelly Clarkson. This song became a number one hit. Another famous song he co-wrote is "Party in the U.S.A." for Miley Cyrus. This song stayed on the charts for many weeks.

Kelly also helped write "International Love" by Pitbull featuring Chris Brown. He even sang backing vocals on the track.

Claude Kelly has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. These nominations were for songs like "Bittersweet" by Fantasia, "Grenade" by Bruno Mars, "Pieces of Me" by Ledisi, and "Beautiful Surprise" by Tamia. In 2013, The Hollywood Reporter magazine named him one of Music's Top 35 Hitmakers.

He has written songs for many other artists. These include Whitney Houston, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, One Direction, and Christina Aguilera. He also helped produce albums for Karmin and Tamia.

Louis York Music Group

In 2014, Claude Kelly and his friend Chuck Harmony formed a music duo called Louis York. Their first collection of songs, called Masterpiece Theater – Act I, came out in 2015. The first song from it, "Clair Huxtable," was a tribute to a character from The Cosby Show.

This collection was the first release from their music company, Weirdo Workshop. Their music is distributed by Sony's RED Music.

Working in Television

Claude Kelly also worked in television. He was a vocal producer for the US version of The X Factor in 2011 and 2012. This means he helped singers sound their best on the show. In 2013, he announced plans to create a reality TV show. The show would look for new music talents.

Awards and Nominations

Music Releases

With Louis York

As a Songwriter

See also

In Spanish: Claude Kelly para niños