Tori Kelly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tori Kelly
Kelly in 2023
Born	Victoria Loren Kelly (1992-12-14) December 14, 1992 (age 32) Wildomar, California, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	2003–present
Works	Discography songs recorded
Spouse(s)	André Murillo ​ (m. 2018)​
Musical career
Origin	Canyon Lake, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop hip hop soul gospel
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Epic Beautiful Mind Capitol Schoolboy Geffen
Signature

Victoria Loren Kelly (born December 14, 1992), known as Tori Kelly, is an American singer and songwriter. She first became known through her videos on YouTube. Later, she made it to Hollywood week on American Idol in 2010. After that, she released her first short music collection, called an EP, titled Handmade Songs in 2012.

In 2013, Tori Kelly signed with Capitol Records. She then released her first EP with a major record label, Foreword (2013). This EP reached the top 20 on the US Billboard 200 music chart. Her first full album, Unbreakable Smile (2015), reached number two on the charts. It included popular songs like "Nobody Love" and "Should've Been Us". These songs were her first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Tori Kelly's second album, Hiding Place (2018), was highly praised. It won two Grammy Awards for Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song. She then released Inspired by True Events (2019) and A Tori Kelly Christmas (2020). In 2023, she signed with Epic Records and released her album Tori in 2024. Besides music, Tori Kelly has voiced the character Meena in the Sing movies. She also competed on the TV show The Masked Singer. She has won many awards, including a BET Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and three Grammy Awards in total.

Early Life and Music Journey

Victoria Loren Kelly was born in Wildomar, California. Her mom, Laura, has Irish and German roots. Her dad, Allwyn, has Jamaican and Puerto Rican family. Tori also has a younger brother named Noah. Her parents played all kinds of music for her when she was growing up. She said they deserve a lot of credit for letting her explore different music styles. Tori is a Christian, and her faith influences her songwriting. However, she doesn't see herself as only a Christian music artist.

When she was young, Tori appeared on a show called Star Search. She lost to another singer named Tiffany Evans. In 2004, she was on America's Most Talented Kid. She sang "Keep on Singin' My Song" by Christina Aguilera and won! She beat musician Hunter Hayes. She came back for the Tournament of Champions but lost to a rock musician. At age twelve, Tori got a record deal with Geffen Records. But they decided to end the contract because they had different ideas for her music.

In 2007, when she was 14, Tori Kelly started posting videos on YouTube. Her first video was a cover of "Go Tell It on the Mountain". She became well-known for her acoustic cover of Frank Ocean's "Thinkin Bout You" with another YouTuber. Even though she didn't make it to the top 24 on American Idol, she learned to play guitar. She started writing her own songs and recording them at home. Tori kept posting her performances on YouTube and quickly gained over a million followers.

Music Career Highlights

Early Success and First Albums

Kelly performing in 2014

In 2010, Tori tried out for American Idol in Denver, Colorado. She made it to Hollywood Week but didn't reach the final "Top 24" singers. She said she was very sad, but she had given it her best. After American Idol, she was asked to be part of a youth version of the charity song "We Are the World".

On May 1, 2012, Tori released her first EP, Handmade Songs by Tori Kelly. She released it on her own music label, Toraay Records. Tori wrote, produced, and recorded the EP herself in her bedroom. Soon after it came out, the EP was in the Top 10 Pop Albums on iTunes. She called it a "warm up" for a full album. By 2013, it had sold over 14,000 copies.

In February 2013, Tori released a song called "Fill a Heart". She wrote it for a campaign to end child hunger. The British boy band The Wanted later performed this song on Dancing with the Stars. In April 2013, Tori went on a "Fill a Heart" tour across the U.S. She also helped at food banks in the cities she visited. She performed in famous places like the Troubador in Los Angeles and the Gramercy Theater in New York. She was also featured in magazines like Teen Vogue and Elle.

In mid-2013, Tori's manager, Scooter Braun, introduced her to the people at Capitol Records. She was unsure about signing with a big record label because she had been disappointed before. But she felt good about Capitol Records because they truly understood her music. On September 6, 2013, she officially signed with them.

In September 2013, she was chosen as Elvis Duran's "Artist of the Month". She was featured on NBC's Today show, where she sang her song "Dear No One". Tori announced on The Today Show that her second EP, Foreword, would be released on October 22, 2013. By the end of November, the EP had sold over 16,000 copies. It debuted at number 16 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Tori was the opening act for Ed Sheeran at Madison Square Garden in November 2013. She also supported Sam Smith on their UK tour in October 2014. Tori wrote a song called "Silent" for The Giver: Music Collection, which supported the movie The Giver.

Tori Kelly was featured on the song "Lullaby" by British rapper Professor Green. It was released in the United Kingdom in September 2014. The song reached number four on the UK Singles Chart. This was Tori's first top ten song in the United Kingdom. She also sang on a medley called "Winter Wonderland"/"Don't Worry Be Happy" for Pentatonix's album That's Christmas to Me in October 2014. In December 2014, MTV announced Tori Kelly as one of their "Artists To Watch".

Unbreakable Smile and Hiding Place

Throughout 2014, Tori worked on her first full album with Scooter Braun. Other artists like Toby Gad, Max Martin, and Ed Sheeran also helped. The first song from the album, "Nobody Love", came out on February 8, 2015. Tori performed "Nobody Love" at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. Her album, Unbreakable Smile, was released on June 23, 2015. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Tori performed "Should've Been Us" at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. In October 2015, Tori sang "Colors of the Wind" from the movie Pocahontas for the We Love Disney album. "Hollow" was released in October 2015 as a new song for a special edition of Unbreakable Smile. Tori also became a brand ambassador for William Rast, a clothing line co-founded by Justin Timberlake. In late 2015, Tori was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Grammy Awards. She performed at the ceremony with English singer James Bay.

Kelly at the Toronto Film Festival in 2016

Tori recorded an updated version of Amy Grant's 1991 song "Baby Baby" with Amy Grant herself. This was to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The song was released on April 29, 2016. Tori made her movie debut in the animated film Sing (2016), where she voiced Meena the elephant. On July 10, 2016, Tori released a song called "Blink of an Eye". She wrote it to honor her friend Christina Grimmie, who had passed away a month earlier.

On May 7, 2017, Tori performed at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. She opened for the band Soundgarden. On June 9, Tori and rapper Lecrae released the song "I'll Find You". The music video for the song came out on July 28, 2017. It showed patients from St. Jude Hospital. The song reached number 11 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart. It also hit number 1 on the Hot Christian Songs chart. She also worked with country singer Chris Lane on his song "Take Back Home Girl". In September 2017, Tori announced she was engaged to basketball player André Murillo. In December 2017, she sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with Jacob Collier on YouTube.

On March 30, 2018, Tori released "Help Us to Love" featuring the HamilTones. This was the first song from her second album. On May 20, 2018, she announced on Instagram that she and André Murillo were married. On August 23, Tori shared that her album, Hiding Place, would be released on September 14. The second song from the album, "Never Alone", came out on August 24. On September 7, Tori announced a tour to support the album. Tori later won her first Grammy Awards for Hiding Place. It won Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song for "Never Alone" at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

Recent Projects and New Music

On January 18, 2019, Tori announced her Acoustic Sessions tour, which started in February. Tickets went on sale with her new song "Change Your Mind" for her third album. On June 26, 2019, Tori announced her third album, Inspired by True Events, which was released on August 9, 2019.

Tori announced the "Inspired by True Events Tour" in October 2019. It was planned for American and European cities. However, on December 18, 2019, Tori said the tour would only be in Europe, Australia, and Asia. The American part of the tour was quietly canceled. On March 18, 2020, Tori canceled her remaining tour stops due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 21, 2020, Tori started a daily live stream on Instagram called "QuaranTEA with Tori." She sang songs requested by fans, answered questions, and had celebrity guests join her remotely. Guests included Alessia Cara, Demi Lovato, and Jessie J. After seven weeks, Tori ended the show to work on new music.

On July 22, 2020, Tori released a cover of Drake's "Time Flies". This was the first song from her EP Solitude. On August 11, she released "Unbothered" as the second song. Tori released Solitude on August 14. It included four original songs she wrote while staying home during the coronavirus pandemic. On July 30, 2020, Tori was featured on Jacob Collier's "Running Outta Love" from his album Djesse Vol. 3.

On October 7, Tori announced a Christmas album, A Tori Kelly Christmas, released on October 30. The album was produced by Babyface. Two extra songs, including an original and a cover of "All I Want for Christmas Is You", were released as bonus tracks. In late 2020, Tori also competed on season 4 of The Masked Singer as "Seahorse". She made it to the semi-finals before being unmasked.

In 2021, Tori recorded a cover of "Waving Through a Window" for the movie soundtrack of Dear Evan Hansen. On November 2, 2021, she published her first book, The Curly Girl Blues. That same year, she returned as the voice of Meena in Sing 2.

Tori Album and Recent News

In February 2023, Tori Kelly sang "Hallelujah" with Andrea Bocelli for his music special The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli. In March, it was announced that Tori had signed with Epic Records. She released her first song with them, "Missin U". This song used a sample from Craig David's 2000s song "Fill Me In". Tori said she wanted to go back to the R&B and hip-hop sounds of the 90s and early 2000s. She mentioned artists like Destiny's Child, Aaliyah, Missy Elliot, and TLC as inspirations. On July 28, 2023, Tori released her fourth EP, Tori. A special deluxe version of the EP was also released with three live recordings.

In February 2024, Tori Kelly released the song "High Water". She also announced her fifth studio album, Tori. The album was released on April 5, 2024. A deluxe edition came out on October 11, 2024.

Personal Life

Tori Kelly married André Murillo, a professional basketball player, in 2018. In July 2025, she shared that they are expecting their first child.

On July 23, 2023, Tori Kelly was taken to the hospital after collapsing at a restaurant in Los Angeles. Doctors found blood clots in her legs and around her lungs. On July 27, Tori shared a message saying she felt better and was getting treatment. On July 31, she was discharged from the hospital.

Musical Style and Influences

Tori Kelly has said that gospel music influenced her greatly when she was a child. She admired artists like Kirk Franklin. Tori often mentions R&B and soul artists as her musical inspirations. These include groups like Destiny's Child and Mary Mary. She also looks up to "power vocalists" such as Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy, Kelly Clarkson, and Christina Aguilera. She also finds inspiration in music produced by Timbaland and Darkchild. Other artists who have influenced her include Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah, India Arie, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, and Stevie Wonder.

Discography

• Unbreakable Smile (2015)
• Hiding Place (2018)
• Inspired by True Events (2019)
• A Tori Kelly Christmas (2020)
• Tori (2024)

Tours

Headlining Tours

• Where I Belong Tour (2015)
• Unbreakable Tour (2016)
• Hiding Place Tour (2018)
• The Acoustic Sessions Tour (2019)
• Take Control Tour (2023)
• Purple Skies Tour (2024)

Supporting Tours

• Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour Tour (2015)
• Ed Sheeran – +–=÷× Tour (all European dates) (2025)

Film and Television Appearances

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Here is a list of awards and nominations Tori Kelly has received:

See also

In Spanish: Tori Kelly para niños