I just want to feel this moment

The rest can just go away

Get it all out in the open

So I can feel okay

OK, OK, OK…

“This song is me trying to relieve myself of the intrusive thoughts that were consuming my brain. The repetitive chords and lead keyboard line really represent me feeling trapped in this spiral – of these thoughts plaguing me and making it hard for me to just live. I wanted to create something that felt more like a stream of consciousness which is why the form kind of runs amok – the second chorus leading to a swirling outro that fades out into the abyss. I wrote this song before even being diagnosed with OCD and as we were working on it in the studio a year later, it was so glaringly obvious that this song stemmed from my suffering from OCD that I decided to include real sound bites of exposure therapy exercises from the therapy I was getting at the time.

The song ends with my therapist asking me how I’m doing (after I’d rattled off my greatest fears for 20 minutes). This song is me trying to escape myself and I wanted to create a bit of surrealism with that which Logan so beautifully brought to life with all of his ethereal synth sounds. The use of all of the percussive instruments (including mouth percussion) toward the end really lent to the chaos I was feeling,” says Taylor Kelly.

With influences such as Hiatus Kaiyote, Butcher Brown, Victoria Monét, Emily King, Lianne La Havas, and Erykah Badu, the musically rich exposition was written and co-produced by Kelly (vocals, percussion) features contributions from Logan Roth (keys, Rhodes, bus synths), Zach Guise (bass/key bass), and Eoin Murphy on synths, drum programming and co-production.

“Fit In” is the follow-up to her groundbreaking single “Take Me,” which LeFutureWave declared, “a musical spectacle, a highly textured landscape that exudes empowerment.” Both songs appear on ‘The Spins,’ a 6-song journey that’s a re-birth of sorts, intentionally arriving on Kelly’s date of birth, July 19.

Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Kelly continues to be leading light in the vibrant Philadelphia music scene with her deeply personal transfusion of jazz, soul, and funk. Combining her smooth, powerful, technically-informed voice with rich hip hop, electronic textures and complex arrangements, Kelly’s palette is a dynamic blend of moods saturated with melodic contour, intricate harmonies, and authentic, articulate lyricism, her essence establishing a niche strikingly all its own.

Since 2015, the Berklee College of Music graduate has released six projects with her song, “California” nearing a million streams while audience favorites “Maybe” (2021) and “Let You Go” (2023) have been heard on radio stations around the country, including the highly-regarded NPR-affiliate, WXPN 88.5FM in Philadelphia.

Of the new collection, The Spins, it’s her most fully-realized work to date. “The Spins is really me being present with myself. It’s me processing the ways OCD had taken over my life with some songs written even before knowing I had the condition. It’s a lyrical mouthful alongside very careful attention to detail, with textured sounds like trumpets, strings, a myriad of synths and even sound bites from exposure therapy sessions weaving in and out of the melody. It was important to me to capture all of me and all of my voices. It’s truly me bearing all,” said Kelly.

At her core, Kelly has an unyielding, marrow-deep commitment to self-expression through music, truly enjoying every opportunity to transfer this passion to her listeners, whether virtually or in person. Immersive transcendent affairs, Kelly has uplifted, inspired and energized thousands of ardent concertgoers with her spiritually freeing performances. She’s proudly shared stages with St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Dirty Loops, Moonchild, Becca Stevens, Monophonics, Neal Francis, Stolen Gin, Giacomo Turra, Lavalove, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Lydia Luce.

In addition to her own gigs, Kelly also curates/hosts IRIS, a new monthly showcase/jam session that highlights femme voices of the past, present and future. Happening every third Wednesday at Silk City Diner in downtown Philly, some of the best and brightest local artists have already taken part, including Zayna Youssef (of Sweet Pill), Suzanne Sheer, Noél Scales, Karlia, Rieko Safiyya, mitamu, and Shan Dae. The June edition is set for June 19th, recognized as Juneteenth National Independence Day, commemorating the ending of slavery.

In late July, she’ll embark on a month-long tour in support of The Spins. Hitting ten cities across seven states, Kelly will bring her unique take on jazz, soul, and funk to strongholds including Chicago, Columbus, Baltimore, Richmond, Bethlehem (PA), Geneseo, NY (near Rochester), Syracuse, and Pittsburgh.

Sunday, July 28, she’ll celebrate the release of the EP with a big hometown show at Johnny Brenda’s, an LGBTQ+ friendly venue in downtown Philly that’s a favorite of foodies and music lovers. Also on the lineup are Chicago-based collective Human Bloom and Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist Rachel Andie.

As a warm-up to the summer run, Kelly was hand-picked to play the Dollar Bank Main Stage at Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh on Thursday, June 6. Other main stage acts on the 10-day festival include Ben Folds, Ozomatli, Los Lonely Boys, Say She She, Martha Redbone, Pokey LaFarge, Nicole Zuraitis, Jon Muq, Lizzie No, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Sugarhill Gang & The Furious Five.

Tour Dates

7/25 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10 (w/ Grayson Moon + Ray Winder)

7/27 – Richmond, VA – Révéler

7/28 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s (w/ Human Bloom, Rachel Andie) EP Release

8/01 – Columbus, OH – Old Towne East Arts (w/ Mistar Anderson + Ebri Yahoe)

8/02 – Rensselaer, IN – eMbers Station

8/03 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean (w/ Human Bloom + Jennifer Hall)

8/04 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Cellar, PGH Winery (w/ INEZ & Back Alley Sound)

8/07 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest (Main Stage)

8/16 – Geneseo, NY – Drumroll

8/17 – Syracuse, NY – Funk N Waffles (w/ Sing Trece)

https://www.taylorkellymusic.com

https://www.instagram.com/taylorkellymusic3.0

Listen to “Fit In”: 

https://ffm.to/taylorkelly_fitin

“Fit In”

I’ve always felt like I don’t quite fit in

Always somewhat misunderstood

But when I look around it all seems pretty good

All seems pretty good

I wish I didn’t think I was dying

Every time I have an ache or pain

I guess I’m thirty now and I need to get used to it

Maybe take some medication

I just wanna get away

Just focus on my art

Write until I can’t anymore

Get a fresh new start

OK, OK, OK…

They say it gets easier but I think it gets harder

The older you get the more you know and it gets darker

When you are young you only see what you wanna see

I guess I no longer have that luxury

I just wanna get away

Just focus on my art

Write until I can’t anymore

Get a fresh new start

I just want to feel this moment

The rest can just go away

Get it all out in the open

So I can feel okay

OK, OK, OK…

_________

Recorded in Philadelphia PA

Written by Taylor Kelly

Produced by Eoin Murphy + Taylor Kelly

Mixed by Robby Webb

Mastered by Ryan Schwabe

Taylor Kelly – all vocals/percussion

Eoin Murphy – production/drum programming/synths

Logan Roth – keys/rhodes/aux synths

Zach Guise – bass/key bass

“FIT IN”

“This song is me trying to relieve myself of the intrusive thoughts that were consuming my brain. The repetitive chords and lead keyboard line really represent me feeling trapped in this spiral – of these thoughts plaguing me and making it hard for me to just live. I wanted to create something that felt more like a stream of consciousness which is why the form kind of runs amok – the second chorus leading to a swirling outro that fades out into the abyss. I wrote this song before even being diagnosed with OCD and as we were working on it in the studio a year later, it was so glaringly obvious that this song stemmed from my suffering from OCD that I decided to include real sound bites of exposure therapy exercises from the therapy I was getting at the time.

The song even ends with my therapist asking me how I’m doing (after I’d rattled off my greatest fears for 20 minutes straight in a session). This song is me trying to escape myself and I wanted to create a bit of surrealism with that which Logan so beautifully brought to life with all of his ethereal synth sounds. The use of all of the percussive instruments (including mouth percussion) toward the end really lent to the chaos I was feeling, too.” – Taylor Kelly

RIYL: Lianne La Havas, Emily King, Victoria Monét