Amazing singing voice

by Mahes Perera

It is not often that Sri Lankan music lovers are given the opportunity to enjoy the vocal singing talents of someone impaired at birth. Emmanuel Kelly from Australian is one in this category and his concert last week at the Mount Lavinia Hotel was by courtesy of Sri Lankan Cares, the Charity Arm of Sri Lankan Airlines, in association with the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

Emmanuel Kelly

Back in 2011 Emmanuel Kelly's X-Factor performance moved the 6,000 audience to tears and rightly the standing ovation that Emmanuel received may well have found a place in the book of records. Emmanuel has used his popularity to support worthy causes to help Australian children and adolescents live a fulfilling life free from bullying.

Today Emmanuel Kelly has an amazing 50 million hits and more than 100 to 150 million views over YouTube...

Meeting him for a conversation endorsed the fact that his passion to sing for the world was like a dream come true.

Question: This was your first visit to Sri Lanka and a significant one to you. How did you feel performing to Sri Lankan audiences.

Answer: I got an absolutely incredible response. I think about 400 people turned up last evening and I think the audience enjoyed it. We had the major Sri Lankan Bands performing and also the beautiful young children performing. The different themes and a good night of variety and I think people were inspired and aware of what is happening in Sri Lanka. It was really a good evening of music.

Q: John Lennon's Imagine which brought you success at the X Factor Australia Contest is now associated with you. Has the song become your signature tune?

A: Funnily I wasn't going to sing Imagine at the X-Factor Contest. I was going to sing a song by Michael Buble. Essentially what happened to me was when I went for the audition the guy told me "Emmanuel are you ready?" I said 'Yeah Yeah I'm ready. And they said "You are singing Imagine?" I said hang on a minute, no, no I'm not singing Imagine.

Because I haven't been practising Imagine. They said "Well that's one of the choices you gave. In return I told them 'I haven't practised Imagine since I was 11 years old." I had no idea of what the words were, and thought to myself 'how am I going to do this." So 10 minutes before I went on stage I got on to the computer searched the backing track, listened to the music, got the lyrics and practised the song. When I got to the stage I told myself "don't fuss about it just enjoy yourself", which I did. The result was the success I received. However, it is not my signature tune.

Q: Take us back in time and let us know how you became the singer you are?

A: When I was in Iraq there were moments when I was scared, I would sing and singing was my refuge. It brought me back to a place where I felt comfortable where I found peace in a paradox. That's how singing started for me. I was then 4 or 5 years old. As I got older and when I came to Australia I used to perform at conferences from the age of 8-11, with my mother when she attends occasions or functions.

When I was 11 years old and as all 11 years olds do when they receive attention they get a little bit cocky. So I got a little bit cocky and started smoking cigarettes and Mum stopped me singing for three years. She said 'no more singing for you buddy'. Then when I was 16 I took up to singing again and when I turned 17, I took part in X-Factor Australia 2011. I did pretty well and I thought its incredible that I am able to do this. It was a humbling experience for me.

Emmanuel Kelly in Concert

Q: At the concert you sang about 11 songs including two of your originals 'Let Love Find You' and 'Dream Big' who were your influences where global singers are concerned?"

A: I have different influences. I like Maroon 5, Adele, One Direction. I'm influenced by modern and older music, the likes of the Eagles, John Denver, the Beatles, Temptations and singers of that category. Come to think of it I don't have a really specific influence. I listen to all genres of music. Most of all I think that a good song to me is a good song whatever genre it is. My genre of music is really pop, the acoustic pop as well, it is very modern.

Q: After having won the X Factor Australia Contest did you as the saying goes, have producers and agents contacting you to promote you in the industry?

A: It wasn't that easy. We had to work for it. We got a manager and we were in action for three or four months. But things cooled down. It seemed that Emmanuel Kelly had been signed on. People wanted to approach me but a lot of people were scared to take a risk as well of me, that I would take advantage of them, and the media would make this out to say that Emmanuel Kelly is being taken of by managers, agencies and record labels.

As a result it was difficult one especially for someone who hasn't that commercial look and for me to have gone on one of the biggest shows in the world. I've already broken the barrier. To me that was not enough. I had reached the sky, I wanted to go the stars. I really wanted to go to the top of the commercial industry.

Q: How would you describe your voice and do you still follow vocal classes?

A: A high baritone, a low tenor but if I'm really warm a high tenor. Probably a mid tenor to a low tenor. I'm a mid tenor with a range of a high tenor. I follow four lessons a week - 6 hours of actual training with a teacher and then another six hours with me training.

Q: What would be some of the highlights in your career apart from the X-Factor Contest success?

A: I had the opportunity to write and record a song that is featured as a title track in the movie Crooked Arrows. Also performing in different countries which was quite extraordinary. I used to pinch myself everyday to believe that it is true. As for performances all of them were special to me.

I can't say this performance was better than that, or that performance was better than this. All of them have different specialities and a sentimental meaning about them.

I'm just fortunate to be in Sri Lanka which is sentimental to me because I know Stefan the disabled son of Angie and Maliq Deanne.

Q: Soon you will be taking wing back to Australian any definite plans for the future?

A: An album will hopefully be released next year realistically we are looking at 2015. We are intending to have a show next year - a big one. We have to work hard for our plans to take shape. We faced a lot of setbacks and knockbacks.

A lot of dark, sad times for me as well. There was a lot of bullying for me because of someone who has gone from this to that but I've survived and I hope to appear in the hit program Glee in 2014.

With his passion to sing for the world, Emmanuel Kelly will continue to touch the hearts of millions and live his dream as a singer.