Tori Kelly: From YouTube Prodigy to Award-Winning Vocal Powerhouse

American singer-songwriter Tori Kelly has spent more than a decade carving out a place for herself as one of contemporary music’s most versatile voices. Born Victoria Loren Kelly on December 14, 1992, in Wildomar, California, she grew up in a musically blended household that exposed her to gospel, R&B, pop and soul long before those influences shaped her own sound. Her parents, Laura and Allwyn, encouraged curiosity across genres, something Kelly often credits as the foundation of her artistic identity.

Kelly’s first experience in the spotlight came early. She appeared on Star Search as a child and later won America’s Most Talented Kid in 2004 with a standout performance of Christina Aguilera’s “Keep on Singin’ My Song.” A brief recording deal with Geffen Records followed when she was only twelve, but creative differences brought the partnership to an end. Instead of stepping back, she redirected her energy online. At 14, she began uploading acoustic covers to YouTube and steadily built an audience that would eventually grow into the millions.

Her national television breakthrough came with American Idol in 2010. Although she reached Hollywood Week but not the Top 24, the setback pushed her to develop her own sound and learn guitar. Two years later, she independently released Handmade Songs, an EP written, produced and recorded in her bedroom. The project climbed into the iTunes Pop Top 10 and marked her arrival as a young artist with remarkable self-sufficiency.

By 2013, Kelly’s rising momentum led to a deal with Capitol Records. Her major-label debut EP Foreword entered the Billboard 200’s Top 20, and she soon found herself opening for artists such as Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. Her first studio album, Unbreakable Smile (2015), delivered the hit singles “Nobody Love,” “Should’ve Been Us,” and “Hollow.” The album earned her a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2016 Grammy Awards.

Kelly’s versatility became especially clear with her 2018 album Hiding Place, a gospel-focused project created with Kirk Franklin. The record won two Grammys: Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song, which cemented her reputation as a powerful vocalist who could move comfortably across genres. She continued to explore new sounds with Inspired by True Events (2019), and later released A Tori Kelly Christmas (2020), produced by Babyface.

Outside of her music career, Kelly gained recognition among younger audiences through her role as Meena the elephant in the Sing films. She also appeared on The Masked Singer in 2020 as “Seahorse,” reaching the semifinals and showcasing her vocal range even behind a costume.

In more recent years, Kelly has embraced a return to early-2000s-inspired R&B. After signing with Epic Records, she released the single “Missin U” in 2023, followed by her EP Tori, which reflected the rhythmic, nostalgic sound she grew up loving. Her fifth studio album, also titled Tori, was released in April 2024 with a deluxe edition arriving later that year.

Kelly’s personal life has experienced major milestones as well. She married professional basketball player André Murillo in 2018, and in November 2025 they welcomed their first child, a son named Zayden Michael. In July 2023, she suffered a sudden health emergency when she collapsed at a restaurant and was hospitalized with blood clots in her legs and lungs. She recovered after treatment and returned home later that month.

Throughout her career, Kelly has cited a wide range of influences: gospel legends such as Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary, R&B icons including Lauryn Hill, Aaliyah and Brandy, and pop vocalists like Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. She also draws inspiration from artists such as Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Justin Timberlake.

Now in her early thirties, Tori Kelly continues to stand out for her technical skill and the sincerity that runs through her music. Her journey from YouTube covers to Grammy-winning success reflects a blend of resilience, faith and creative independence that has defined her career from the beginning.