Using her powerful voice and buoyant spirit, Tori Kelly has racked up Platinum certifications and hundreds of millions of streams to become one of pop music’s biggest stars. With TORI., her first full-length release on Epic Records, the two-time Grammy winner showcases her wide range of musical inspirations, namely, her love of Y2K-era pop and R&B. Take “high water,” a powerful single with the breezy, yet determined feel of rousing late-’90s hits like Des’ree’s “You Gotta Be,” which was one of Kelly’s inspirations. One of the final songs conceived for the album, recent single “high water” represents the vocal dynamism and heartening sincerity that’s allowed her to appear in films like Sing and Sing 2 and collaborate with a diverse breadth of artists like Justin Bieber, Jacob Collier, Jon Batiste, and Illenium. Since emerging in the 2010s, the California singer has touched millions around the world, with projects like Unbreakable Smile (2015), Hiding Place (2018), Inspired by True Events (2019), A Tori Kelly Christmas (2020) and Tori (2023) flaunting her knack for intimate songwriting. With TORI., she opens herself up fully, combining throwback beats and honest lyrics in a way that paints a striking, vibrant portrait, which includes musical elements fans haven’t seen from her before. The album is a truly definitive statement that brings all of the unique layers of her artistry together in concert. “This feels like a self-titled moment,” she says. “I am ready to say, ‘This is who I am.’”
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
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