Singer-songwriter Tori Kelly is quickly rising to stardom, but she’s not an overnight success, as some may think. Kelly, who is spotted by her signature curly blonde hair, made her MTV Video Music Awards debut with arguably one the best performances of the night in August, and recently took the stage at the MTV EMAs last month.
Footwear News caught up with the “Should’ve Been Us” singer at Fashion Group International’s Annual Night of Stars Gala, where she also performed, to talk shoes and her journey in the music industry.
“I’m a sneakerhead,” said Kelly. “I love a good pair of Nikes. I’m big on comfort. With performing and everything, I need to not think about what my feet are doing. So I’m big on the comfort level.” Even though she said she prefers to wear flats, Kelly can’t deny that it’s fun to dress it up once and awhile.
On Thursday, Kelly dropped the music video for her new single “Hollow,” the lead song on the re-release of her debut album, “Unbreakable Smile.”
Watch on FN
“I think that’s the thing — that never gets old, at least for me, releasing music in general. It’s such a vulnerable thing, so just to get good feedback feels so amazing,” she said.
You may recognize Kelly from YouTube, when she started posting videos as a teenager, or maybe from her viral Vine that has been seen close to 5 million times. You might also know her from a recent Pepsi commercial — she’s the first artist to sing the “Joy of Pepsi” jingle since Britney Spears. In any case, it looks like the world will be seeing more of her.
“It’s been awesome not to rush into anything. I think that’s been the blessing in disguise,” she told FN. “It’s been a rough and slow journey, but it’s been one of learning and growth, and I’ve been able to build this fan base from the ground up. It wasn’t an overnight thing, and it’s been awesome to soak it all in.”
Be sure to check out her new music video below, and catch Kelly on her “Where I Belong” tour through 2016.
