At a young age, Claude Kelly knew that one day he would become a fixture in the music industry, presumably as a singer. He was so steadfast in pursuit of his dream that on Saturday afternoons, along with his cousin in tow, he would travel around New York City collecting the names and addresses of various record labels, fantasizing about the day when he would wow executives in those exact offices. All grown up, Kelly’s childhood premonition of dazzling industry personnel with his musical abilities has come true, although part of his dream is still being momentarily deferred.
Emerging as one of the new rising songwriters in popular music, the 27 year-old Lower East Side native has turned a bleak beginning into a very promising future. Back in 2003, after returning to the Big Apple following his graduation from the prestigious Berkley College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, the then neophyte songsmith reconnected with some old friends who were actively pursuing music when he was pitched the idea of songwriting. Despite not having any prior experience or even any real interest in being a writer, Kelly decided to try his hand, stating: “I kinda fell into writing. My main thing was really being an artist, and I just kinda realized that being an artist doesn’t pay the bills until you get signed.”
His professional path immediately changed directions when he secured his first song placement for “Take Your Time,” which was included on Bathing Ape founder Nigo’s compilation CD, “Nigo Presents: (B)ape Sounds.” The boost in confidence from his initial song placement led to other projects, allowing Kelly to develop his talent as a songwriter. Using each project as a stepping-stone, Kelly eventually established a relationship with Akon, where the two forged a musical bond rooted in respect and admiration for each other’s musical capabilities.
The first public Akon-Kelly collaboration was Leona Lewis’ “Forgive Me,” off her platinum debut album, “Spirit.” Kelly’s contribution on “Spirit” heightened his profile, leading to the opportunity to work with two of music’s most acclaimed artists: Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. For both records, he again partnered with Akon, writing the lyrics to “Like I Never Left” (Whitney Houston) and “Hold My Hand” (Akon and Michael Jackson).
Fulfilling his childhood dreams, the budding penman reflected on the significance of his participation on the projects of two pop culture icons: “Those are two artists that I grew up listening to that were like—they were it. They were two black pop stars to me.” Besides the personal satisfaction Kelly enjoyed, he also understands the significance it has on his professional growth. “To have conquered both of those so early in my career is like—it tells me two things: it tells me that I’m doing the right thing, and tells me that if it happened now that means great things are coming after that.”
Even though he is making headway in the music industry behind the scenes as a songwriter, his childhood aspirations of making it big as an artist still haven’t waned. Having written the lyrics for some of the industry’s most noted artists, he hopes his resume softens industry resistance when he decides to pursue a career as an artist, stating: “songwriting will basically give me the opportunity to do what I want as an artist, because now that I’ve proven that I can write for other people, there’s a lot of things I want to say that I feel only I can say.”
Claude Kelly’s most recent songwriting contributions can be heard on Brandy’s “Human” (“True,” “Camouflage”), Britney Spears’ “Circus” (“Circus,” “Shattered Glass”), and Akon’s “Freedom (“We Don’t Care”).
