Even before vlogging was a thing, Grammy winner Tori Kelly already had 1 million subscribers on YouTube in 2007. Here’s more on the famous singer and Tori Kelly net worth.
Music is tied with faith, and it is pretty much the statement of many big-name artists. It sprung legendary divas like Gladys Knight, Patti La Belle, Dionne Warwick, and even more modern performers like Scott Stapp of Creed, who fused faith with grunge and heavy rock.
Tori Kelly is from a more recent generation who kept her songs within the bounds of religion. And though many loved her clean music, the singer experienced multiple rejections because others from the industry saw her potential but wanted to market her differently.
Was she ever swayed to follow the dictations of a business that can be notoriously tyrannical to build or save a career?
Tori Kelly net worth is estimated at $5 million, and she has never looked away from making music since her career began as a teenager. The singer could stand by her dreams despite the politics and even reach the Grammys multiple times.
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Tori Kelly Short Bio
The singer was born Victoria Loren Kelly on December 14th, 1992. She is originally from Wildomar, California. Though she was raised in a religious family, she credits her parents for her love for music. They exposed her to every genre that interested her in supporting her passion.
The industry wanted to promote her differently, not only for her voice but also for her looks. Kelly is of multiple descents. Her father, Allwyn, is a gentleman of mixed Puerto Rican and Jamaican ancestry, while her mother, Laura, is a gray-eyed lady of Irish-German descent.
Tori has a little brother named Noah James, four years younger than her. The two had always been very close, and he supported his sister’s dreams from the very beginning.
Tori Kelly’s Career
Talent Show Competitions
Ten-year-old Tori Kelly joined the reality TV talent competition, Star Search, which CBS Network revived in 2003. Kelly competed in the Junior Singer category and made it one of the finalists, and she was up against Tiffany Evans, who received perfect scores, resulting in Kelly’s loss.
The following year, Kelly entered America’s Most Talented Kids, another televised talent competition under CBS. She performed Christina Aguilera’s Keep On Singin’ My Song, besting the then twelve-year-old Hunter Hayes, which sent her to the Tournament of Champions.
Kelly came in second to rock musician Antonio Pontarelli who won the competition. Kelly received a record deal with a major music label despite another loss. Unfortunately, Geffen Records and Kelly’s side agreed to break their contract due to conflicting ideas.
Tori Kelly on YouTube
YouTube was officially launched in December of 2005. Kelly created her account in June of 2006 and began posting videos in 2007. She is one of the first artists who used the platform in the hopes of building a fanbase, debuting with John Wesley Work Jr’s Go Tell It on the Mountain.
In 2012, Tori collaborated with YouTuber Angie Girl and casually recorded their rendition of Frank Ocean’s Thinkin ‘Bout You. They were equipped with just her voice, a guitar, Angie’s beat-box skills, and a shaky, low res camera. The video exploded on the net, reaching almost 29 million views.
How many of you think that it’s probably her little brother holding the camera? Talent was all that mattered, no fancy setup. She soon gained over a million subscribers by performing song covers which turned out much better than the official versions sung by the original artists.
American Idol and Onwards
We all know for sure that the show American Idol it’s a major stepping stone for aspiring artists. And while many did make it big after battling their way through the competition, the famous television franchise has immortal blunders in the form of rejecting artists who made it big.
They can say that Tori Kelly is one of those permanent stains in the show’s good name. Kelly was ejected very early from the competition, not even making it to the top 24 lineups. The event devastated Kelly, while viewers worldwide are left puzzled why the show let her walk.
Instead of giving up, Kelly found ways to improve as a performer. She learned to play the guitar and composed original songs. She once again turned to YouTube and shared her recordings which her growing fans were more than delighted to give 1,000% of their support.
Her road was far from easy, but Kelly’s efforts were slowly rewarded by bits of opportunities that appeared one by one. She was chosen to participate in the youth version of the original 1965 We Are The World charity song entitled, We Are The World: The Next Generation, released in 2010.
Kelly released her first extended play entitled Handmade Songs by Tori Kelly in May of 2012, under her label, Toraay Records. Tori did all the work in the album, in the comforts of her room. The humbly produced set took the ninth spot on the US Heatseekers Albums Charts in 2013.
Scooter Braun’s Unbreakable Smile
Ten years into her career as an independent artist, Kelly came under famous talent manager Scooter Baun who introduced her to Capitol Records. At first, the singer was hesitant because of past experiences but later took a chance for better commercial promotion.
Braun admitted that his higher-ups tried to convince him to drop Kelly because she didn’t want to change her image, unlike the pre-packaged talents who were open to anything, from mildly revealing to total makeovers, all for the sake of easier promotion and a bigger paycheck.
As for Tori’s response, she barged into her manager’s home the following day and presented a song she composed for him. The lyrics of Unbreakable Smile included a phrase saying ‘the way you live your life depends on you,’ a clear message that Scott Braun eventually accepted.
Tori Kelly at the Grammys
The singer faced her career with a stride and simply shrugged off negativities. Kelly finally proved to everyone that she was right to stay on the track she chose when she received her first Grammy nomination for the Best New Artist category in 2016. A second and third nomination came in 2019 for Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance Song, which she both won.
Again in 2022, she received two more nominations for Album of the Year for the album Justice and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for A Tori Kelly Christmas.
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Tori Kelly Net Worth – Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is Tori Kelly Net Worth?
Tori Kelly net worth is estimated at $5 million. The singer spent the first ten years of her career as a self-produced artist, which she successfully did until she met Scooter Braun in 2013, who signed her under Capitol Records.
What Is Tori Kelly Doing Now?
Kelly is still under the management of Scooter Braun, who grew to respect the artist’s style. She currently lives with her husband, Andre Murillo, whom she married in 2018, in Riverside County, California.
What is Tori Kelly’s Most Famous Song?
Kelly’s most famous song was the single Should’ve Been Us. It was released as part of the album Unbreakable Smile back in 2015, and the song was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Tori Kelly Net Worth – Final Thoughts
When a door closes, another one opens. Even if it’s just a window, why not try to look out and see what opportunities may be waiting for you? As young as she was, Tori Kelly got up and paved her way towards the achievements and success she rightfully holds now.
Tori Kelly net worth may not be as big as Beyonce or Rihanna, but she wasn’t swayed to change herself to get to their level. Kelly opted to follow her dreams via the road she chose to be right for herself and those who believe in her craft, especially valuing people who stood by her from the start.
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