Roc Nation is a dynasty that will last forever,”Jay-Z once said. Those are big shoes to fill and carry on, but if you’re thinking about forever,
Bridget Kelly’s name has to pop up.
Seeking an avenue to display her strong voice and personality, BK signed with Roc Nation in 2008. “It’s very exciting, being from New York, there
is a very strong sense of pride to be a part of a movement that was started in New York and to be a part of the legion that’s going to keep carrying out
the legacy,” Kelly told Ghubar magazine.
For someone who has recently toured with Jay-Z and Coldplay, two of music’s biggest acts at the top of their game, it is a shame that so many people
do not know just who Bridget Kelly is. BK is a New York City girl, raised in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, and attended the famous LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts, which she discusses the experience on her personal website.
“It was an art school, so I was constantly surrounded by creative people like myself and it broadened my perspective tremendously. I grew to
appreciate every other art form, including my own. I was given the opportunity to write songs, and perform them for my peers. That experience
swayed me completely.”
Since then, it has been all music, and she has flourished. From writing songs on her Blackberry to performing at various clubs and bars all around New York City, BK’s break came when her management team met with Roc Nation. The rest is history that has only just begun. But even more so than the story, is the sheer talent of Bridget Kelly herself. Her strong voice matches her strong personality, and it all comes out in the music. They say that the best performers
are those who, when performing live, sound just as good or even better than on record, and BK fits that description perfectly.
The confidence with which she carries herself goes to show what having Jay-Z’s number in your phone can do for you. She is complete with
a humble side in which she cites her faith in God and genuine love for music as her constant motivation.
She worked with various producers and songwriters to produce the very impressive Every Girl EP, which is available for free download
off the Roc Nation site. The EP includes hits such as the Terius “The Dream” Nash written “Seek and Destroy,” and the Frank Ocean penned “Thinking
About Forever.” The remaining six songs are just as excellent, with songs written by Ne-Yo, Ester Dean and others.
Average R&B artists have great voices, but talk about the same thing in a very similar way. The new up-and-coming artists such as The
Weeknd and Frank Ocean of course can sing, but they present themselves, their story, their music, in such a unique way that it stands out.
Bridget Kelly’s production in her music is unlike anything traditionally heard from a female R&B singer, and, like with The Weeknd, what
first grips many listeners is the music. Her voice comes immediately after, and then you listen to her lyrics.
“I really like to walk the line between soft and hard,” Kelly said. “So if I can combine things that are really edgy with things that are still soft and feminine, that is what I like to do.”
And she does just that. You never forget that she is a woman full of emotions and stories of love, but she will portray that while singing of killing
the man who cheated on her and the girl he cheated with, as she does in the song “White Lies.” Bridget Kelly is working on her first solo album, expected
to come out this year on the Roc Nation label. Check for more of Bridget Kelly’s music, which is available for a free download on her website.