Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Emery Kelly

Whether he’s starring on the screen in shows like Alexa & Katie or Disney’s Big Shot or releasing music as part of Forever in Your Mind or as a solo artist, Emery Kelly undoubtedly has the X factor.

For the past four years, the actor-singer has been hard at work crafting his highly anticipated album, S.O.M.E. (Some of My Emotions). The project is set to change the game and help listeners and fans feel comfortable in their own skin.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Emery about the different facets to his career, Disney’s Big Shot, and what fans can expect from S.O.M.E.

PC: You’re an actor, singer, songwriter, and producer. What came first for you? How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Emery: What came first for me was musical theater. From five to fourteen, I did musical theater with friends and family. I started to listen to pop music when iTunes came out. By 2013, I wanted to do the X Factor. I started to become more passionate about creating music and becoming an artist as opposed to musical theater.

X Factor gave me the opportunity to be a TV actor, and it went from there. Now I’m back at square one. I started this as a solo artist, and it’s a new chapter in my life where I’m going back to being a solo artist and figuring things out. It’s a full circle moment.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Emery: I wouldn’t say any of my achievements stand out to me because they were great for what they were in that moment of time. If I hadn’t achieved what I’ve achieved, it wouldn’t set me up to work on what I want to achieve next.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Emery: There are a lot of great actors, artists, and musicians that I look up to that inspire the music that I create today and the way that I want to act. In terms of actors, it’s people like Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Christian Bale, Keanu Reeves…I could name so many great actors that represent the acting that I want to portray in the future.

When it comes to music, I love Frank Ocean, Tyler, the Creator, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, and Khalid. There are also a whole bunch of up-and-coming artists that inspire me as well.

Big Shot

PC: You’ve got a new series out now. Tell us about Big Shotand your character.
Emery: Big Shot is a TV show with the legendary John Stamos. It centers around him being a basketball coach and rebuilding his reputation. He’s going through an emotional time in his life, and he has to figure a lot of things out.

In the show, I play a character named Dylan. He’s a basketball player who’s doing his own thing. He’s a friend of one of the series regulars on the show. I only guest star in the project. It was a lot of fun and a great show.

Some of My Emotions

PC: You’re working on a new album now. Can you tell us anything about Some of My Emotions (S.O.M.E.) and what fans can expect from the release?
Emery: It’s been a very long process creating this album. I started working on Some of My Emotions the last year that I was in my band. That was in 2017. The process has been filled with lots of ups and downs, good conversations, and sh*tty conversations. The fact that I’ve been able to continue working on it and honing in on my sound despite everything that I’ve been through in the past four years, shows me that I’m truly doing this for the passion. I’m doing this for the love of art and the love of music.

The album is going to be so much fun. I think people are going to vibe with it. It’s so versatile. Each song is so different, but they all vibe together. It’s going to be awesome.

Some of My Emotions is going to be a cool album for everybody to listen to. I jam out to it and I think people will too. Some of My Emotions is an acronym for “some.” The first word on the album is the word “some.” I look at it as an infinity loop, an infinity effect. Everybody says the word “some” every day: “someone,” “something,” “somewhere,” “somehow.”

I’m trying to reinvent the word and make it a musical term where people can use it as a way to be themselves. Some of My Emotions is about helping you understand how you’re feeling and helping you be comfortable with what you want to do every day.

PC: If you had to pick a song off of the album that encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
Emery: [laughs] I can’t tell you that yet! My next single is called “Gotta Know.” That’s going to be a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun making that track with Alex Wilke and Stefan Crane. People are going to vibe with it too. I played it to a couple of friends and they liked it a lot.

PC: Earlier you were speaking about the ups and downs of this industry. During those more challenging times, how were you able to persevere?
Emery: By telling myself that it’s okay to fail. Being told no and failing set you up for bigger success. That’s how I look at it. I got turned down for auditions for four years before I booked Alexa & Katie. I’ve tested on multiple shows, and I didn’t get the part. I just had to wait to see when the time would come and set me up for something bigger.

That goes with music as well. Sometimes I’m in the studio with people, and I’m just there to watch and learn when sometimes I want to be part of it. But it’s also good to watch because you’re seeing all these great artists do their thing.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: First album you bought?
Emery: Recovery by Eminem.

PC: First concert you attended?
Emery: The Forum with my band to see Demi Lovato.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
EEmery: Channel Orange. It changed how I thought of music in a sonic sense and how it affects you. There’s music that people listen to and it goes in one ear and out the other. But if you have the right sonics, it’ll make you think.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Emery: Madison Square Garden.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Emery: Mobile studio set up.

To keep up with Emery, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify.