Emmanuel Kelly

Emmanuel Kelly is an Australian singer-songwriter who rose to fame after his incredible rendition of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ on Australia’s The X Factor. Emmanuel’s performance reached over 500 million social media views and led to collaborations with iconic stars such as Quincy Jones, Snoop Dogg and JK Simmons. 

Discovered abandoned in a box on a battlefield by soldiers in Iraq, Emmanuel and his brother were taken in by nuns and raised in Baghdad. Born with underdeveloped limbs as a result of prenatal exposure to chemical warfare, Emmanuel and his brother were adopted by humanitarian Moira Kelly and taken to Australia for life-saving surgery. In 2011, Emmanuel appeared on season 3 of Australia’s The X Factor, where his performance catapulted him into stardom and led to performances at venues like the Sydney Opera House and the MGM Grand Arena. In 2018, Emmanuel performed at Teleton alongside Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who remains a close friend of Emmanuel’s, and helped him to establish Outlyer Entertainment, a talent agency, record label and production company focusing on differently abled cast and crew. Releasing No Zodiac in 2024, Emmanuel opened for Coldplay on their Music for the Spheres tour, with the EP reaching number three in the vinyl charts and being named by Rolling Stone as one of Australia’s top ten releases. 

Recognised by Spotify as one of the top 30 most influential Australian artists, Emmanuel performed at the inaugural half-time show of the FIFA Club World Cup with Chris Martin and other world-renowned stars like Doja Cat, J Balvin and Tems. Emmanuel became the first disabled star to perform in a half-time show, further making history that same year as the first disabled person to perform on the main stage at the Isle of Wight Festival. A true changemaker and inspiration to other differently abled people, Emmanuel went on to appear at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Peace One Day concert at Wembley Arena. He is the subject of the documentary Dream Fever, which chronicles his extraordinary journey from the battlefield in Iraq to global stardom.

With stunning vocals, an electrifying presence, and a truly moving story, Emmanuel is the perfect addition to a range of events, from exciting musical performances to insightful diversity engagements. Determined to make a difference, Emmanuel demonstrates the life-changing effects of resilience, hope, and the infectious power of the human spirit.