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 0utlyer, a 360 entertainment company producing highly commercial, star-driven film and TV, alongside music and live experiences, with a mission to employ differently-abled people on screen and behind the camera. Releasing No Zodiac in 2024, Emmanuel opened for Coldplay on their Music of 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. Emmanuel also had the opportunity to perform at Peace One Day, with the YouTube live-cast gaining 200M views. 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.
- Emmanuel Kelly has generated an online footprint of 2.5billion views, streams, and online impressions.
- 2026 – Single ‘My Sky’ reached 50 million streams & views online making him the first physically Differently abled to ever chart Globally.
- 2025 – Performed at the Peace One Day concert to 200 million online viewers.
- 2025 – Became the first disabled performer on the main stage at the Isle of Wight Festival
- 2025 – Headlined at Fifa Club World Cup Final
- 2024 ~ 25 – Became the 1st Differently abled to ever do a stadium tour as the opening act for Coldplay.
- 2024 – Released limited edition EP No Zodiac - which reached top five on the Australian vinyls chart and 20 on the global vinyls chart.
- 2024 – Became the 1st Differently abled to perform center court at a Grand Slam for the Australian Open finals
- 2022 – Founded Outlyer Entertainment
- 2021 – Performed at London Fashion Week
- 2020 – Performed on the Kelly Clarkson Show
- 2018 – performed and spoke at the UN Assembly.
- 2018 – Performed at Teleton with Chris Martin
- 2017 – Performed alongside Coldplay on their head full of stars Tour
- 2016 – Became the 1st non Latina artist to ever sell out multiple Arena shows in Juarez Mexico
- 2015 ~ 2016 – Did a global tour through Mexico, US and Europe.
- 2011 – Contestant on The X Factor
How to hire Emmanuel Kelly
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Emmanuel Kelly for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
