Bridget Kelly

Aug
10
Rap-Up TV: Bridget Kelly Talks Dr. Dre, Nas Collaborations

In addition to prepping her debut, Bridget Kelly has been in the studio with two of hip-hop’s greatest. Not only is she signed to Jay-Z’s label, but the Roc Nation singer had the privilege of collaborating with Dr. Dre and Nas.

She described the out-of-body experience recording with the West Coast rap icon for Detox. “He’s funny, he’s so down to earth,” she told Rap-Up TV. “It’s weird ’cause one would think that after being around Jay so much that you would go into a room with Dr. Dre and not be fazed, but I definitely walked in and I was just like, ‘Oh my God. This is Dr. Dre.’”

Nas also called on her talents for a No I.D.-produced song that may appear on his upcoming album Life Is Good. “It’s another emotional record,” explained Bridget, who recently released her debut single “Thinking About Forever.” “Everything that I’m attaching myself to is very emotional and very passionate.”

Plus, find out who is currently in rotation on her iPod.

Previous: Bridget Kelly Talks Roc Nation Debut, Frank Ocean, & Jay-Z

Aug
4
Rap-Up TV: Bridget Kelly Talks Roc Nation Debut, Frank Ocean, & Jay-Z

Jay-Z knows talent when he sees it. The man who discovered Rihanna and Young Jeezy is getting ready to introduce the world to his next superstar, Bridget Kelly. The Roc Nation signee shared details about her debut exclusively with Rap-Up TV during a visit to Roc Nation’s L.A. offices this week.

The album’s direction has changed from a year ago when we first spoke with the songstress. Instead of going in a rock route, Bridget is tapping into her raw emotions, calling on hitmakers including Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Ne-Yo, James Fauntleroy, and Shea Taylor.

“The direction has really become much more of an emotional-driven album as opposed to it being sonically rock,” she explained. “I think it’s a lot more vibey. I think a lot of the records that we have are still very aggressive, but they’re representing a much more fragile side of me as well as an aggressive side and not so angry, in your face as I wanted to be before.”

The New York native, who performed “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z on tour, also spoke about working with Odd Future’s Frank Ocean on her first single “Thinking About Forever.” “It’s sort of a vulnerable track and I wanted everyone to feel me.”

Jay-Z has been a hands-on boss and offered his protégé honest feedback. “It’s really rare to have the person who runs your label tell you that they want more from you. He demands the best,” she said.

Prior to launching her debut, Bridget will release a digital EP consisting of four to five songs including “Thinking About Forever.”

Jul
29
New Music: Bridget Kelly – ‘Thinking About Forever’

Bridget Kelly

Bridget Kelly is ready for the spotlight. After performing “Empire State of Mind” with her mentor Jay-Z on tour, the Roc Nation songstress releases her new song “Thinking About Forever” penned by Frank Ocean. You may already be familiar with the tender tune as the Odd Future songwriter liberated his version just yesterday.

“After singing on ‘Empire State of Mind’ with me on tour, Bridget Kelly is ready for her close up,” writes Andy WarHov aka Jay-Z on his blog Life + Times.

Bridget is working on her rock-meets-R&B debut with Linda Perry, No I.D., and former Evanescence member David Hodges. Get to know the New Yorker in her interview with Rap-Up TV.

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Jan
17
Bridget Kelly Previews Roc Nation Debut

Bridget Kelly

Bridget Kelly goes “Off the Record” in a new video, giving fans a sneak peek of her Roc Nation debut. Posted up at UnderDog Recording Studios in New York City, the singer-songwriter allows cameras to follow her in the booth as she records cuts like “Carry the Cross.”

“The record is exactly where I’m coming from right now. Conceptually, it’s very New York, it’s a lot of aggression. It’s very honest, it’s very genuine, it’s very emotional,” explains Kelly. “But musically, it’s driven. It’s very hard. I’m not going to bullshit you about anything. I’m not going to sing it if it isn’t real.”

The New Yorker also spoke on what it was like traveling the world with her Roc Nation boss Jay-Z, and how it’s been a dream come true. “Touring with Jay-Z is really, really great. It was a life-altering experience for me,” she says of filling in for Alicia Keys on the No. 1 hit “Empire State of Mind.” “My very first show was at Madison Square Garden. How many people can say that?”

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May
12
Rap-Up TV: Bridget Kelly Talks Debut Album, Potential Jay-Z Collaboration

Hot off performing “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z on last weekend’s “SNL,” Roc Nation singer Bridget Kelly fills Rap-Up TV in on the shocking surprises in store on her rock-meets-R&B debut, the eclectic list of producers she’s working with, whether Jay will appear on the album, how she was once mistaken for Lady Gaga, and which Mariah Carey video she can’t get enough of.

Related: Introducing Bridget Kelly | Bridget Kelly’s Tour Bus

Apr
20
Rap-Up TV: Introducing Bridget Kelly – Part 1

You may recognize her golden pipes or maybe even mistook her for Alicia Keys when she performed “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z on his “Blueprint 3” tour. Now get familiar with Roc Nation’s next star waiting in the wings, singer Bridget Kelly.

The New Yorker welcomed Rap-Up TV onto her tour bus to put us up on how she got her start, her musical inspirations, her relationship with Jay-Z, what she’s learned from the hip-hop mogul, and what it’s like to perform with him.

Mar
29
Bridget Kelly’s Tour Diary #3: On Board the Roc Bus

Rap-Up TV caught up with rising star Bridget Kelly when she stopped in Los Angeles for Jay-Z’s “BP3” tour last week. The Roc Nation singer-songwriter gave us a tour of the bus that she’s been sharing with the Roc Boys for the past two months. Check out the plush digs where she eats, breathes, and sleeps when she’s not performing “Empire State of Mind” with her boss nightly.

Previous: Diary #1: Must-Haves While On Tour | Diary #2: Roc Star Fashion

Mar
20
Bridget Kelly’s Tour Diary #2: Roc Star Fashion

Jay-Z and Bridget Kelly

In her second blog entry for Rap-Up.com, Bridget Kelly checks in before her show in Chicago earlier this week on the “Blueprint 3” tour. Jay-Z’s R&B discovery, who performs “Empire State of Mind” with him nightly, digs through her closet and shares her onstage ensemble and the fashionable accessories that complete her Roc star look.

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