Katie Kelly is no stranger to the spotlight. In fact, she’s been doing this her whole life. With star-shaped glasses, a hairbrush, and a mirror, she was the star of her own show every day from a young age. At just 7 years old, she traded the hairbrush for a microphone, auditioning to sing the national anthem for a semi-professional baseball team, the New Britain Bees. Katie impressed many at her audition, and her singing career was subsequently launched.

While New Britain Stadium got used to hearing her voice, she spread the wealth to other Connecticut professional sports arenas. Dunkin’ Donuts Park and XL Center crowds in Hartford were regularly graced by a signature national anthem sung by Katie Kelly. Realizing she had conquered the patriotic genre, Katie decided it was time to branch out into other styles of music. At 13 years old, she channeled her inner Pat Benatar and stepped into the Rock & Roll world. While other teens were figuring out high school, Katie became the lead singer of “Bad Jack” and focused more on rocking out at fairs and covering The Cranberries at bars on Friday nights.

Always trying to improve, Katie sought out lessons from the distinguished Carrie Johnson of the renowned duo “22 Brides,” who also sang backup vocals for the likes of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Gibson, and more. From Carrie, Katie learned how to hone her technique, write songs, and most importantly, find her style on stage and be proud of it. As Katie progressed through Carrie’s program, she even learned a few chords on guitar to supplement her songwriting abilities.

Currently, Katie is a sophomore at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music. Under the tutelage of Benjamin Rauch, she majors in music management with a commercial voice concentration. In 2024, she signed with the student-run label “Redtail Records,” which gave her numerous performing and recording opportunities. She has made a name for herself as a rising star on campus and in the greater Hartford area, with sights set on more opportunites to perform in the future.