Emmanuel Kelly: Support Act Review

The LayMusic is dedicated to supporting Australian music – from performers, to technicians, to venues – but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy international acts as well. I was excited for my first arena show from GA and second arena show ever when I saw the first of Coldplay’s 2024 Australian run. While I won’t unpack that here, I’d love to take this opportunity to thank the band, their crew, and their management for supporting Australian musicians by featuring Emmanuel Kelly as a support act during the night.

This is what happened during Emmanuel Kelly’s set at Marvel Stadium on October 30th, 2024.

Emmanuel Kelly

Although born in Iraq, Emmanuel was brought to Australia by his adopted mother as a child, alongside his brother Ahmed. While Ahmed has gone on to become a silver medal winning swimmer at the Paralympics, Emmanuel’s talents in music have paved the way for him to become a fan favourite X Factor contestant, and open for musical icons like Snoop Dogg and, more recently, Coldplay.

During his set, Emmanuel showcased a collection of songs from his recently released No Zodiac EP, while also introducing himself to a crowd of new fans, inspired by his positive music, energetic performance, and candid nature. It’s hard to talk about Emmanuel without mentioning his story: abandoned in a battlefield on the border of Iraq as an infant, experiencing visible disability as well as resultant mental health issues, Kelly has overcome a range of barriers in his lifetime that have informed his musical abilities now.

It would be hard not to be grateful for the opportunities for safety, freedom and success Emmanuel has pursued growing up, supported by his family and fans. This gratitude is imbued in every song and lends itself to an enthusiasm on stage that makes Kelly a natural hit when charming the crowd between songs.

A beautiful cover of Imagine makes a little too much sense in the set list, but Emmanuel’s ability to relate each song to a story in his life helps ground his music in something the audience can understand and share. Right From The Very Start is a bubbly song about his love for his mother, which prompts us to seek out the people in our lives we love and remind them of that too. Ending his set with My Sky, Kelly’s strength is in uniting the crowd. He’s doing great work as a support act, but it’ll be exciting to see where this opportunity leads Emmanuel next.

If you’ve got tickets for Coldplay, make sure to arrive early to witness Emmanuel Kelly’s exuberant performance firsthand. Otherwise, check out his music online for some feel-good tunes to brighten up your day!

Fave song: My Sky