Tori Kelly’s 1st PH concert on April 20

Tori Kelly

American singer-songwriter Tori Kelly, who has received critical acclaim for her gospel-influenced pop-R&B music, will hold her first concert in Manila on April 20 at the New Frontier Theater.

Mounted by MMI Live, the show is part of Tori’s world tour, “Inspired by True Events,” which was launched in support of her third studio album of the same title (call 84702222).

The 27-year-old artist, who grew up idolizing the likes of Lauryn Hill, Jeff Buckley and Jill Scott, first tried her luck in the music industry through singing contests including “Star Search” in 2004 and the ninth season of “American Idol” where she was a semifinalist.

But when that didn’t work out as she had hoped for, Tori turned her attention to online platforms like YouTube, where she uploaded performances of her original songs. Before long, her page was attracting hundreds of thousands of subscribers and notching millions of views. In 2015, she dropped her self-recorded, debut studio album, “Unbreakable Smile,” which she followed up three years later with “Hiding Place”—a winner of two Grammy awards.

Meanwhile, in her latest album, Tori delves into recent personal struggles, like her parents’ separation and her grandfather’s death. In a statement, she said not including such “personal stories” in her album is tantamount to “hiding from the truth.”

““Playing these songs live is a reminder that everyone goes through these sorts of things, and we all need to know that we’re not alone,” said Tori, whose biggest and most streamed hits include “I Was Made for Loving You,” “Nobody Love,” “Should Have Been Us” and “Dear No One.”

“It turns out that the uncomfortable place was the most honest and true,” she added. “It was right where I needed to be, and from there I could tell my story.” — ALLAN POLICARPIO