Montreal, Canada

1979

Canadian singer/songwriter Ian Kelly makes melodic folk and pop music. Born Ian Couture in Montreal in 1979, Kelly eventually took his mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with another performer with the same name. He released his self-produced debut album, Insecurity, in 2005. Kelly's second album, 2008's Speak Your Mind, was also largely self-produced but released on the Audiogram label; it sold over 40,000 copies and helped establish his career. In 2011, Kelly delivered his third album, Diamonds & Plastic. That album also sold well and even garnered several Felix award nominations in 2012. Kelly's fourth studio album, produced by Eloi Painchaud, was released in the fall of 2013. ~ Matt Collar