Emmanuel Kelly, a singer and activist who was abandoned as an infant on an Iraqi battlefield, will share the stage with Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, and other musical icons at the first-ever World Cup Half Time Show. The event, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, will feature Kelly performing alongside his musical heroes in what he describes as "the performance of a lifetime."
Exclusive Chat Ahead of the Show
In an exclusive interview, Kelly expressed his excitement about meeting Madonna, whom he calls an artist who has created a whole "generation of music." He said, "I'm just going to embrace the moment. I'm going to ask every one of them, 'Hey, listen, can you please just put me on your songs?'"
Unexpected Invitation
Just four weeks ago, Kelly received an unexpected offer from Chris Martin. The pair have been friends for some time, with Kelly previously joining Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour. He also performed at last year's Club World Cup Half Time Show, also curated by Martin. Kelly recalled, "About four weeks ago, it wasn't even gonna happen. I sent Chris a text and said, 'Hey, congratulations.' And he wrote back saying, 'Do you wanna join?' I didn't tell anyone but my partner and then suddenly we got this email from FIFA and Global Citizen confirming it all, as if it was planned all along."
From Tragedy to Triumph
Kelly's current success is a stark contrast to his early life. He was found abandoned on a battlefield in Iraq and taken to Mother Teresa Orphanage in Baghdad, where he met his now-brother Ahmed. Due to his birth mother's exposure to chemical warfare, he was born with underdeveloped limbs. He was later adopted by Australian humanitarian Moira Kelly, moving to Australia in 2000. After surgery and prosthetic limbs, he became an Australian citizen in 2009.
Viral Fame and Friendship with Chris Martin
Kelly gained viral fame after appearing on Australia's X Factor in 2011, though he was eliminated before the top 24. He met Chris Martin through a mutual friend, and Martin quickly gave him the nickname "natural antidepressant." Kelly describes their bond as brotherly: "In an entertainment industry that sometimes focuses too much on the superficial, Chris was there for me. For the first time in a long time, I was in a very dark place. It was then I met Chris. He became a brother to me. He became a mentor. He became a guide. He became the shining light."
Message of Unity and Love
While Kelly kept details of the half time show under wraps, he emphasized its focus on unity and love. "There's more good in this world than there is bad. We see the bad more so we just need to start focusing on the good more. Focus on the good, love yourself and global unity. That's the message of the show," he said.
Advocacy and New Music
Beyond music, Kelly co-founded 0utlyer, a company aiming to employ 1,200 differently abled people in the entertainment industry. "Our goal as a company is to help the world and reshape the question. It's not about what this community needs or necessarily what can we do for this community; but it's how do we repay the favour of what the community's already done," he explained.
Kelly has also released a new song called "Hello," which he says sends a message about loving yourself. "When things are down and out, just smile to yourself. Smile in the mirror. Tell yourself you love yourself. Go up to some random individual on the street and just say hello to them. It brings joy. Sometimes the simple thing of just saying hello to somebody, you don't know what that does to that person."
In further news, Kelly has signed with UK-based Champions Speakers, a leading keynote speaker agency, and will share his story through inspirational public speaking events, bringing his message of resilience and inclusion to audiences across business, education, and beyond.
