{{distinguish|Kelly Song|The Kelly Song}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox song | name = Kelly | cover = KellySingleCover.jpg | alt = An image of an African-American woman. She is topless and hugging herself while turned away from the camera. The word "Kelly" is placed behind the woman. | border = yes | type = promotional single | artist = Kelly Rowland | album = | released = November 22, 2018 | recorded = 2018 | studio = | genre = *Hip hop *R&B | length = 3:01 | label = Self-released | writer = *Denisa Andrews *Kyle Coleman *Brittany Coney *Tim Weatherspoon | producer = }}
"'''Kelly'''" is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Rowland. Rowland self-released the song on November 22, 2018. It is a hip hop and R&B song, and some critics referred to it as influenced by trap music and club music. Rowland boasts about herself in the lyrics. It was written by Denisa Andrews, Kyle Coleman, Brittany Coney and Rowland's husband-manager, Tim Weatherspoon.<ref>''Kelly'' by Kelly Rowland. Self-Release. November 22, 2018. *Credits can be verified on Apple Music.</ref> The song received mixed reviews from critics.
== Composition and lyrics == "Kelly" is a hip hop and R&B song,<ref name="Source7">{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/hiphop/the-best-r-b-this-week-from-vanjess-kelly-rowland-danileigh/|title=All The Best New R&B From This Week That You Need To Hear|last=Johnson|first=Cherise|date=November 26, 2018|publisher=Uproxx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126232810/https://uproxx.com/hiphop/the-best-r-b-this-week-from-vanjess-kelly-rowland-danileigh/|archive-date=November 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Source8" /> which some critics described as inspired by trap music<ref name="Source7" /><ref name="Source13">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8486365/kelly-rowland-kelly-song|title=Kelly Rowland Releases New Track 'Kelly'|last=Iasimone|first=Ashley|date=November 24, 2018|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126150906/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8486365/kelly-rowland-kelly-song|archive-date=November 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and club music.<ref name="Source7" /><ref name="Source5">{{cite web|url=https://www.vibe.com/2018/11/kelly-rowland-new-single-kelly|title=Kelly Rowland Hops In Her Bag With New Single "Kelly"|last=Thompson|first=Desire|date=November 23, 2018|work=Vibe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124134140/https://www.vibe.com/2018/11/kelly-rowland-new-single-kelly/|archive-date=November 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> ''HotNewHipHop''<nowiki/>'s Karlton Jahmal connected the song with "the Atlanta trap sound".<ref name="Source11">{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/125819-kelly-rowland-drops-off-self-titled-single-on-thanksgiving-new-song|title=Kelly Rowland Drops Off Self-Titled Single On Thanksgiving|last=Jahmal|first=Karlton|date=November 23, 2018|website=HotNewHipHop|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123112640/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kelly-rowland-drops-off-self-titled-single-on-thanksgiving-new-song.1981169.html|archive-date=November 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Idolator''{{'}}s Mike Wass wrote that the composition had an uptempo "staccato beat",<ref name="Source8">{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7688643/kelly-rowland-new-single-kelly-review?adblock=1&chrome=1|title=Kelly Rowland Returns With A Gritty Mantra Called "Kelly"|last=Wass|first=Mike|date=November 26, 2018|website=Idolator|access-date=November 28, 2018}}{{dead link|date=August 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and other commentators noted the single for its bass and synthesizer.<ref name="Source11" /><ref name="Source14" /> Several media outlets compared Kelly Rowland's vocals to rapping.<ref name="Source11" /><ref name="Source14">{{cite web|url=https://www.soulbounce.com/2018/11/kelly-rowland-kelly-audio/|title=Kelly Rowland Shows Us A Different Side Of Herself On 'Kelly'|last=D-Money|date=November 26, 2018|website=SoulBounce.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201061602/https://www.soulbounce.com/2018/11/kelly-rowland-kelly-audio/|archive-date=December 1, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Wass referred to Rowland as being in "full hip-hop mode".<ref name="Source8" /> Rowland praises herself throughout the song,<ref name="Source13" /><ref name="Source33">{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/11/23/kelly-rowland-new-song-kelly|title=Hear Kelly Rowland's new song "Kelly"|last=Maicki|first=Salvatore|date=November 23, 2018|work=The Fader|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124130926/https://www.thefader.com/2018/11/23/kelly-rowland-new-song-kelly|archive-date=November 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> including boasts about her "class, ass, a man, whips, drip".<ref name="Source43">{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2018/11/kelly-rowland-returns-with-new-single-kelly|title=Kelly Rowland Returns With New Single "Kelly"|last=Cowen|first=Trace William|date=November 23, 2018|work=Complex|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129000932/https://www.complex.com/music/2018/11/kelly-rowland-returns-with-new-single-kelly|archive-date=November 29, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Release == Rowland self-released "Kelly" on November 22, 2018.<ref name="Source5" /><ref name="Source6">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0SMm4Ylfxo|title=Kelly (Official Audio)|date=November 22, 2018|via=YouTube|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123142151/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0SMm4Ylfxo&gl=US&hl=en|archive-date=November 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SourceiTunes">{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/kelly-single/1444220717|title=Kelly - Single|date=November 30, 2018|publisher=Apple Music|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202203320/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kelly-single/1444220717|archive-date=December 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The song was later made available for digital download on November 30.<ref name="SourceiTunes" /> It was Rowland's first solo release since her fourth studio album ''Talk a Good Game'' in 2013.<ref name="Source2">{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kelly-rowland-shares-new-song-kelly-listen/|title=Kelly Rowland Shares New Song "Kelly": Listen|last=Blais-Billie|first=Braudie|date=November 23, 2018|work=Pitchfork|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124141115/https://pitchfork.com/news/kelly-rowland-shares-new-song-kelly-listen/|archive-date=November 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> According to ''HipHopDX''{{'}}s Trent Clark, Rowland used "Kelly" as a gift to her fans.<ref name="Source12">{{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.49322/title.kelly-rowland-drops-off-trappy-self-titled-single|title=Kelly Rowland Drops Off Trappy Self-Titled Single|last=Clark|first=Trent|date=November 23, 2018|work=HipHopDX|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129145000/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.49322/title.kelly-rowland-drops-off-trappy-self-titled-single|archive-date=November 29, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to the song's release, the singer teased lyrics on her Instagram.<ref name="Source102">{{cite web|url=https://www.rap-up.com/2018/11/23/new-music-kelly-rowland-kelly/|title=New Music: Kelly Rowland - 'Kelly'|date=November 23, 2018|work=Rap-Up|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127081036/https://www.rap-up.com/2018/11/23/new-music-kelly-rowland-kelly/|archive-date=November 27, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Rowland used the single cover as her Instagram account's wallpaper.<ref name="Source12" /> She later shared other photos from the same shoot on the social media platform.<ref name="SourceHL">{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodlife.com/2018/11/30/kelly-rowland-topless-promo-photos-new-song-pics/|title=Kelly Rowland, 37 Goes Topless To Promote New Music — Sexy Pics|last=Larocca|first=Courteney|date=November 30, 2018|publisher=Hollywood Life|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123102935/https://hollywoodlife.com/2018/11/30/kelly-rowland-topless-promo-photos-new-song-pics/|archive-date=November 23, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The single led to the hashtag #GoKellyGo.<ref name="SourceBuzzfeed">{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/essencegant/kelly-rowland-real-hair-natural-no-weave|title=Here's What Kelly Rowland's Real Hair Looks Like|last=Gant|first=Essence|date=December 12, 2018|publisher=BuzzFeed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224011214/https://www.buzzfeed.com/essencegant/kelly-rowland-real-hair-natural-no-weave|archive-date=December 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Critical reception == The critical response to "Kelly" was mixed. ''Essence'''s Sydney Scott and Uproxx's Cherise Johnson cited the song as a highlight during the week of its release,<ref name="Source7" /><ref name="SourceEssence">{{cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/entertainment/playlist/9-new-singles-we-loved-this-week-11-30/|title=From Kelly Rowland To Saweetie: 9 New Singles We Loved This Week|last=Scott|first=Sydney|date=November 30, 2018|work=Essence|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201061602/https://www.essence.com/entertainment/playlist/9-new-singles-we-loved-this-week-11-30/|archive-date=December 1, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and Hollywood Life's Courteney Larocca summed it up as "FIRE".<ref name="SourceHL" /> Wass praised the single as catchy, but wrote that it "takes a couple of listens to fully process".<ref name="Source8" /> ''Jezebel'''s Clover Hope criticized "Kelly" as "not a super earworm hit", but felt it was "something sufficient to bop to".<ref name="SourceJezebel">{{cite web|url=https://themuse.jezebel.com/miley-cyrus-possibly-finds-her-place-and-kelly-rowland-1830691163|title=Miley Cyrus Possibly Finds Her Place, and Kelly Rowland Talks Her Shit|last=Hope|first=Clover|date=November 30, 2018|work=Jezebel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207235546/https://themuse.jezebel.com/miley-cyrus-possibly-finds-her-place-and-kelly-rowland-1830691163|archive-date=December 7, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" ! scope="col"| Chart (2018) ! scope="col"| Peak<br>position |- ! scope="row" | US R&B Digital Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kelly-rowland/chart-history/rdt/|title=Kelly Rowland – Kelly – R&B Digital Songs Chart History|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=April 12, 2020}}</ref> | 14 |}
== {{anchor|Release history}}Release history == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders unsortable" |- ! Region !! Format !! Date !! Label |- |rowspan="2"| Various |YouTube<ref name="Source6" /> |November 22, 2018 |rowspan="2"| Kelly Rowland |- |Digital download<ref name="SourceiTunes" /> |November 30, 2018 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Kelly Rowland}}
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Category:2018 songs Category:Kelly Rowland songs Category:American hip-hop songs