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Kelly Lee Owens: The musical ups and downs of my life

Kelly Lee Owens shares the songs that have sound-tracked her life and how her experiences and emotions are woven into her own music.

Kelly Lee Owens shares the pivotal moments that have made her the artist she is today.

Talking to Nemone, who combines her roles of DJ and qualified psychotherapist, Kelly dives deep to share her story and the songs that have moved her and sound-tracked the ups and downs of her life. The Welsh electronic musician and producer also reveals how personal experiences and emotions are woven through her own work.

At age 19, Kelly moved from Wales to Manchester to work at a cancer treatment hospital. While working as an auxiliary nurse, she would use her paid leave to help run local indie festivals. It was the patients who would ultimately urge her to pursue her music career.

The energetic, enigmatic electronic artist released her self-titled debut album in 2017. Since then Kelly has racked up an incredible set of career moments - DJing in Ibiza with Charlie XCX, Romy and Shygirl last Summer, Glastonbury, and her own legendary Boiler Room set. Kelly has gathered an enviable set of producers for her hypnotic, euphoric fourth studio album 鈥楧reamstate鈥 which was released to rapturous reviews last October. It鈥檚 a deeply personal album, one of self-discovery, healing, and transformation. Kelly reflects on the importance of dreaming, particularly for fans who come from a similar world to her. 鈥淲hen you come from a world where nothing is handed to you, it鈥檚 more important than ever to dream bigger and give yourself permission to pursue the impossible鈥.

Kelly has always attracted an impressive array of collaborators, from Daniel Avery, who first encouraged her into the studio, to John Cale and actor Michael Sheen, who respectively sang on and starred in the video for her 2020 single 鈥楥orner of My Eye鈥. Kelly鈥檚 latest album was self-produced, with additional production and programming from George Daniel, BICEP, and The Chemical Brothers.

In this episode Kelly explores her memories of childhood, what she learnt working as a care worker in a hospice, her family鈥檚 spiritual leanings, and how she鈥檚 honed her own musical craft.

In this series Nemone also talks in depth to musicians Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, Beth Ditto and Sharon Van Etten.

If you need support with some of the issues in this programme visit bbc.co.uk/actionline.

3 days left to listen

1 hour

Music Played

  • Kelly Lee Owens

    Jeanette

    • Smalltown Supersound.
  • The Prodigy

    Firestarter

    • XL.
  • Kelly Lee Owens

    On

    • Smalltown Supersound.
  • Blondie

    Rapture

    • Chrysalis.
  • Kate Bush

    Wow

    • Lionheart.
    • EMI.
    • 9.
  • Oasis

    Champagne Supernova

    • Creation Records.
  • Britney Spears

    Born To Make You Happy

    • Now 45 (Various Artists).
    • EMI.
  • Kelly Lee Owens

    Corner Of My Sky (feat. John Cale)

    • Corner of My Sky (ft. John Cale).
    • Smalltown Supersound.
    • 1.
  • John Cale

    Paris 1919

    • PARIS 1919.
    • Warner Bros.
  • Daniel Avery

    Drone Logic

    • Drone Logic.
    • Phantasy / Because Music.
    • 001.
  • Four Tet

    Two Thousand And Seventeen

  • Kelly Lee Owens

    Love You Got

    • dh2.

Broadcast

  • Wed 15 Jan 2025 23:00