From the age of 13, Ian Kelly developed his passion for music by singing in various bands. A self-taught singer-songwriter, arranger, and producer, he wrote, performed every instrument, and recorded his debut album Insecurityentirely on his own.
During his first television appearance, his performance convinced Audiogram president Michel Bélanger to offer him his first recording contract. Supported by Audiogram, his second album Speak Your Mind was certified Gold with more than 45,000 copies sold in Canada. His third album, Diamonds & Plastic, was released in Canada and Europe in 2011. All These Lines, released November 13, 2013, entered the Canadian iTunes Top 10 alongside Eminem, Arcade Fire, Céline Dion, and Lorde.
In 2014, he built a studio in Morin-Heights and founded his own label, Sunset Hill Music, where he produces his own work as well as that of other artists, and composes for film and television. He has written songs for Les Passagers, Paul Rossy, Nolton Lake, Bent by Elephants, Kite Trio, Sunset Hill Jazz Band, and M. Chandler. He also wrote lyrics performed by Céline Dion for the English-language soundtrack of Snowtime! (2015).
On June 23, 2015, he released his concert film Ian Kelly Live / All These Lines Tour, which reached #1 in its category on iTunes. On March 4, 2016, he released the album Super Folk to critical acclaim and also composed the score for the film Innocent.
To share his passion for music and highlight the artistic vitality of his adopted region, the Laurentians, he founded the folk music festival SuperFolk Morin-Heights in 2017. In 2019, he released the French EP Sous la glace and the English album Long Story Short. In 2020, he composed a song for Mental Health Week alongside David Laflèche, Gaële, Nikamu Mamuitun, Florent Vollant, and Marie-Mai. He released the English album Felt Piano Sessions and the French EP Faire semblant in 2021.
In January 2024, Ian Kelly released two new albums: a revisited version of Speak Your Mind and the French-language album Les nuages (ADISQ 2024 nominee).
