Tori Kelly’s recent health scare has led to positive new music.
In an interview with PEOPLE at the Recording Academy Honors on Thursday, the 31-year-old singer-songwriter revealed that she wrote her “inspirational” new single “High Water,” out Feb. 9, as a late addition to her upcoming album, which follows her hospitalization 2023 .due to blood clots.
“I had a health scare last year, so I thought my album was done, and when that happened, I was like, ‘I need an inspirational song. I need something to pick me up from this place,'” Kelly tells PEOPLE at the event. “I just hope it gets other people on their feet when they hear it.”
Tori Kelly gives health update after reported collapse, hospitalization for blood clots: ‘Scary few days’
Tori Kelly.
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
In July 2023, the “Nobody Love” singer collapsed while out to dinner with friends in LA, before being rushed to the hospital, where doctors found blood clots around her lungs and legs.
She opened up about her experience in an interview for October on Show Jennifer Hudson. “One night I actually ended up collapsing and they found out I had blood clots. It was really crazy and scary,” the star explained.
“My family was definitely there for me. I was calm for the most part, but I was just a little confused and wondering what was going on,” Kelly added. “Luckily, I had great doctors who could take care of everything and get me well.”
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Tori Kelly.
Leon Bennett/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
She then added: “It seems to be bearable now. I feel amazing. I’m still being followed, but yes, I feel great. I’m back to singing and doing my own thing again. I feel really good, I’m really grateful.”
After her hospitalization, Kelly fired her Tori EP, embarked on a North American concert tour and appeared at several events — including the Recording Academy Honors, presented by the Black Music Collective.
During the ceremony at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, she performed Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love” in tribute to Songbird Supreme, who was honored.
Tori Kelly shares health update after ‘terrible’ collapse and hospital stay: ‘Feeling amazing’
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Tori Kelly.
Momodu Mansaray/WireImage
Kelly updated PEOPLE on her current condition at the event. “I feel great,” she said. “Health is good, I feel grateful. New music coming soon.”
The To sing star also opened up about her journey through music, from first gaining fans through YouTube covers to becoming a pop star and transitioning into the gospel genre — before recently turning to Y2K-inspired R&B/pop sounds.
“I’d like to think of myself as genre-less, I guess, because I just grew up listening to so many different styles,” Kelly said. “But I will say, [on] on this upcoming album, I think I’m really exploring all these different sides of myself — a lot of sides that people haven’t seen before and a few sides that people might be familiar with.”
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Source: HIS Education