Kelsey Lu
American singer and cellist (born 1989)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kelsey Elizabeth McJunkins (born May 12, 1991), known professionally as Kelsey Lu, is an American singer and cellist based in Los Angeles, California.[3][4]
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May 12, 1991
- Singer
- cellist
Kelsey Lu | |
|---|---|
Lu in 2026 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Kelsey Elizabeth McJunkins May 12, 1991 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Avant pop,[1] baroque pop[2] |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Early life and education
Kelsey Lu was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and had a strict Jehovah's Witness upbringing.[5] Both of Lu's parents are musicians: their father is a percussionist, their mother a pianist.[6] Their father's family hails from Nigeria.[7] Lu began studying classical composition at age 6, learning piano, violin, and cello.[5] At age 18, Lu left their family home to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts on a scholarship.[6] A year later, they dropped out of the school.[8]
Career
Kelsey Lu recorded their debut EP, Church, in a church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.[9] During this time, they toured with the band Wet as their opening act.[5] They released Church in 2016.[10] They released their debut album, Blood, in 2019.[11] In that year, they also released Blood Transfusion, a collection of remixes of tracks from Blood.[12] Lu uses they/them pronouns.[13]
On March 18, 2026, Lu announced their second studio album So Help Me God with the release of the single "Running to Pain". Produced by Jack Antonoff and Yves Rothman, the album is scheduled for release on June 12 via the label Dirty Hit. Featured artists will include Sampha, Kamasi Washington, and Kim Gordon.[14]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Blood |
|
| So Help Me God |
|
Soundtrack albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Daughters |
|
| Earth Mama |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Church |
|
Remix albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Blood Transfusion |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Morning After Coffee"[15] | 2016 | Church |
| "Empathy"[16] | ||
| "Shades of Blue"[17] | 2018 | Non-album single |
| "Due West"[18] | Blood | |
| "I'm Not Love"[19] | 2019 | |
| "Blood"[20] | ||
| "Foreign Car"[21] | ||
| "Morning Dew"[22] | 2020 | Non-album single |
| "Let All the Poisons That Lurk in the Mud Seep Out" (with Yves Tumor featuring Kelly Moran and Moses Boyd)[23] | ||
| "Ride or Die" (with Boys Noize featuring Chilly Gonzales)[24] |
2021 | |
| "Love & Validation" (with Boys Noize)[25] | ||
| "French Lessons" (with Mykki Blanco)[26] |
2022 | Stay Close to Music |
| "Running To Pain"[14] | 2026 | So Help Me God |
| "Portrait Of A Lady On Fire"[14] | ||
| "Better Than That"[14] | ||
| "Comfort"[14] | ||
| "Cutting Off The Head Of A Ghost"[14] | ||
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Picture This" | 2011 | The Away Team | Scars & Stripes |
| "Lost Souls" | 2011 | L'Orange | Old Soul |
| "Where or When"[27] | 2020 | Onyx Collective | Manhattan Special |
| "Manchild" | 2022 | Neneh Cherry | The Versions |
Tours
- 2019 – "Blood Tour"
- 2026 – "So Help Me God Tour"
Filmography
- Short Film
- House Comes with a Bird, Directed by Janicza Bravo (2022)
- So Help Me God The Film, Directed by Savanah Leaf (2026)
- Web Show
- Hydroharmonia, format 2 episodies (2020)