Justyna Kelley
Biographie Justyna Kelley
Justyna Kelley
Born and raised in Nashville, Justyna Kelley grew up surrounded by music. Her mother, the acclaimed country songwriter Irene Kelley, laid the groundwork for Justyna’s early immersion into the world of songcraft. From a young age, Kelley was not only singing harmonies on her mother’s tour bus but was also beginning to shape a voice of her own. Music was a second language in the Kelley household.
In 2009, while rehearsing in a Nashville dance studio, Justyna was discovered by legendary music executive Charles Koppelman. This serendipitous encounter led to a development deal and the beginning of her professional recording career. By 2012, she released her debut album and soon after relocated to Paris, where she signed with XIII Bis Records (Warner Music France). Over the next three years, she opened for international acts like David Hallyday, Jackson Browne, and the Gypsy Kings, performing to audiences across Europe.
Her time in Paris deepened both her musical and linguistic fluency. She began composing and producing tracks for film, television, and advertising, collaborating with Universal Publishing Production Music France. In 2016, she released the album Nashville, Tennessee, a cross-cultural collection of Americana-influenced songs that earned a nomination at the prestigious Mark Awards, honoring excellence in production music. That same year, her co-written song “Anything to Help You Say Goodbye," a collaboration with her mother and the iconic Steve Cropper, reached No. 1 on the Grassicana charts, a nod to her roots in bluegrass and country.
The daughter of acclaimed singer-songwriter Irene Kelley, Justyna grew up surrounded by Nashville’s creative energy and began performing before she could talk. Writing songs and stories as soon as she could hold a pen, she developed a natural gift for melody, emotion, and language — a passion that later led her to earn a degree in Theatre, English, and French (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of the South.
After launching her career between Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York, Justyna was discovered by legendary producer Charles Koppelman (Billy Joel, Madonna, Mary J. Blige) and began recording her first professional demos. She later signed her first international deal with 13 Bis Records / Warner France and moved to Paris — a city that still inspires much of her work today.
Fluent in French and Italian, Justyna now splits her time between both Nashville and Paris, writing, producing, and performing music that blends Southern storytelling with global perspective. She has written, sung, and produced projects for Warner Chappell, Universal Production Music, TF1/Kaptain Music, APM Music, and BMG with credits spanning NBC, MTV, CBS, Discovery Channel, and brands like Cheerios, Firestone, and Wonderbra.
Today, she is recognized not only for her voice but for her distinct production style — blending organic instruments with cinematic textures and layered harmonies that define her sound. Her self-produced album "From Nashville With Love" (TF1/Kaptain Music) showcases her evolution as a multi-instrumentalist and producer, and she is currently completing a new album for Warner Chappell Production Music titled "Heartland Drive", alongside several other projects in development.
A producer, engineer, and performer, Justyna’s work has earned multiple industry accolades, including a Mark Award nomination for Best Country Album for her Universal album "Nashville, TN" and songwriting credits that reached #1 on the Grassicana charts. She also tours and records with her mother and sister in the family trio Women of Kelley, continuing a legacy of harmony and authenticity.
Through every project, Justyna brings a rare combination of heart, craft, and vision — a true artist-producer forging her own path between Nashville roots and international horizons.
