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Welsh electronic trailblazer, Kelly Lee Owens, once again garners the attention of sound aficionados worldwide with her latest album ‘KELLY’, released in 2025. Known for her skill in creating dimensionally vibrant soundscapes, Owens steps a notch further in her latest work, capturing raw energies typically reserved for the pulsating club scene. Her electrifying efforts are deeply steeped in the essence of techno, an alternative sound she has continually championed.
Owens’ musical journey began in the charming coastal town of Rhuddlan, Clwyd. Her early interactions with music involved the innocence such as singing in a school choir and playing instruments like the bass guitar and drum as a teenager. These early musical endeavours marked the inception of a rich career arc that saw Owens serving as an auxiliary nurse in a cancer treatment center in Manchester, to moving to London to fully invest herself in music. Her previous accomplishments included captivating bodies of work, such as ‘Inner Song’ in 2020, ‘LP.8’ in 2022, and ‘Dreamstate’ in 2024.
The new album, ‘KELLY’, revisits Owens’ intrigue with the distinctive power of collective sonic experiences, famously exemplified in club scenes and music events. She describes her recent work as “embodiment of sound”, a reflection of her emotional states and a mirror to the world’s shared unease. Strikingly, Owens gravitates toward audial elements that evoke a sense of disquietude, navigating the thin lines between comfort and chaos. This exploration creates an enigmatic allure that sets her apart from her contemporaries in the music industry.
The versatile artist’s trajectory is punctuated by remarkable moments which helped shape her distinctive electronic sound. Collaborations with creatives such as Daniel Avery, James Greenwood, and Erol Alkan, and mentoring by renowned artistes like St. Vincent and Björk have left an indelible mark on Owens’ music. One of her notable partnerships was on a 2013 album with Avery, known as ‘Drone Logic’. These experiences served as a catalyst for the unique tones and textures that now characterize her music.
However, her artistic journey is not purely music-centric. An advocate for inclusivity and diversity, Owens frequently uses her platform to amplify voices and spaces that dwell outside mainstream culture. This commitment to diversity extends to her merchandising efforts, with her ‘Girls Love Techno’ t-shirts acting as symbols of solidarity for women in electronic music. Drawing from her experiences moving from the indie scene in Wales to the bustling city of Manchester, and finally to the nerve center of Britain’s music industry in London, Owens embodies the importance of embracing diversity and inclusivity within the music world.
In ‘KELLY’, Owens once again lights a beacon for marginalized voices, knitting her love for techno with her advocacy journey. She presents an audial landscape teeming with profound emotion – a danceable artwork exploring the cacophonous side of sound, while highlighting the role of independent club spaces and creative communities. This compelling project builds on the success of previous albums, such as ‘Dreamstate’, throwing a spotlight on Owens as a musical force to be reckoned with. Other artists who share similar ideologies, such as John Cale and Arthur Russell, provide a rich backdrop to her musical endeavors, illustrating her ability to maintain her niche in an ever-evolving music industry.
