Kelly (song)

"Kelly" is a hip hop and R&B song,[2][3] which some critics described as inspired by trap music[2][4] and club music.[2][5] HotNewHipHop's Karlton Jahmal connected the song with "the Atlanta trap sound".[6] Idolator's Mike Wass wrote that the composition had an uptempo "staccato beat",[3] and other commentators noted the single for its bass and synthesizer.[6][7] Several media outlets compared Kelly Rowland's vocals to rapping.[6][7] Wass referred to Rowland as being in "full hip-hop mode".[3] Rowland praises herself throughout the song,[4][8] including boasts about her "class, ass, a man, whips, drip".[9]

Rowland self-released "Kelly" on November 22, 2018.[5][10][11] The song was later made available for digital download on November 30.[11] It was Rowland's first solo release since her fourth studio album Talk a Good Game in 2013.[12] According to HipHopDX's Trent Clark, Rowland used "Kelly" as a gift to her fans.[13] Prior to the song's release, the singer teased lyrics on her Instagram.[14] Rowland used the single cover as her Instagram account's wallpaper.[13] She later shared other photos from the same shoot on the social media platform.[15] The single led to the hashtag #GoKellyGo.[16]

The critical response to "Kelly" was mixed. Essence's Sydney Scott and Uproxx's Cherise Johnson cited the song as a highlight during the week of its release,[2][17] and Hollywood Life's Courteney Larocca summed it up as "FIRE".[15] Wass praised the single as catchy, but wrote that it "takes a couple of listens to fully process".[3] Jezebel's Clover Hope criticized "Kelly" as "not a super earworm hit", but felt it was "something sufficient to bop to".[18]