Popularity Award!
Hallels interview with Father Ray Kelly was one of their most popular of 2015. Always exciting when popularity spreads out and far.
The link to Hallels article and the entire interview following.
http://www.hallels.com/articles/14394/20151228/our-most-popular-interviews-of-2015.htm
Hallels: Our
Exclusive Chat with Father Ray Kelly the Singing Priest
Father Ray Kelly is
not just your average priest. He has a brand new record that has just
been released in the US now via Capitol Distribution. The priest came to
the public's notice when in April last year, a video surfaced on YouTube of an unassuming
Catholic priest singing the classic "Hallelujah" at a wedding
ceremony. Father Ray Kelly renders the song in near pitch-perfection,
letting slip an impish grin at one point when the impressed audience's titters
become audible.
"I didn't mean
to shock you," he says, taking the pulpit to thunderous applause. Now at
nearly 40 million views, Father Ray's "Original Big surprise for Bride and
Groom...Chris and Leah O'Kane" has led to a record deal for his debut
album,"Where I Belong."
Already out in
Ireland and Germany, the 12-track effort arrives in the U.K. next week and
stateside on Mar. 9 via Universal imprint Manhattan Records. A mix of
originals, covers, Celtic songs and church hymns, Where I Belong was recorded
in Father Ray's parochial home and at a studio in Vienna last year.
Hallels: When
you sang Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for a wedding ceremony, did you
expect the song to become so big? And why did you decide to sing
"Hallelujah"?
When I sung the
song Hallelujah at the wedding, I just did what I have often done before. So I
was not expecting the song to be put up on Youtube or indeed to have such a
world wide reaction as there was. I sung that song because personalizing it to
suit a weedding makes it special for the bride and groom.
Hallels: What
happened after your rendition of "Hallelujah" went viral? How
did you end up with a record deal?
After the Youtube
clip went viral, the phone and my email started hopping like mad. Radio and T V
stations from all over the world wanted to speak to me live on their shows and
get my reaction. For week I was been sought after, which resulted in T V appearances
in Ireland & Germany. Following that Sony & Universal Music in Ireland
made contact with me with the possibility of a recording contract. Eventually
Universal Music won out with recording the album Where I belong.
Hallels: Was
it a challenge when it came time to choose songs for your album? What
type of songs were you looking for?
Choosing the music
for the album was pretty much straight forward. We wanted the album to have a
strong Irish flavour musically to it. I love Tears in Heaven and Everybody
Hurts and was delighted to be able to record them. I also wanted the album to
have a strong sense of Church and my faith as a Catholic Priest, hence Amazing
grace, How great thou Art and How Marvellous. Obviously we wanted Hallelujah on
it and when word came through that we had permission to record it with the new
wedding words I was so happy. There is a new wedding song on the album as well
specially written for me called Together, forever with love. and the title
track was also written for me called Where I belong. And being Irish the
obvious song were Danny Boy, Galway Bay and Isle of Hope, Isle of tears.
Hallels: Now
that your new record is released in the US, do you have any plans to do a tour
here?
There is no plan in
place yet to do an U S tour but it would be my ultimate dream to be on tour in
the U S, so hopefully down the road, please God.
Hallels: Has
your congregation been supportive of your singing career? And do you sing songs
from your new album in your own parish?
The balance of
being a singer and a parish priest is working well at the moment, once I have
plenty of notice of my music appointments there is no problem fitting them in.
I am a priest for the last 25 and a half years and I love my job, but I equally
now lover being a singer and performing, so as long as I can the two will be
very much part of my life.
Hallels: Has
your congregation been supportive of your singing career? And do you sing songs
from your new album in your own parish?
Yes nearly every
sunday at my masses I sing one/ two songs from my album, usually one or two of
the spiritual songs. The people of my parish have been very supportive and
proud of their parish priest been put on to the big stage like this, as they
say isn't it putting Oldcastle ( my parish ) on the map.
Hallels: For
our readers who would like to purchase your new album or/and find out more
about you, where can they go?
My new album is
available with Amazon and also available in Walmarts, U S, and also Barnes
& Noble
Source: Hallels.com
About Hallels
Hallel is a chant of praise consisting of Psalms 113 through 118 from the Old Testament, used during various biblical festivals and holidays including Passover.
Hallelujah also spelled halleluiah, halleluyah, and the Greek and Latin form alleluia are transliterations of the Hebrew word הַלְּלוּיָהּ meaning "Praise ye Yah" or "Praise Jah, you people". The last syllable is from the first two letters of the name of God, YHWH (also transcribed JHVH). "Praise Jah" is therefore a shortened form of "Praise Yahweh" or, in another transliteration of the name, "Praise Jehovah"
Hallels is a shortcut for more Hallelujahs.
Hallels.com has been running since 2012 for the purpose of serving the Christian community as a Christian music web portal.
Hallels.com is a news website focusing on general entertainment, but especially with a niche in Christian music and Christian entertainment news.
Source: Twitter.com/fatherraykelly, Hallels.com
To submit news past, present or future: contact@fatherrakellynews.com
