2024 Artists

(Simplistic Sound Music Company) House music takes you places; Cameron Kelly takes you on a mission to find them. For Cameron, house music is much more than a bpm. “It has its own dogma; it’s more of a message than a genre.” Though he’s been playing three decades, he first fell for the rave scene’s world of love and inclusivity, finding it to be a realm of hearts sharing themselves through music.“There’s not a lot of places where people hold that kind of love in their heart.” Finding such a place inspired him to buy turntables, and the rest is history. Originally from New Orleans, Cameron now resides in Philadelphia, a place he says welcomed him with open arms. While many cities have a hard time keeping their underground scenes alive, Philly’s subculture is vibrant with raves, club nights, and afterhours. Cameron is a perfect fit for this environment, enjoying the luxury of always being wanted, and always having a place to play. With a flair for disco house, Cameron mixes the genre with anything he’s drawn to along the way. In his tracks you can find latin rhythms, deep walking basslines, and heavy kicks. His music encompasses the new while paying homage to live instrumentation, classic breakbeats, and epic vocals. One track might bring you to a joyful summer celebration in the city, where kids are playing hopscotch in the street, and grandmothers are dancing their asses off in bathrobes and curlers. Another might bring you to the pews of a church with a choir so powerful it forces you back into your seat while at the same time begging you to do a shimmy down the aisle. Cameron’s music means movement, and amidst the dancing, the audience is often belting right along with the lyrics. When you ask Cameron Kelly a question, the answer is always love. For thirty years he’s put it into everything he does, both on and off the stage. When it comes to house music, his passion “goes beyond its bpm.” And when the music ends, Cameron hopes the audience feels the love and that they too will in some way share it in everything they do. Cameron is inspired by the people he meets along the way, so come meet this guy; word on the street is that he gives great hugs.

Affiliations: The Fishbowl Project, Nola Housing Project has Simplistic Music Company, Guthrie Entertainment