Tori Kelly made her mark on late-night Wednesday with her new song “Sorry Would Go a Long Way.” Performing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – her debut on the show – the former American Idol contestant showed off her impressive vocal range and emotional candor through the heartbreaking track.
Kelly’s third studio album, Inspired by True Events, was released last Friday. Following her appearance as a semi-finalist on American Idol in 2010, she released a string of EPs before her debut album, 2015’s Unbreakable Smile, peaked at Number Two on the Billboard 200 chart. Her second album, 2018’s Hiding Place, was primarily a gospel record, but Kelly pivoted back to pop in 2019 with the release of “Change Your Mind” and the announcement of a U.S. tour.
In 2016, Kelly sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss her rise to fame through social media. (Before Idol, she gained a modest fandom through her YouTube channel.)
“When you’re that young, you’re just going through the motions,” she said. “I remember thinking I was running out of time to do stuff. Any sort of rejection that I got hit so hard. It was all meant to happen because it shaped my career and who I’ve become.”