FIFA Club World Cup Performer Emmanuel Kelly on Being First Differently Abled Halftime Star: ‘It's Pretty Extraordinary'
'It's pretty extraordinary,' Kelly told Billboard a few days before performing with Coldplay at Sunday's (July 13) 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final halftime show. Kelly, who was found in a box in a park during the height of the Iraq War as a baby, severely injured by chemical warfare, is the first differently abled pop artist to perform at a halftime show, and he is more than happy to take credit for blazing that trail.
More from Billboard
Doja Cat, Tems & J Balvin to Headline First-Ever FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show
Drake Reacts to 'F-k Kendrick' Chant at 2025 Wireless Festival
'KPop Demon Hunters' Soundtrack Surges to No. 2 on Billboard 200
'It's a market that has never been represented on this scale and someone always has to be the first and for me to be that is a sign of the times,' he said of singing alongside fellow pop icons Tems, J Balvin and Doja Cat and duetting on'Sky Full of Stars' with Coldplay from the roof of MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain.
Billboard chatted with Kelly about the halftime show curated by Coldplay singer Chris Martin — co-produced by Global Citizen, in partnership with Live Nation, Done+Dusted and DPS — and how he turned his childhood dream into a globetrotting reality.
This is the first time a person with a disability will headline a global event or halftime show of this magnitude. How does that feel to hear that?
Extraordinary… the wall and barriers are breaking down and we're living in a society that recognizes that talent is talent and a gift is a gift. It's an honor and a privilege and I feel like the luckiest person in the world. I'm a huge fan of FIFA and a huge fan of people being seen for who they are and I get to show that to 2.5 billion people on Sunday.
Have to ask, what's your team?
I'm a Chelsea fan in general, but for a long time I was a Real Madrid CF fan, but I felt they got too rich and got too many players. But I'm also a fan of players and I gravitate towards individuals who are awesome human beings in whatever form, because all humans have the capability to be great.
Talk about performing with Tems, J Balvin, Doja Cat and Coldplay at the Club World Cup final. That's a pretty epic stage to be on for what will likely be most of the world's first exposure to you.
It's not bad. I like to say they're all taking the lineup with me. [Laughs] I've been a huge fan of J Balvin since he globally popped on the scene 10 years ago and I'm a big Latin music fan in general. Reggaeton was going to be a start for me at one point. … I've done a few Latin tours. Doja, she's a class act and has this unassuming nature but is so cool and vibey. And then Tems, I'll be honest, I was new to her music until Chris introduced me to her. I'm in love, she has a really cool vibe. I'm in great company with Chris, though I'm not even sure why he's singing with me. [Laughs] He should be grateful he's allowed to sing with me.
How did you end up on this bill? What's your relationship with Chris?
He's a brother to me. It started in 2016 when we first met.
What was the connection?
Energy, positivity, love. I'm a believer that everything in this universe has its way and there are random acts, but those acts lead to cause and reaction. Where Chris was at in his life and his career and where I was at in my life and career created a random act and the cause of that was Chris learning about me and the reaction was Chris taking action to want to meet me and become my mentor. I told him he's been an inspiration to me since I was a little kid. One of the first songs I learned when I came to Australia [at 8-years-old Kelly and his brother were brought to Australia by humanitarian Moira Kelly and underwent life-saving surgeries] and could barely speak English was [Coldplay's breakthrough 2000 hit] 'Yellow.' I can only shine so bright, but everybody's brightness shines because they have electricity around them that fires those bulbs and lights them up.
What was the spark from Chris?
Chris has an electricity that allows me to shine as bright as I can be and he has people around him who do that for him and now we kind of do that for each other. When I was 11-years-old I put a sign on my mirror and looked at it every day and it said I would tour with Coldplay one day. During a dark time when I was homeless in L.A. and lost hope and love for myself, I found a way out by remembering all the good in my life. I let go of ego and pride and asked for help and I took that sign from when I was a kid and put it on the wall again and said, 'this dream cannot end.' [Coldplay's] 'Yellow' was the first song I ever learned, before 'Imagine,' and I sang it to my mom, who had no idea who they were. Chris is an extraordinary individual who has an electricity that fires a lot of people up. I was going around Hollywood asking everyone — from Snoop Dogg and the Quincy Jones camp to random Joe Blows — if they knew Chris Martin. I asked 1,500 people in the span of six months and the 1,499th person connected me with Dr. Habib Sadeghi [co-founder with Martin of the Love Button Global Movement]. He said 'it will happen when it's supposed to happen.'
You opened four shows in Sydney with Coldplay last year and now you're jumping up to the biggest stage there is, so describe the plans for the FIFA gig.
Chris will be coming out as my special guest, even though it was all planned by him! [Laughs] We will come together to sing 'Sky Full of Stars,' which is a beautiful sentiment for anyone who wants to reach out to the stars and grab them. I believe that this will be one of the greatest halftime shows from a spectacle point of view we've ever seen. The way the MetLife stage is set up we're on the third floor up on the roof and singing in the sky.
You've achieved so much against such major odds. If you had a message for other aspiring singers, of whatever ability, what would you tell them?
Be your version of an outlier. Be an outlier and don't be afraid to be different. Being different is cool. I've had labels and execs and shows turn me down because I'm an outlier, and that's never stopped me. Don't complain about the situation; fix it yourself. If you don't like how things are rolling, do something about it. Be the change. You be the change and be the best version of yourself and don't be afraid to be different.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump considers changing US 'soccer' to 'football' in hosting World Cup
Trump, a former U.S. football team owner, has already ordered the government to make other name changes, including calling the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is talking about putting his foot down. While watching the FIFA Club World Cup final match July 13, he told streaming channel DAZN TV he was considering issuing an executive order to change the name of the sport in the U.S. from 'soccer' to 'football,' as it called around the rest of the world. 'I think we can do that, I think I could do that,' Trump said with a laugh for the interview published July 14. 'They call it 'football,' but I guess we call it 'soccer,' but that change could be made very easily," Trump addd. "But it's great to watch.' Trump is no stranger to name changes, having already ordered the government to change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and then pressured private mapmakers to follow suit. The sport is widely called football in Europe and much of the world, while the U.S., Canada and Australia refer to the came as call it soccer. Pointedly calling the sport soccer has long been a prominent symbol of defiance for American national teams and their supporters. Christian Pulisic, one of the national team's star attackers, celebrated in a handmade "it's called soccer" undershirt after scoring against Mexico in a 2022 World Cup qualifying match. Trump, a former owner of the New Jersey Generals in the U.S. Football League in the 1980s, has promoted the sport that might formerly be known as soccer because the U.S. will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada next year. The championship will be played in the same place, New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, where Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0. Trump was seated at the game next to Gianni Infantino, the president of the Federation Internationale de Football Association. Fans booed Trump when appeared briefly on the jumbotron during the national anthem and when he posed with match referees during the trophy ceremony. Trump handed Chelsea their trophy and stood in the middle of the players for their team photo and celebration. "I knew he was going to be there but I didn't know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy so I was a bit confused," said Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer, who scored two goals during the match. Contributing: Reuters
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Commentary: 2026 FIFA World Cup dress rehearsal exposes the big problem of extreme heat
Al Ain's Park Yong-woo cools off during a FIFA Club World Cup match against Wydad AC on June 26. Hot weather likely will be part of next year's FIFA World Cup in North America. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press) Six weeks ago in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed one of Europe's top teams in the UEFA Champions League final, earning a trophy and recognition as the world's best club team. On Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., PSG handed that mantle to Chelsea, which routed the exhausted Parisians 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final, PSG's worst loss in nearly two years. Advertisement So ended the first expanded Club World Cup, a tournament manufactured mainly to monetize the sport while lengthening the season six weeks for some teams — both PSG and Chelsea were playing for the 65th time in 48 weeks — and further congesting an already crowded schedule for others. And though it attracted more than 2.4 million fans overall, more than a quarter of the games drew fewer than 17,000 people, four got less than 9,000 and the competition overall averaged about the same attendance as the top 25 summer friendlies played in the U.S. last summer. Read more: Chelsea overwhelms Paris Saint-Germain to win FIFA Club World Cup title That's after FIFA, the event's organizer, drastically reduced ticket prices and, in some cases, let people in for free. So why did we play this tournament at all? Well, the best answer is the Club World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the real World Cup, which will be played at the same time and in some of the same stadiums next year. And if what FIFA learned from the club tournament doesn't force it back to the drawing board to make some major changes for next summer — especially to kickoff times — it will be an education wasted. Advertisement The biggest takeaway was the weather. It was way too hot (and humid and stormy and just generally yucky). Chelsea played three of its seven games in temperatures described by local weather authorities as 'extreme,' meaning people were told to avoid strenuous physical activity or, in some cases, to even avoid going outdoors. (Sunday's final kicked off in 81-degree temperatures and 69% humidity, conditions that necessitated two hydration breaks.) 'The heat is incredible,' Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said in Spanish before the final. 'The other day I got a bit dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was dizzy. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.' But it's not just the danger to players FIFA should worry about (although that, clearly, is paramount). The conditions also change the way the game must be played, making it far less attractive to viewers. Advertisement 'The speed of the game is not the same. Everything becomes very slow,' Fernandez said. 'Let's hope that next year they change the schedule.' Wydad AC's Cassius Mailula, center, and Mohamed Moufid try to cool off during a FIFA Club World Cup group match against Al Ain FC in Washington on June 26. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Associated Press) For the Club World Cup, many games started at midday or in the early afternoon so they could be broadcast in prime time in Europe and Africa. But the conditions on the field were often oppressive as a result. MetLife Stadium, where Sunday's final was played, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final, next summer. And while the kickoff times for that tournament won't be revealed until the World Cup draw in December, BBC Sport said it has learned FIFA plans to start many East Coast games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time. Advertisement FIFA issued a statement earlier this month that suggested it is not taking the problem near seriously enough, touting the hydration breaks, in which matches are halted so players can get a drink, as 'significant and progressive measures ... being taken to protect the players from the heat.' FIFPRO, the union representing international soccer players, isn't being so dismissive. Read more: News Analysis: U.S. lost the Gold Cup final to Mexico, but Mauricio Pochettino still earned a win "From a health and safety perspective, this [extreme heat] is something that must take priority over commercial interests with regards to the safety of the players," Alexander Bielefeld, the union's director of policy and strategic relations, said on a conference call. 'Heat conditions are not happening in a vacuum. The debate on extreme heat is not happening in a vacuum. Advertisement 'It's actually quite foreseeable." According to FIFPRO, at least three games at the Club World Cup should have been suspended or postponed because of extreme weather. It was so hot during a group-play game in Cincinnati, in fact, Borussia Dortmund's bench players stayed in the locker room, watching the first half on TV. The last World Cup that played in the U.S., in 1994, remains the hottest in history, which is remarkable for a tournament that since been played in Africa and the Middle East. That year Mexico and Ireland faced off in Orlando, Fla., where midday temperatures hit 105 degrees. And it was 100 degrees on the field for the final, which kicked off at noon at the Rose Bowl. (Not surprisingly that game ended in a scoreless draw, as did the 1999 Women's World Cup final, played at the Rose Bowl under equally as oppressive conditions. Both games were decided in penalty kicks.) More severe weather is all but certain next year. Advertisement 'What you're seeing right now is very typical,' Ben Schott, operations chief with the National Weather Service, told the Athletic. 'Next year we may be going through the same thing. That's not good since a half-dozen Club World Cup games were delayed or halted by weather this summer, including Chelsea's round-of-16 win over Benfica in Charlotte, N.C. That match was paused for two hours because of lightning. Read more: Far from the Gold Cup, Christian Pulisic connects with youth soccer players who inspire him 'I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game,' Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. 'But if you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition." Advertisement FIFA had a chance to protect its most valuable property, the World Cup final, by scheduling it for one of the four roofed stadiums chosen to host games in the U.S. in 2026. Instead it will tempt fate — and the weather gods — by playing the final at open-air MetLife. If there were a silver lining to these storm clouds — I'm trying to be positive here — it's that coaches and players are now keenly aware of what awaits them next summer, giving them ample time to get ready. 'We're going to come prepared next year,' said Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram, a French international. 'There's a lot of players that are doing the Club World Cup that will be doing the World Cup with their countries next year. So I think it's a good preparation.' Let's hope FIFA is preparing as well. Because if the heat was on for the Club World Cup, it will be even warmer for the organizers of the real World Cup next summer. Advertisement ⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week's episode of the 'Corner of the Galaxy' podcast. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
5 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
2026 FIFA World Cup dress rehearsal exposes the big problem of extreme heat
Six weeks ago in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain overwhelmed one of Europe's top teams in the UEFA Champions League final, earning a trophy and recognition as the world's best club team. On Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J., PSG handed that mantle to Chelsea, which routed the exhausted Parisians 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final, PSG's worst loss in nearly two years. So ended the first expanded Club World Cup, a tournament manufactured mainly to monetize the sport while lengthening the season six weeks for some teams — both PSG and Chelsea were playing for the 65th time in 48 weeks — and further congesting an already crowded schedule for others. And though it attracted more than 2.4 million fans overall, more than a quarter of the games drew fewer than 17,000 people, four got less than 9,000 and the competition overall averaged about the same attendance as the top 25 summer friendlies played in the U.S. last summer. That's after FIFA, the event's organizer, drastically reduced ticket prices and, in some cases, let people in for free. So why did we play this tournament at all? Well, the best answer is the Club World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the real World Cup, which will be played at the same time and in some of the same stadiums next year. And if what FIFA learned from the club tournament doesn't force it back to the drawing board to make some major changes for next summer — especially to kickoff times — it will be an education wasted. The biggest takeaway was the weather. It was way too hot (and humid and stormy and just generally yucky). Chelsea played three of its seven games in temperatures described by local weather authorities as 'extreme,' meaning people were told to avoid strenuous physical activity or, in some cases, to even avoid going outdoors. (Sunday's final kicked off in 81-degree temperatures and 69% humidity, conditions that necessitated two hydration breaks.) 'The heat is incredible,' Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said in Spanish before the final. 'The other day I got a bit dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was dizzy. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.' But it's not just the danger to players FIFA should worry about (although that, clearly, is paramount). The conditions also change the way the game must be played, making it far less attractive to viewers. 'The speed of the game is not the same. Everything becomes very slow,' Fernandez said. 'Let's hope that next year they change the schedule.' For the Club World Cup, many games started at midday or in the early afternoon so they could be broadcast in prime time in Europe and Africa. But the conditions on the field were often oppressive as a result. MetLife Stadium, where Sunday's final was played, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final, next summer. And while the kickoff times for that tournament won't be revealed until the World Cup draw in December, BBC Sport said it has learned FIFA plans to start many East Coast games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time. FIFA issued a statement earlier this month that suggested it is not taking the problem near seriously enough, touting the hydration breaks, in which matches are halted so players can get a drink, as 'significant and progressive measures ... being taken to protect the players from the heat.' FIFPRO, the union representing international soccer players, isn't being so dismissive. 'From a health and safety perspective, this [extreme heat] is something that must take priority over commercial interests with regards to the safety of the players,' Alexander Bielefeld, the union's director of policy and strategic relations, said on a conference call. 'Heat conditions are not happening in a vacuum. The debate on extreme heat is not happening in a vacuum. 'It's actually quite foreseeable.' According to FIFPRO, at least three games at the Club World Cup should have been suspended or postponed because of extreme weather. It was so hot during a group-play game in Cincinnati, in fact, Borussia Dortmund's bench players stayed in the locker room, watching the first half on TV. The last World Cup that played in the U.S., in 1994, remains the hottest in history, which is remarkable for a tournament that since been played in Africa and the Middle East. That year Mexico and Ireland faced off in Orlando, Fla., where midday temperatures hit 105 degrees. And it was 100 degrees on the field for the final, which kicked off at noon at the Rose Bowl. (Not surprisingly that game ended in a scoreless draw, as did the 1999 Women's World Cup final, played at the Rose Bowl under equally as oppressive conditions. Both games were decided in penalty kicks.) More severe weather is all but certain next year. 'What you're seeing right now is very typical,' Ben Schott, operations chief with the National Weather Service, told the Athletic. 'Next year we may be going through the same thing. That's not good since a half-dozen Club World Cup games were delayed or halted by weather this summer, including Chelsea's round-of-16 win over Benfica in Charlotte, N.C. That match was paused for two hours because of lightning. 'I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game,' Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said. 'But if you suspend seven, eight games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.' FIFA had a chance to protect its most valuable property, the World Cup final, by scheduling it for one of the four roofed stadiums chosen to host games in the U.S. in 2026. Instead it will tempt fate — and the weather gods — by playing the final at open-air MetLife. If there were a silver lining to these storm clouds — I'm trying to be positive here — it's that coaches and players are now keenly aware of what awaits them next summer, giving them ample time to get ready. 'We're going to come prepared next year,' said Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram, a French international. 'There's a lot of players that are doing the Club World Cup that will be doing the World Cup with their countries next year. So I think it's a good preparation.' Let's hope FIFA is preparing as well. Because if the heat was on for the Club World Cup, it will be even warmer for the organizers of the real World Cup next summer. ⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week's episode of the 'Corner of the Galaxy' podcast.
