Laura Power
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 3, 2007

IQALUIT - When Justin Kielly was a kid growing up in St. Mary's Bay in Newfoundland, his parents enrolled him in singing lessons.

Soon, the town discovered his talent and he was singing in choirs. At the age of 14, he tied with a 25-year-old as the male vocalist of the year in the province.

Justin Kielly of Iqaluit just released an album of his original music. - photo courtesy of Justin Kielly

"I've been in music pretty much most of my life," he said.

But it wasn't until his university days in Waterloo, Ont., when he was in a new city surrounded by new people, that he discovered what music meant to him.

"For me, it was a way for me creatively to get through all the trials and tribulations of life," he said.

One night, he sat with his guitar and wrote the song Baymen Strong "Judo Chop," the first song he'd ever written in his life. He proceeded to write five songs during the next couple of weeks, and has been playing original music ever since.

In 2000, Kielly moved to Iqaluit where he now works as a general contractor. Still keeping up with his music, he is now releasing a CD of his music, which he says has undertones of folk, rock, and more.

The CD, which was recorded with and by Michael Doyle of the Northern Ramblers, is a collection of 10 of his original songs called Hold Me Down, which includes songs such as When the Morning Comes and Baymen Strong "Judo Chop."

The project was originally intended to create a demo CD, but Kielly was determined to get his tracks down and worked quick and hard at it.

"I was really focused on what we rehearsed, and I was really prepared to record some of these songs," he said. "I was really eager to get it done, especially with Michael leaving town, and I was under the gun to get it finished."

Doyle added some tracks with mandolin, guitar, drums and other instruments to complete the sound, but Kielly is still hoping to form a complete band with which to play live.

For a start, he recently started playing with guitarist Greg McLaughlin.

"He and I just collaborated and wrote two songs in the past two weeks," said Kielly.

The two will play an acoustic show together at Water's Edge at the Nova Inn on Friday, Dec. 7. Plans are still in the works for a CD release party, as Kielly would like to have a full band together for the gig.