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Kelley Polar

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Kelley Polar
Kelley Polar
Kelley Polar
Background information
Birth nameMichael Kelley
OriginSullivan, New Hampshire

Kelley Polar, born Michael Kelley, is an American musician, alternative dance vocalist and music producer. He is based in Harrisville, New Hampshire.[1]

Career

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Originally a classical violist from Providence, Rhode Island,[2] he studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and then at Juilliard, where he collaborated with Metro Area's Darshan Jesrani and Morgan Geist on tracks like "Miura", "The Art of Hot" and "Caught Up".[3] He released a number of solo EPs under the alias of the Kelley Polar Quartet on Environ Records. His first album as Kelley Polar, Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens, was released in 2005 and contains elements of house, disco and pop. His follow-up I Need You To Hold On While The Sky Is Falling was released in March 2008 in the US and most of Europe. In 2012, Madonna sampled Polar's "Ashamed of Myself" in a medley, mixing it up with her own songs "Candy Shop" and "Erotica" in one of the most talked about sections of the MDNA Tour, giving Kelley Polar worldwide exposure.

He is the younger brother of Blevin Blectum.[3]

As Mike Kelley, he is the violist for the Apple Hill Chamber Players.[4]

Discography

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Year Title Artist(s) Label Type Notes
2002 Audition EP Kelley Polar Quartet Environ, New York City, New York Single/EP
2003 Recital EP Kelley Polar Quartet Environ, New York City, New York Single/EP
2004 Rococo EP Kelley Polar Quartet Environ, New York City, New York Single/EP
2005 Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens Kelley Polar Environ, New York City, New York Album [3]
2007 Chrysanthemum Kelley Polar Environ, New York City, New York Single/EP [4][dead link]
2008 I Need You To Hold On While The Sky Is Falling Kelley Polar Environ, New York City, New York Album [5][6]
2011 I'm Not What You Want Kelley Polar Environ, New York City, New York Single/EP
2022 Control Kelley Polar, Morgan Geist (Au Suisse) City Slang, Berlin, Germany Single/EP
2022 Au Suisse Kelley Polar, Morgan Geist (Au Suisse) City Slang, Berlin, Germany Album [7]

References

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  1. ^ "In search of Kelley Polar". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  2. ^ "The Double Life of Mike Kelley (Polar)". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  3. ^ a b c Sherburne, Philip (2005-11-22). "Record Review: Kelley Polar Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  4. ^ a b "Pitchfork: Kelley Polar Prunes "Chrysanthemum", New Album". Archived from the original on 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  5. ^ "KELLEY POLAR: I Need You To Hold On While The Sky Is Falling [Environ]". Magnet Magazine. 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  6. ^ "Kelley Polar: I Need You to Hold On While the Sky is Falling | Records". Cokemachineglow. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  7. ^ "Au Suisse Album Review". Pitchfork. 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
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