Tori Kelly

Kelly posted acoustic covers during her teens to YouTube that scored her a cult following and the attention of Justin Bieber manager Scooter Braun and Creative Artists Agency.

CAA’s Jeff Krones, who represents Kelly alongside David Klein, told Pollstar “it was hard to deny what she had online with YouTube. … I think very quickly we all started figuring out how to transition her from being a YouTube sensation to her being a real artist selling real tickets.”

Club and theater dates and select supports for Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith followed. Performances at events like the MTV Video Music Awards generated additional buzz.

Kelly debuted Unbreakable in June and she is in the midst of her “Where I Belong” tour of 1,500- to 2,000-cap venues in secondary markets, which Klein said is going smashingly.

“It’s Wallingford, Conn., Montclair N.J., it’s Memphis, it’s New Orleans,” he said. “We’re doing fantastic business in markets that don’t typically get a lot of shows like this and don’t typically sell out like we’re doing on this run.”

The concerts showcase Kelly’s newer pop songs as well as her previous acoustic material that fans know and love. Krones said it’s important to know that Kelly’s success isn’t based on radio play, but through the fan base she’s cultivated with her live show and social media.

“She’s a really talented musician, one of the best vocalists out there,” he said. “This is going to be a long career based on a super-talented musician who can win with an acoustic guitar or an eight-piece backing band.”

Plans are in the works for a tour of major markets in the spring following the release of a new record.