It’s no surprise that musician, songwriter and melodic wizard Killian Wells, hails from New York City. Only the eclectic excitement of a town like NYC could produce a pop Svengali whose music appeals to dance freaks, new wavers and rockers alike. Although still young, the able tunesmith has been at the game seemingly forever, which may account for his mastery of his many musical styles.
Those around him always knew Killian wasn’t a typical teenager. Against his parents’ wishes, the striking, blonde-haired, blue-eyed wunderkind dropped out of the formal education scene at 14 and began making regular trips from upstate New York to the Big Apple, only to move there soon after. Music became his high school. Although he struggled with anxiety and panic disorder since a boy, Killian learned to masterfully harness that nervous energy into his music - a pop pastiche of jumpy, thrilling electro-rocking hooks - in all of the best possible ways.
Killian knew early on that he didn’t fit the small-town lifestyle. As the kid notes so succinctly, “Manhattan may not be my hometown, but it’s where I grew up … the city allowed me to find myself.” After recording just a few demos it wasn’t long before Killian was working with platinum-selling writers, producers, and even Lady Gaga’s vocal coach. Thanks to his vocal chops and good looks, he was approached to front a German reincarnation of New Kids on the Block, but passed, knowing he’d be denied any creative input. This was not just some blonde singing marionette after all, but a pop auteur.
At just 17, Killian began co-producing his own material and formed the production team Sir Killian and Christof, a musical partnership that continues to this day.
Marked as “someone to watch” by bloggers, critics and fans alike, the buzz about Killian is growing. In the summer of 2010, Killian made considerable noise with his debut single and music video “V.I.P,” released through his own label, Inferno Records. The controversial video established Killian as part of the new wave of ‘shock-pop artists’ and was put into rotation by HBO and MTV in both the U.S. and abroad, sharing screen time with artists such as La Roux and Brandon Flowers.
Sonically, the high-gloss pop exterior of Killian Wells has been compared to a mash-up of Ke$ha and Lady Gaga with a kickin’ urban edge. Killian’s tone and delivery also has trace elements of 80’s superstars George Michael and Prince.
Something of a renaissance man for the new millennium, young Wells plays a role in all aspects of his career; from art directing his own photo and video shoots to designing clothing and accessories (dig his much lauded Nintendo Power Glove covered in hot pink enamel, spikes, and Swarovski Crystals).
Displaying the charm and heartthrob looks of a Tiger Beat pinup, the serious musical skills of a Michael Jackson, and the ambition of a ‘Welles’ of a different era (Orson), there seems to be no limit to what Killian Wells can accomplish.
“There isn’t much time during my waking hours that I’m not listening to music or producing it,” says Killian, “I just want to move others with my songs,” he says, “Even if it’s only for three and a half minutes at a time.”
-Peter Gerstenzang
