Kelly Glow Honors a Decade-Long Journey With "Watch Out"

Kelly Glow has been performing since she was 12, singing and dancing her way through school before developing into a hip-hop and R&B artist rooted in Atlanta. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles before moving to South Metro Atlanta in 1991, she carries both cities with her — a duality she says has shaped "the woman and the artist" she's become, from riding in her uncle's golf cart at an Atlanta country club to dancing with Yeek culture originators Ant Francis and Gary Watson in front of the Varsity. Her new single "Watch Out" has been a long time coming. She first recorded it in 2016 at Ichiban Studio with producer Dantae "Black" Smith, who was killed in an accident less than a week after their session, before the song was finished. She later worked on it with producer Trevoris Scott, but it wasn't until she connected with producer Zona Simz nearly a decade later that the track finally came together. The finished song is dedicated to Black's memory, built around the groove Trevoris Scott laid early on and reshaped by Zona Simz with a shift into heavier bass in its back half. Kelly Glow describes the song as having "two seasons" — a "Winter" born from a period of depression, and a "Summer" that followed years of healing after Black's death. She cites Missy Elliott, Andre 3000, and JID as inspirations, and says listeners have compared her sound to Left Eye and MC Lyte. The song marks the first release in what she calls her "Dragon Mode" style, meant to showcase her lyrical versatility. The accompanying music video was filmed in both Los Angeles and Atlanta. Her hope is that listeners feel empowered — and recognize the "glow" as something anyone refusing to dim their light can claim as their own.