The Isle of Wight Festival 2025 will host a historic performance on Saturday, June 21 as singer Emmanuel Kelly will become the first ever differently abled person to play on the Main Stage.
From working with Bruno Mars to touring with Coldplay, Emmanuel has travelled the world with his music.
You can catch him on the Main Stage at 12.55pm on Saturday, June 21.
“It’s pretty wild,” he said about being the first differently abled person to grace the biggest stage at the Isle of Wight Festival.
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“I think it’s going to be an epic day.
“I just want to say a huge thanks to the Giddings family.”
Emmanuel revealed he has ‘studied up’ on the history of the Isle of Wight Festival.
“I think this is one of the best lineups they’ve had in a really long time,” he said.
“I’m part of something so iconic.”
Found in a box on a battlefield in Iraq, Emmanuel was raised in an orphanage until the age of eight.
He then moved to Australia where he had multiple surgeries and learnt to walk for the first time.
After swapping his relationship with music from a ‘safety mechanism’ to a tool to tell his story, Emmanuel got into show business after appearing on X Factor in Australia.
The competition show led him to Los Angeles, where he worked with some of the most influential names in music.
“I’ve had some pretty nuts experiences,” he said.
“Snoop Dogg thought my arm was growing back every time I saw him - I kept having to tell him he was high!”
Emmanuel also worked with Quincy Jones, who was known for his work with Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra.
“[Quincy] was awesome,” Emmanuel said, adding the late producer was a ‘literal genius.’
“The world is blessed to have had him.
“I think he will be in our hearts for the rest of history.”
Emmanuel is certainly making the most of his Isle of Wight visit, staying at an Airbnb and ‘chilling’ ahead of his performance.
“I might start living here,” he joked.
“I love it. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
The Isle of Wight Festival continues this weekend, with performances from Justin Timberlake, Stereophonics and Jess Glynne still to come.
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