Iraqi-born singer Emmanuel Kelly among World Cup half-time show headliners

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Iraqi-born Australian singer Emmanuel Kelly is among the headline performers for the first FIFA World Cup half-time show, appearing alongside major international acts including Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber and Madonna. The performance is tied to Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin again curating the musical programme.

Kelly’s inclusion has drawn attention because of his personal history. According to Al Jazeera, he has said he was discovered as an abandoned baby in a box and raised by nuns at Mother Teresa’s orphanage in Baghdad. He and another boy, Ahmed, who had a similar physical condition, were later brought to Australia by humanitarian worker Moira Kelly for medical care. The two underwent surgeries, used prosthetic limbs, were adopted by Moira Kelly in 2000, and became Australian citizens in 2009.

Kelly first became widely known after competing on Australia’s The X Factor in 2011, where his performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine” circulated widely online. His brother Ahmed went on to represent Australia in para swimming, including winning silver at the Tokyo Paralympics. Emmanuel Kelly’s music career later connected him with Chris Martin, who invited him to sing with Coldplay in Melbourne and later to open for the band during Australian tour dates.

Al Jazeera notes that Kelly also performed at the FIFA Club World Cup final half-time show, where organisers described him as the first differently abled artist to headline a FIFA half-time show. His World Cup appearance is being presented as part of FIFA’s effort to stage a globally watched entertainment event around the final.