Who is Jaya Kelly and Is She Really Transgender?

Jaya Kelly is the daughter of R. Kelly, the famous American R&B singer. She is not transgender but is fluid about her gender identity. Jaya Kelly previously announced that she was a transgender male in 2014 and planned to start undergoing medical procedures, but she later dropped that plan and is now fluid about her gender.

Being the most successful R&B artist in music history, it is not a surprise that many who are close to R. Kelly would make it to the limelight. Jaya is one of the three children the singer had with his ex-wife Andrea Lee. But beyond the fame she finds herself in because of her celebrity father, Jaya is also making headlines for her gender identity and sexuality Read all about it here.

How Old is Jaya Kelly?

Jaya Kelly is 23 years old in 2024. Jaya was born into the famous family of R. Kelly in the year 2000 in the United States of America, and her birthday is 26 November. As a matter of fact, Jaya was born a female child to her parents, R. Kelly, and Andrea Lee, and she grew up with them in the US.

She has two siblings: a sister and a brother named Joann Kelly and Robert Kelly Jr. While Joan is a singer who performs under the name Buku Ab, Robert is a basketball player. Going by the records, Jaya received her high school education at a local school where she started practicing music. She did not further his education at a higher institution but decided to fully pursue his passion for music.

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Meet Jaya Kelly’s Parents

Talking about her family, Jaya was born into a Christian celebrity family. She holds African-American ethnicity and is an American national. Her father, Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is a famous R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer.

Over the course of his recording career, the music star sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making him the most commercially successful R&B male artist and one of the world’s best-selling musicians. What’s more, R. Kelly is also infamous for being a convicted criminal, convicted for racketeering and sex offenses.

He has repeatedly faced sexual abuse allegations that have resulted in several criminal trials and civil suits. He is currently an inmate of Metropolitan Correctional Center, Chicago, and is slated to be sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in February 2023.

On the other hand, Jaya’s mother, Andre Kelly (nee, Lee), is an American choreographer, actress, and dancer. She was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 28th January 1974 and is presently 50 years old. There is little information about her personal life, as she only became popular as a result of her marriage to R. Kelly.

Andrea was R. Kelly’s former backup dancer, and the two got married in 1996. Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce in 2009 after 13 years. Jaya’s mom got remarried in 2012 to Brian McKee, a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman whom she divorced just after two months of marriage. Jaya is very close to her mother and sister Joann and loves to spend time with them.

At What Age Did Jaya Kelly Start Transitioning?

Jaya Kelly started transitioning at the age of 10. She was born a woman; however, in 2014, at the age of 14, the celebrity daughter drew media attention when she publicly announced that she was a transgender male. Jaya made this announcement in an interview she granted with Paper Magazine.

She said that growing up, she realized that she was a young girl who loved different girls, but then, as a result of her orientation, she thought the only way to like another young lady was if you were a boy. Speaking further, Jaya said, “I believe I am a boy and want surgery and the medication to help me be who I was supposed to be”

So, to embrace her manly personality, Jaya Kelly began to wear men’s garments both to school and elsewhere rather than the customary female apparel. Even though this approach got her into “tough situations” as her schoolmates made caricatures of her, Jaya did not care but continued with her transitioning journey.

Also, knowing that her mom gave her a good amount of support, Jaya stayed on top of her transgender game. So, to say the least, Jaya Kelly, who was born a female child, is presently a transgender male. Moreover, she became a source of motivation to many young people who were not comfortable with who they were in regard to their gender identity.

How Has Jaya Kelly’s Family Reacted to his Transition?

In an interview, Jaya spoke about how her family reacted to his gender transition. According to R. Kelly’s daughter, her mom and sister massively support her in her decision and journey to becoming transgender. Her mother specifically had no problem with using the preferred gender pronouns for her.

Meanwhile, Jaya revealed that after she publicly announced herself as transgender, she struggled with depression that resulted in her staying in a psychiatric hospital for some weeks. But her mother was there for her every step of the way and has since been her biggest cheerleader. “Baby, you know I love you if you were bi, gay, lesbian, you name it, and I would still love you so much,” her mother said.

On the other hand, Jaya’s father, R. Kelly, is yet to comment on his daughter’s transgender announcement. In fact, Jaya and her sister Joann do not have a relationship with their singer father. She said that her relationship with her father is really complicated, and he has not reached out ever since she made the announcement.

Meanwhile, Jaya Kelly mentioned that she is longing to undergo gender realignment surgeries, but she knows she would have to wait for more years before embarking on that journey.

Jaya Kelly is a Singer and Rapper Like Her Father, R. Kelly

In the aspect of her career, Jaya Kelly is a singer and rapper, following in her father’s footsteps. She started practicing music in her high school days and is gradually growing her talent in music. She has released a couple of singles which include Reservoir and Focus, among others.

The Star Kid has also performed live at several events, shows, and music concerts. She goes by the stage name JaahBaby.

Being a celebrity kid, Jaya Kelly lives a luxurious lifestyle. Regardless, she is doing her best to build a name for herself outside of her father’s fame. Jaya is currently putting more of her time into her music endeavors in order to make a sustainable career for herself. She is also a self-taught pianist and producer.

As of the time of writing this post (2022), Jaya Kelly is not known to be in any relationship, even though many are curious to know whether her future partner will be male or female. She does not discuss her love and relationship life. At present, Jaya Kelly is not active on any social media platform.

Who are Jaya Kelly’s Siblings?

Jaya Kelly’s siblings are Joann Kelly and Robert Kelly Jr. Joan is her younger sister and is a singer who performs under the name Buku Ab. Robert is Jaya Kelly’s younger brother and maintains a low profile, making it difficult to know what he is up to. However, given his age, he was born in 2002, he would have finished high school now and possibly college as well. Jaya has a good relationship with her siblings, and they are among the few number of friends that she has.

Jaya Kelly’s Family Members

Name	Relationship	Date of Birth	Age
R. Kelly	Father	8 January 1967	57
Andrea Lee	Mother	28 January 1974	50
Joann Kelly	sister	19 March 1998	26
Robert Kelly Jr.	brother	2002	22

FAQs

Who is Jaya Kelly?

Jaya Kelly is the daughter of R Kelly, the disgraced R&B singer, and his ex-wife, Andrea Lee. Jaya was born in 2000 and is a budding singer.

What is Jaya Kelly’s Sexuality?

Jaya Kelly’s sexuality is lesbian. Jaya Kelly stated that she likes girls and that she identifies as a lesbian in a 2019 interview with Paper Magazine.

What is Jaya Kelly’s Net Worth?

Jaya Kelly’s net worth is $300,000 as of 2024, and she made this from her modest music career over the years.

At What Age Did Jaya Kelly Transition?

Jaya Kelly started transitioning at the age of 10. This was when she came out to her mom and started using he and him pronouns as well as dressing in male clothing. Jaya came out publicly as a trans male at the age of 14 and planned to start taking the necessary hormones. She later stopped the transitioning process as she realized that she didn’t have to be a boy in order to like girls. She is now neutral about her gender but identifies as a lesbian.

What is Jaya Kelly Doing Now?

Jaya Kelly is focusing on her music career. She also does other jobs to earn a living and support herself.