“American Idol” season 9 alum Tori Kelly is feeling grateful as she is about to release her highly anticipated sixth studio album, “God Must Really Love Me.” In a conversation with Variety about the record, set for release on June 12, the singer shared that fans will get a peek into the most meaningful chapters of her life, sharing, “My faith, my marriage and then motherhood.”
In fact, the album features a very special guest: Kelly’s son, Zayden Murillo, whom she welcomed with her husband, André Murillo, in November 2025.
Tori Kelly Opens up About Her New Album ‘God Must Really Love Me’
GettyIn Tori Kelly’s conversation with Variety about her upcoming album, “God Must Really Love Me,” the former “American Idol” mentor opened up about how her new record is all about the many “blessings” she has experienced recently, including welcoming her first child, son Zayden.
“It feels good to look at my life and be like, this is my life. I love it. I’m so happy right now,” she said, adding, “That’s really why I wanted to call it ‘God Must Really Love Me,’ because when I took a step back and listened to the songs, it’s a feeling of gratitude, like look at these blessings in my life. God must really love me.”
Although Kelly admitted she wasn’t sure how she’d focus on making a record after welcoming her son, inspiration came to her soon after. She shared that his birth, along with the joy of her marriage, became a constant source of creativity, which shaped the theme of her new album.
In fact, baby Zayden is featured on a number of her songs, with the outlet reporting that he could be heard in the background “cooing into the microphone” as she held him during her recording sessions.
Kelly shares that her latest album is different than her others, calling it “my slow-down type of album.” She also noted that as much as this album reflects the deep sense of gratitude she’s experienced in recent years, she ultimately hopes it resonates beyond her own story.
“The title is ‘God Must Really Love Me,’ but at the end of the day, I would love it if people felt that for themselves too. Feel how loved they are, how special they are, inspire them to look at their lives and see what they can be grateful for, spend time with the people that they love,” she said.
Kelly Talks About ‘Pretty Awesome’ Life as a New Mom
Speaking to People in April, Kelly spoke about life as a new mom and even shared photos of Zayden’s nursery, partnering with Crate & Kids to design a beautiful, calming neutral space. “I knew from the beginning I wanted a neutral color palette for two reasons,” she said, adding, “One, I think I’m just naturally drawn to more neutral tones, and I just think because it goes with everything and it’s timeless.”
Giving an update on raising her four-month-old son with her husband, André Murillo, Kelly shared, “It sounds like the thing I should say, to be like, ‘It’s so amazing. Everything’s great,'” she joked. “But I’m being really honest when I say it really has been pretty awesome,” Kelly added.
She continued, “I think about him all the time. He’s inspired my new music. It’s just so much fun. There’s just this whole new outlook on life, I think. And seeing the world through his eyes as he’s discovering things has been really cool.”
Kelly first announced her pregnancy in a sweet music video in July 2025, featuring intimate clips of her and her husband at home and dancing together. She then makes her big reveal, showcasing her growing baby bump during the chorus of her song, “I’m ready for what comes next. Let’s make a baby.”
Kelly and Murillo welcomed their son Zayden on November 11, 2025. Sharing the announcement on Instagram with a photo of Zayden’s small feet, she captioned her post, “we love you so much, sweet boy ♡.”
