In a recent Instagram post, the daughter of incarcerated R&B singer R. Kelly, Joann Kelly, has spoken for the first time since making her ground-breaking revelation that he allegedly sexually abused her as a child.In her heartfelt post, Joann addresses her younger self, saying, “Hey Baby girl… It’s me, you. We’re 26 now. I know you didn’t even think you’d make it past 15 but you did. I know you’re probably wondering how we made it here and what we’re doing now.”
She acknowledged the ongoing struggles in the world but emphasised her growth and inner strength, “You have built up a strength and a faith that is beyond what you can comprehend. You finally told everyone…I know I know. We swore we wouldn’t. But it wasn’t good for us anymore. Please don’t be angry with me but I had to.”
Celebrating her achievements, Joann highlighted her journey into motherhood, the healing of her family, and her pursuits in music and art.
She wrote, “You’re a mother, a fucking amazing one at that, your son is so handsome and so funny and everything you’ve been daydreaming about and more, your mom is truly healing, your brother and sister are alive and well, you’ve reconnected with blood relatives, you went on to do music and art, and you were on TV.”
Recall that R. Kelly was sentenced to 20 years in prison for child sexual abuse and child pornography in February 2023, and on October 11, 2024, Joann revealed that she was also abused by him but was too scared to come forward. She also noted that when she finally got the strength to report him, the authorities said that they couldn’t prosecute him because she waited too long.
Now, she says she has been able to forgive him for abusing her.
