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Maite Kelly Reassesses Kelly Family Fame, Citing ‘Megalomania’ and Her Father’s Addiction

In Die Zeit, the singer describes fame’s isolating bubble that strained her family.

Overview

  • Kelly says the 1994 breakthrough with Over the Hump brought millions that were harmful for some relatives.
  • She recalls Dan Kelly as overwhelmed, resisting a manager and relying on poor advisers, which fueled family conflict.
  • Her father quit alcohol abruptly and, with support from Alcoholics Anonymous, walked for 40 days during withdrawal.
  • Reports note Dan Kelly died in 2002 from long-term consequences of addiction, including a brain bleed and a third stroke.
  • Kelly discloses she is neurodiverse with mild ADHD and synesthesia, which shaped how she experienced the family’s rise.