By Darcy Hickey
Staff Writer
Kelly Fuller is often asked what grade she is in.
When she says, “I’m a freshman,” the other person says, “Oh, you’re in ninth grade?”
Fuller may look young, but she is full of talent beyond her years. You may have seen her performing with Pepperdine’s six-member a cappella singing group Won By One this year. She is the youngest member in the group — and yes, she looks like it — but her age and size are not at all reflected in her voice and the talent she possesses.
Fuller grew up listening to the great musical talents in her family and was thus able to develop her talent, passion and appreciation for music and harmony early on.
Much like those sentimental Christmas movies, the Fuller family has a tradition of gathering at Fuller’s grandparents’ house for a time of drinking spiced cider and singing carols. Fuller looks forward to this time with her family every holiday season.
“I just feel like everyone in my family is so talented,” she said. “Everybody sings well and has a passion for praising God through song. Those are the things that have shaped my musicianship and the things that I value. Those are the things that make me who I am.”
Ever since she can remember Fuller has also sung casually with her little sister, Kristi. Because they both enjoy creating different harmonies to songs, they frequently end up singing the same part.
“I love singing with my family,” Fuller said, “But when I was little, I would get so mad at Kristi when she ‘stole’ my part!”
Growing up in the Church of Christ, Fuller developed a passion for singing a cappella hymns. Her mother, Jenny, remembers the first of Fuller’s experiences singing alto.
“I was surprised when one day in church I heard the harmony to ‘Ten Thousand Angels’ coming from my 5 year old,” Jenny Fuller said.
Fuller has been in choir after choir since she was 8 years old, including the Angeles Chorale Children’s Chorus, advanced chamber choirs, jazz choirs and all-state choirs.
During her junior year in high school, she decided to broaden her experiences as an a cappella singer and started a Christian a cappella singing group comprised of six girls from the Simi Valley Church of Christ. The group included Fuller’s sister Kristi and four of her good friends, one of which is her roommate this year at Pepperdine.
“It was awesome singing with some of my best friends and my sister,” Fuller said. “Everyone in the group is so talented.”
On the third day of her senior year, one of Fuller’s teachers encouraged her to think about her future. The class was asked to write a letter stating goals for the upcoming year. After graduation, the teacher sent the letters back to each student. Instead of receiving a formal letter, Fuller received a piece of paper full of the questions that she had written the year before. The questions consisted of where she would end up for college and how music would fit into it. Although she did inquire about Won By One and if singing in the group was a possibility in her future, it never occurred to her that she might actually be a part of it.
Even now Fuller feels a strange awe at being part of the amazing group.
“It is easy to talk about Won By One as ‘they’ and not ‘we,’” she said. I forget that I am now a part of ‘they.’ ”
Fuller said she is having a great time in Won By One doing what she has always loved with five other people who have the same passion for a cappella music.
Overall, though, she said she is satisfied by the overwhelming fact that the mission of Won By One is to recruit Christian students for Pepperdine and to bring their audiences closer to God through music.
“Won By One is an awesome ministry,” Fuller said. “How many people get to do what they love doing while spiritually uplifting others, being uplifted themselves, and in the midst of all of that, being able to glorify God?”
Bio-Kelly Fuller
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif.
Favorite thing to do: Sing alto in the Christian a cappella group Won By One.
Catch her next: She will be performing at Impact, a junior high school youth retreat.
Favorite thing to do at home:Cook.
Best vacation she has ever had: Camping in Carpenteria.
Favorite thing to do with friends: Karaoke at James’.
Movie that made her scream: “The Ring.”
Favorite Won By One song: “Would You love Jesus More?”
Her experience with instruments: She has played the piano for 14 years.
Best thing to eat at the Caf: Salad.
A scripture that has inspired her: Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Favorite music genre: Christian and country.
Future plans: “I don’t feel called to do music, unless God decides something different.”
A person that inspired her: Melissa Montgomery, a former youth intern who had a beautiful voice and taught her perseverance.
What makes her laugh: Her family.
November 07, 2002
