Some of Cullman City Schools’ elementary students got a chance to meet an up and coming singer-songwriter and learn more about the music business Wednesday morning.

Riley Clemmons, an 18-year-old recording artist, stopped by East and West Elementary schools and shared some of her music with the class and answered questions about her career.

Riley is from Nashville, but she has deep roots in Cullman. Her father, Dr. Samuel Clemmons, is a Cullman native, and her uncle is East and West Elementary music teacher Tim Clemmons.

“I hear stories about Cullman all the time, and I grew up coming here and visiting,” she said. “This is where all of my roots are, so it’s really cool to be able to come and share some music and see some of the kids here.”

Clemmons said music has always been a part of her life, and she was drawn to the southern gospel sound at an early age.

“I grew up watching my mom sing in the choir at church,” she said. “So I was really drawn to the sound of it, and I remember as I grew older I kept gravitating towards music, and I always wanted to perform however I could get on the stage.”

She said at 12 years old, a manager approached her and her family after a school choir performance, and she continued to write music and perform until she signed with a record label, Capitol Christian Music Group.

Clemmons’ debut single, “Broken Prayers,” debuted in January, and she said that was a nerve-racking experience.

“You have no clue how it’s going to go,” she said. “You don’t know how people are going to respond. Being a young person entering into the Christian music world, I didn’t know how I was going to be received.”

People did respond well to her and her single, as it reached the top five on Hot AC radio and the top 15 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay charts while getting more than 14 million global streams to date.

Although she was worried that her youth could work against her as she tried to enter the music business, Clemmons said she also believes it could help her connect with a young audience.

“I think kids like having somebody that they can relate to,” she said. “I think a lot of the things that we go through are universal.”

After getting 2018 started with a hit single, Clemmons has continued her success this year, as her debut studio album came out on Aug. 3.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” she said. “I could not have even dreamed that it would have worked out like that.”

This fall, Clemmons will embark on a tour with Christian artists Danny Gokey and Tauren Wells that will let her travel the country and share her music with an even larger audience.

“We’re going to go all over the United States, and it’s going to be a blast,” she said. “I’m so excited.”

Tyler Hanes can be reached at 256-734-2131 ext. 138.