Kelly Melvin

Kelly Melvin was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Like many fashion models, Kelly was made fun of in school- in her case for her long, skinny legs. She initially wanted to model because she wanted to gather enough funds to open up a charity organization: a center for mentally & physically abused kids and teens. Also like many prospective models, she signed up for a franchise modeling school. Unfortunately, her Mom wasted thousands of dollars and Kelly got nowhere. Then, Kelly heard about an AMTC audition. Though skeptical at first, she and her Mom thought they would try one more time. Kelly was determined to follow her dream of becoming a model.

Kelly was sometimes “painfully shy” in school, often leading her teachers to wonder if she was a “mute.” She had made several close friends, including her sisters, but found it hard to make new ones. At the AMTC workshops this all changed, as her confidence began to build. Kelly auditioned for director Karin Bisogno of Moda in Denver and was chosen to prepare for the Summer 2007 AMTC convention. The workshops really helped bring her out of her shell. It may have taken a literal shove out of her chair, but she finally found the courage to stand up and perform her commercial. Kelly was a nervous wreck! She had listened to everything Karin taught her and it showed during competition: Kelly had 27 callbacks!

“I just started crying.” she told us. “I was so thankful and felt so blessed. I couldn’t believe it. It took my breath away.” Two weeks after the competition, she visited New York and then immediately began her modeling career in Tokyo. On to Hong Kong and Bangkok, she tested her acting skills as she booked TV commercials. One included Danish/Thai pop star Peter Corp, who co-starred with Kelly, while singing, in a Citi-bank commercial. She also worked as an editorial model for designers like Burberry, Prada, Dolce Gabbana, Robert Cavalli, Ferragomo, and Fendi.

Kelly is now represented by Elite in Chicago and many agencies in Asia. Says Kelly, “AMTC is a launching pad. Whenever I think about the competition, that week in Florida, or even the training we did to prep, I just feel so blessed I was able to come across it all. It’s overwhelming. AMTC provides a door and its up to you to walk through it, ‘cause ultimately your success depends on your drive and determination.”