Who is R. Kelly’s Elder Sister Theresa Kelly?

Theresa Kelly is the elder sister of R. Kelly, the award-winning American singer, songwriter, record producer, and convicted sex offender. R. Kelly’s sister, Theresa Kelly is about five years older than her famous brother as she was born on 2nd January 1962 while he was born on 2nd January 1962.

With an absentee father, Theresa was raised by her mother Joanne but she also became a mother to her younger brothers; Bruce, Roberts, and Carey Kelly when her mother was at work. Theresa is now a stylist and businesswoman but is popularly known as R Kelly’s elder sister. Here’s what we know about her.

Theresa Kelly is a 62 Years Old Woman Born in Bronzeville, Illinois

Theresa Kelly was born in Bronzeville, Illinois sometime in 1962 and this makes her at least 62 years old. She lived with her brothers and mother in Chicago; in the Bronzeville Ida B. Wells homes housing project.

Theresa’s mother, Joanne Kelly, worked as a school teacher and raised Theresa and her half brothers alone as a single mother. Apparently, the family was a closely knit one in those years and it remained so in the eyes of the public following R. Kelly’s fame. However, recent developments following charges of sexual misdemeanor filed against R. Kelly have proven otherwise.

Theresa began her education at a private school in her hometown, after which she was enrolled in a high school in Chicago. Theresa went on to get a degree from the University of California.

Who are Theresa Kelly’s Parents? 

Details about Theresa’s father are unknown as he was absent all her life and her brother’s life. Few sources however claim that they are half-siblings but we can’t know for sure. Theresa’s mother, Joanne Kelly, was a school teacher and professional singer. She led the choir in the baptist church where she worshipped and raised her four children.

There is no information on Joanne Kelly’s partner or husband, nor is there any proof that she was married. She raised her four children alone. Details about her family; parents and siblings are also kept private. Joanne lived in housing projects with her children and died of cancer in 1993. 

What Did Theresa Kelly Do?

As more stories surrounding R Kelly’s pedophile and sexual assault allegations began to come to light, especially with the release of Lifetime’s ‘Surviving R Kelly’, the singer’s younger brother Carey Kelly opens up about their abuse. According to Carey in an interview, he and R Kelly were abused by their elder sister Theresa for about six years.

Carey claims that she was about 16 years old at the time of the abuse and would force them (Carey and Roberts) to lick her private parts and eventually rape them. All this happened while Theresa was left to babysit her brothers when her mother was at work.

Although R Kelly hinted at having been abused by a family member in his book, ‘Soulacoaster’ in 2012, he never disclosed who the abuser was. The Kelly brothers’ sexual abuse was brought to the limelight by an embarrassed Carey Kelly after R Kelly was accused of sexual assault and child pornography.

Theresa has however denied these allegations and alienated herself from her brothers following their accounts of sexual abuse against her. Carey claims that his mother didn’t know about the abuse because he was afraid she would see him differently. He hasn’t been in touch with his sister since their mother’s death and there are no records of a lawsuit against her for abusing her brothers.

Meet Theresa Kelly’s Famous Brother R Kelly

Theresa Kelly got popular as R Kelly’s sister. R Kelly is a singer, songwriter, producer, and convicted sex offender. The singer was born in 1967 in Chicago to their mother, Joanne Kelly, and rose to fame following his performance in a talent show that highlighted his gift for music.

The superstar signed a contract in 1997 with the Atlantic City Seagulls to play professional basketball. His basketball career lasted until 1999 when he quit to focus on music. R Kelly made waves in the music industry earning him names like ‘pied piper’ and many others.

R Kelly was first accused of child pornography in 2002 and acquitted in 2008. After his release, the singer continued to do exploits in his career until further information was released following Lifetime’s Surviving R Kelly. The singer is currently awaiting sentencing.

Although the siblings are not on speaking terms, R Kelly’s fame put Theresa’s life in the limelight. The sister has, however, done a good job of keeping her private life out of the media.

Is Theresa Kelly Married and Does She Have Kids?

Theresa Kelly is married but the name of her husband and other details concerning him have been kept away from the media. Worst still, there are no social media accounts showing her and her husband.

She is said to have two children but their identities have been hidden from the media. We do not know their names, ages, what schools they attend or what they look like.

Theresa was raised as a Christian at the Baptist church and is said to have maintained her moral standing to date. Neither the brothers can give detailed accounts of their sister’s whereabouts seeing as they haven’t seen it heard from her in decades.

Although Carey tried to extend an olive branch to his sister, Theresa has refused to have contact with her brothers. We are not sure what she’s currently doing with her life or where her family is.

Where is Theresa Kelly Now? 

Theresa Kelly currently lives a few kilometers away from Chicago in Aurora, Illinois. She started her career working as a stylist for several companies and eventually gathered enough knowledge to step out on her own. She currently owns a fashion studio in Chicago and works as a businesswoman in the United States of America.

Although it has been difficult to locate Theresa’s studio or place of work due to her absence from social media and her efforts to stay out of the limelight, sources claim that Theresa is worth about $600k to $700k.