"Singer-songwriter" is a phrase that calls to mind a solo musician with standing behind a mic, guitar in hand, or seated at a piano, breaking hearts with deep-cutting, personal lyrics. While Keely Burn falls under such a mold, she's always looking to expand her musical boundaries- even if it only means that the guitar in hand becomes a ukulele in hers.

Humming songs in her crib before she learned to talk, one could say Keely Burn's fate as a musician was predetermined. Inspired by her favorite artists such as Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel, she wrote her first song at age 14, and went on to refine her craft first at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan, and then as a music performance major at Long Island's school for performing arts, Five Towns College.

In 2018, Burn recorded her EP, I've Never Been More Aware, at Recording Engineers Institute in Islandia, New York, before returning to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia post-graduation and accepting an internship at Sound of Music Studios. It was there that she recorded her debut album, Not My Masterpiece, released June 25th, 2021. Shortly thereafter, Burn being playing with a backing band, together dubbed Keely and the Tea Lights. Their most recent release, Never Stuck in One Place, showcases their eclectic pop sensibilities, with tunes that stray from funk-inspired to country to protest music.

An ardent fan of Richmond's vibrant music scene, Burn has made her own contributions by playing at local venues as varied as The Camel, Common House, and various farmer's markets. As a solo act, she has repeatedly been booked at Bri Bevan's Woman Crush Wednesday showcase, and Jamil Jasey's Rhythm On the River festival. With The Tea Lights, she has performed at the Carytown Watermelon Festival and RavenCon, a fantasy/sci-fi/horror convention held in Glen Allen. She has also worked as a sound engineer and session musician for Sound of Music.

From 2013 to 2024, Keely Burn was a member of the Virginia Organization of Composers And Lyricists (VOCAL). In 2022, she won the VOCAL award for Song of the Year. Since 2025, she has been the on-off backing keyboardist for Richmond musicians Madison Turner and Ryan Irby.