We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kaleb Clemmons a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kaleb, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
When I think about how I found my purpose, I always go back to my younger years in church. Music was just part of life for me—it wasn’t something I had to go find, it was around me every week. I’d be playing alongside my dad, watching how he carried himself and how the music seemed to mean more than just sound. I continued on to learn 5 different instruments.At first, it was just fun figuring out instruments, keeping up with my dad, being part of something. But over time, I realized I was learning more than music. I was learning what it looked like to serve, to pay attention to people, and to see how what we played could actually reach them. Looking back, those moments with my dad weren’t just father-son time, they were setting the foundation for what I do now. That’s really where the seed of my purpose got planted
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’ve always been surrounded by music and creativity, and over the years I realized it wasn’t just something I enjoyed—it was shaping my purpose. I found myself drawn to spaces where music connects people, lifts their spirits, and creates moments that matter. That’s been the thread running through my life and it’s what drives me today. I wear a couple different hats that all tie back to that same heartbeat. At Graceway church, I’ve served as a worship coordinator and lead Graceway Collective alongside my co-lead Lashiya Mckinzy. My focus is developing leaders, building creative environments, and using worship to create moments that feel alive and authentic. It’s not just about singing songs—it’s about helping people discover their voice and step into their purpose.
Outside of Graceway, I’m part of a promotional company called Lookup KC. We exist to bring people together through music and experiences that inspire connection and hope. Even though we’re just getting started, the vision is big: creating events that draw the community together, give young adults a place to belong, and open the door to something fresh and unforgettable.
This November, we’re hosting a concert with Cochren & Co. and Riley Clemmons. It’s the first of many opportunities we hope to create for people to gather, celebrate, and experience music that leaves a mark. We’re just getting started, but I’m excited about the journey ahead and the ways music can bring people closer—to each other, and to something greater.
At the end of the day, whether I’m at Graceway or with Lookup KC, my purpose is the same: to be an instrument that points people to hope, and to help others discover their own voice along the way.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, three qualities have shaped me the most: listening, adaptability, and teaching. Listening started for me in music. To play with other people, you have to really hear—not just your own part, but the rhythm, the harmonies, the space between notes. Over time, I realized listening wasn’t just about music; it taught me how to hear people, how to catch what’s happening in a room, and how to respond in ways that matter.
Adaptability is another big one. I’m naturally a structured person—I could eat the same meal every single day and be fine with it. But life doesn’t work like that, and neither does music. From being on stage in musical theatre, to playing behind an artist, to leading people in worship, things can shift in a moment. Learning to adapt when the flow changes has made me better, not just as a musician, but as a leader.
And then there’s teaching. I’ve learned five instruments, and honestly, every time I picked up a new one it started with a prayer: “Lord, help me figure this thing out so I can teach it to someone else.” My dad always told me, “If you’re not teaching, you should be learning from someone else.” That stuck with me. Now, one of my greatest joys is developing people—helping them grow in their gifts, discover their voice, and step into something bigger than themselves.
If I had to give advice to anyone just starting out, I’d say this: learn to listen deeply, stay flexible when life shifts, and keep yourself in a posture of learning and teaching. And through all of that, don’t forget to invite the Lord into your process—because He has a way of shaping both the music and the musician.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
If I knew I only had a decade left, I’d pour out everything faster than I am right now. I already feel life’s urgency, but I’d push harder—because nothing I carry can stay bottled up inside me. All the hours I’ve spent teaching myself music… five instruments, scales, chord progressions, the way sound can shift a room—I wouldn’t hold any of it back. I’d give it away. Quickly. To anyone willing to learn.
And it’s not just music. It’s the creative content, the ideas for plays, musicals, albums, the funny videos, the sketches—everything that’s ever lived in my notes app or in the back of my mind. I wouldn’t let one idea stay stuck there. I’d hand it off. I’d build it out. I’d put it in motion.
Every concept, every plan for developing people, every vision for content—I’d release it, not so my name is remembered, but so the next wave has more to build on than I did.
For me, it’s simple: I have to die empty. That means spending every note, every idea, every laugh, every melody, every word, until there’s nothing left sitting in my hands—only people equipped to carry it further than I ever could.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalebclem__?igsh=cmJycWRhYXIzOHEz&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kazone.clemmons?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://lookupkc.org/about/
Image Credits
Isaiah Moreno, Ish Ripaca
