Kelis

Kelis

Biography

Kelis (born Kelis Rogers, 21.8.1979) is a contemporary American R&B singer-songwriter, with four studio albums and nine UK Top 40 singles to her name, including Caught out There, Good Stuff, and Milkshake. As well as Kelis's success as a solo artist, she has collaborated with a host of other acts including OutKast, Busta Rhymes, Foxy Brown, P. Diddy, and her husband Nas. Kelis is due to release her fifth studio album in 2009 and has also been working on a cookbook and a fashion range.

Childhood

Kelis was born in Harlem in New York City to Kenneth and Eveliss Rogers. The name Kelis (pronounced kuh-leece) is a combination of her parents' names. Kenneth was a Jamaican jazz musician, university professor, and Pentecostal minister, and Kelis grew up singing in church choirs. It was Kelis's mother, a Chinese-Puerto Rican fashion designer, who encouraged Kelis to pursue her singing career.

Up until the age of sixteen, Kelis attended the private Manhattan Country School, where she played piano, saxophone, and violin. Kelis then left home but continued her studies at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Career

While at LaGuardia, Kelis formed BLU (Black Ladies United), an R&B trio which helped Kelis gain associates in the music industry. Subsequently, Kelis was asked to sing backing vocals for up-and-coming rap acts such as Gravediggaz, and, after graduating from school, Kelis was introduced to Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, better known as record production duo The Neptunes. With their help, Kelis secured a deal with Virgin Records and began work on her debut album Kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope was released in 1999 and despite making the Top 50 in the UK albums chart; it only reached number 144 in the US Billboard 200. However, when the single Caught Out There was released in February 2000, it peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart and Kelis was awarded the Q Award for Best Music Video. Two more singles followed: Good Stuff and Get Along With You, and Kaleidoscope eventually went gold in the UK, selling over 100,000 copies.

Kelis released her second album, Wanderland, in October 2001. Due to its more experimental, electro flavour, Virgin decided not to release it in the US. Young, Fresh n' New was the only single released from Wanderland and reached 32 in the UK singles chart. The album also includes Perfect Day, a duet with Gwen Stefani. Kelis continued to collaborate with diverse artists, featuring on tracks alongside Richard X, Timo Maas, and Guru. By this point Kelis had built up a formidable live show and during 2001 she played support slots for U2 and Moby.

In 2003 Kelis released Milkshake, the lead single from her next album and her biggest hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Milkshake climbed to number three in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for five weeks. The success was matched in the UK where it reached number two in the singles chart. Kelis was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song in 2004. It seemed America was finally ready for Kelis, and her third album, Tasty, reached 27 in the chart on its release in December 2003. As well as giving Kelis a breakthrough in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, Tasty also made an impact in the UK, peaking at number eleven in the albums chart, and spawning three more Top 20 singles: Trick Me, Millionaire, and In Public. Around this time Kelis also worked on projects with Bjork and Enrique Iglesias.

Kelis's fourth studio album, Kelis Was Here, was the first Kelis album not to feature The Neptunes on production duties. Released in August 2006, it debuted at number ten in the US and at 41 in the UK albums chart. In 2007 Kelis Was Here earned Kelis her second Grammy nomination for the Best Contemporary R&B Album. The album featured the singles Bossy (with Too Short), Blindfold Me (with Nas) and 'Lil Star (with Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley).

In March 2008, Kelis released a greatest hits collection entitled The Hits. It included Kelis's collaborations with Ol Dirty Bastard and N.E.R.D as well as every charted Kelis single to date.



Biography by Contactmusic.com

Beat-Herder Festival 2017 Preview


Crystal Fighters Sleaford Mods Kelis

Sleaford Mods, Crystal Fighters and Kelis are just some of the big names headlining the main stage at this year's Beat-Herder festival, proving it's as eclectic and surprising as ever in its 12th year. Genres from soul to old school dance and electro swing are scattered among the 20-odd stages at this Lancashire festival - 'odd' being the operative word. 

Beat-Herder Festival 2017Beat-Herder Festival 2017

A church, a hotel, a high society hideaway and a working men's club are just some of the places bands and DJs will be entertaining the inhabitants of Beat-Herdershire this year. Each stage is carefully crafted and committed to its theme, down to the tiniest and funniest details.

Continue reading: Beat-Herder Festival 2017 Preview

Kelis - Kelis signs autographs and poses for pictures with fans as she leaves the BBC Breakfast studios in Manchester. at BBC Breakfast - Manchester, United Kingdom - Wednesday 16th September 2015

Kelis

SXSW 2015 Is Coming! And That Means More Blog-Worthy Talent At Hype Hotel


South by Southwest Haerts Gorgon City Tensnake Chet Faker Hozier Kelis Gary Numan Dum Dum Girls Against Me! Chromeo London Grammar The 1975 Wolf Alice Bipolar Sunshine Disclosure Rudimental Toro Y Moi Foxes

Austin's 2015 SXSW Festival draws ever nearer, with a line-up already rich in upcoming talent and vibrant diversity. There's something for everyone at this iconic citywide musical celebration, and nothing encompasses that more than Hype Machine's Hype Hotel Presented by Feed the Beat spot.

Hype Hotel 2015 logo
Hype Hotel is set to return to SXSW for 2015

Now heading into its fourth year, we can expect Hype Hotel to be full of yet more talented new bands and artists for 2015. Selected by a variety of different music blogs, the line-up is awash with the very best of all genres including indie, rock, pop, electronic, rap and R&B, who entertain fans of different ages and cultures for five days during the event, which this year takes place from March 17th to 22nd.

Continue reading: SXSW 2015 Is Coming! And That Means More Blog-Worthy Talent At Hype Hotel

WhoSampled's First Ever 'Samplethon' Set For Great Escape Festival 2014


The Great Escape Kelis Ella Eyre Wild Beasts These New Puritans Augustines Clean Bandit

WhoSampled.com, a website that explores the DNA of music by discovering direct connections among thousands of songs across multiple genres, will host the first ever 'Samplethon' at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton on Saturday May 10, 2014. The event will give up-and-coming producers access to rare sample material, with the challenge to produce a brand new track against the clock.

Samplethon

Though winners of the Samplethon could see their tracks included on a forthcoming album release, all those entering will get the rare opportunity to call on a team of esteemed mentors for help and assistance from, as well creating new music without the legal shackles often associated with sampling.

Continue reading: WhoSampled's First Ever 'Samplethon' Set For Great Escape Festival 2014

Glastonbury Line-Up Confirmed: Elbow, Kasabian, Arcade Fire, Jack White...And Who Else?


Elbow Arcade Fire Glastonbury Festival Dolly Parton Bryan Ferry Blondie Jack White Black Keys Janelle Monae Kelis

After months of speculation, the official line-up has been confirmed for the 2014 Glastonbury Festival, which will be held from the 27th to the 29th June this year. The festival tweeted this year's snazzy line-up poster which listed a tonne of previously unconfirmed acts. Sadly, and despite the rumours, it doesn't look like Prince will be getting funky at Glasto but the appearance of Elbow, Arcade Fire, Kasabian, The Black Keys, and Jack White should make up for the Purple One's absence.

Kasabian
Kasabian Have Been Confirmed To Play Glastonbury Festival This Year.

Joining these four big name acts will be an intriguing and eclectic mix of acts of all sorts of genres. Skrillex, De La Soul, Ms Dynamite, Rudimental, Disclosure, Lil Louis and DJ Pierre will be bringing dance music whilst Kelis, Janelle Monáe, Jurassic 5 and M.I.A will be giving the festival a hip hop flavour.

Continue reading: Glastonbury Line-Up Confirmed: Elbow, Kasabian, Arcade Fire, Jack White...And Who Else?

SXSW 2014: 10 Acts You Cannot Afford To Miss


South by Southwest London Grammar Gary Numan Black Lips Drenge Bring Me The Horizon Kelis Wolf Alice Warpaint Kurt Vile Charli XCX

Every year, hundreds of bands descend upon Austin, Texas to make the South by Southwest Festival one of the most anticipated of the year. Featuring musical acts from all over the world, the music section of this mammoth festival takes place from March 11th to 16th 2014. This year sees the festival get even bigger and better as a host of new acts showcase alongside some big name veterans to give an awesome lineup of over 2,000 acts. Anyone lucky enough to be making the trip to Austin next month is going to have a hard time deciding which bands to go see, so to help you make up your mind, here’s ten acts that we consider unmissable from this year’s lineup.

London GrammarLondon Grammar are heading to this year's SXSW Festival

London Grammar

Continue reading: SXSW 2014: 10 Acts You Cannot Afford To Miss

Video - Kelis And Nas Meet To Take 3-Year-Old Son Shopping


Musicians and former married couple Kelis Rogers and Nas meet up at the Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills to take their 3-year-old son Knight out shopping together.

Continue: Video - Kelis And Nas Meet To Take 3-Year-Old Son Shopping

Nas, Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills, Saks, Kelis and Knight - Nas talking on his mobile phone as he walks along Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills towards Saks where ex-wife Kelis was shopping with their son, Knight Monday 10th December 2012 Featuring: Nas, Nasir Jones Where: Beverly Hills, California, United States

Nas, Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills, Saks, Kelis and Knight

Kelis, Interview


Interview with Kelis

Having sold over 6 million records worldwide, and won numerous awards, Kelis has had a steller of a decade since she hit the music scene back in 1999. Now currently touring across the world, Kelis reflects on her music in the past and looks to what we can expect from her in the future. Expect albums, fashion...and milkshakes....

Continue reading: Kelis, Interview

Kelis

Kelis

Date of birth

21st August, 1979

Occupation

Musician

Sex

Female

Height

1.78




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