Kelis

Biography

Kelis Rogers, born August 21, 1979 in Manhattan, New York City, is an American singer-songwriter and chef renowned for her genre-blending sound and bold artistic persona. Raised in a creative household—her father was a jazz musician and her mother a fashion designer—Kelis was immersed in music from an early age, learning violin, piano, and saxophone, and singing in church choirs. She attended the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she further honed her musical and performance skills.

After high school, Kelis began her career as a backing vocalist for the hip hop group Gravediggaz and soon caught the attention of producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, known as The Neptunes. Their collaboration led to her signing with Virgin Records in 1998. Kelis's debut album, 'Kaleidoscope' (1999), drew on 1970s jazz and disco influences and, while not a commercial hit in the U.S., found success abroad. Her breakthrough came with the 2003 album 'Tasty,' featuring the global hit 'Milkshake.' Kelis continued to evolve musically, exploring R&B, hip hop, pop, and electronic dance music across subsequent albums such as 'Kelis Was Here' (2006) and 'Flesh Tone' (2010), the latter marking a shift towards dance and electropop. After a period focusing on her culinary interests, she returned with the soul-inspired 'Food' (2014).

Kelis is celebrated for her distinctive voice, eclectic style, and fearless approach to music and image. Her influence extends beyond her own recordings, impacting a generation of artists with her fusion of genres and unapologetic individuality.

Fun Facts

• Kelis is a professionally trained chef, having graduated from Le Cordon Bleu after taking a hiatus from music.
• Her single 'Milkshake' became a cultural phenomenon, widely referenced in pop culture and advertising.
• She once formed an R&B trio called BLU (Black Ladies United) while in high school.
• Kelis has her own line of sauces and a cookbook, reflecting her passion for food and culinary arts.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (The Neptunes) - Early producers and key creative partners who helped shape her sound and launch her career (Kaleidoscope, Tasty, Milkshake) [1998–2003]

Key Collaborators

• Ol' Dirty Bastard - Featured Kelis on his single 'Got Your Money', her first Billboard Hot 100 appearance (Got Your Money) [1999]
• Calvin Harris - Collaborated on the UK hit 'Bounce' (Bounce) [2011]
• will.i.am - Produced and released her fifth album 'Flesh Tone' under his label (Flesh Tone) [2010]
• Too Short - Featured on her single 'Bossy' (Bossy) [2006]
• Diplo, Switch, David Guetta, Raphael Saadiq, Moby, Outkast, Björk, Enrique Iglesias - Collaborated on various tracks and remixes (Various) [2000s–2010s]

Artists Influenced

• FKA twigs - Cited Kelis as an influence for her boundary-pushing style and genre fusion (LP1, Magdalene) [2010s]
• Tinashe - Inspired by Kelis's blend of R&B and electronic music (Aquarius) [2010s]
• Doja Cat - Acknowledged Kelis's impact on her genre-mixing and visual style (Hot Pink, Planet Her) [2020s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Milkshake (Tasty)
2. Got Your Money (feat. Kelis) (Nigga Please)
3. Milkshake 20 - Alex Wann Remix
4. Trick Me (Tasty)
5. Bounce (feat. Kelis) - Radio Edit (18 Months)
6. Deal With It (feat. Kelis) (DEMIDEVIL)
7. Milkshake - Radio Mix
8. Millionaire (Tasty)
9. Milkshake
10. Bossy Featuring Too $hort (feat. Too $hort)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #contemporary-r&b, #electro-house, #electropop