Kelis is a singer and songwriter from Manhattan, born in 1979, who works across contemporary R&B, electro house, electropop, pop, pop rap and R&B. She is known professionally by her first name only, and her name combines her parents’ names. She grows up in Harlem, New York, and later moves out of the family home as a teenager to continue her private education.

Early career

Before becoming known as a recording artist, Kelis works briefly as a model. She then begins appearing on recordings by artists associated with The Neptunes, including Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Got Your Money”. Her early work establishes a close link with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who produce much of her first material.

Albums and breakthrough singles

Her debut album, Kaleidoscope, appears in 1999 and includes “Caught Out There”, a song about discovering that a boyfriend is cheating. The track becomes closely associated with its confrontational chorus and its video, which shows her leading a group of women through the street. Although the album is issued in the United States, Europe and Asia, it does not achieve major sales in the US.

Her second album, Wanderland, follows in 2001 and is released in Europe only. It is again produced entirely by The Neptunes, and “Young Fresh N New” is the only single.

Kelis gains wider mainstream recognition in 2003 with “Milkshake”, from Tasty. The album includes “Trick Me”, produced by Dallas Austin, “Millionaire”, a collaboration with OutKast’s André 3000, and “In Public”, a duet with Nas that becomes a UK top twenty hit without a video. Around this time she also dates Nas, whose full name is Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones.

Later albums and collaborators

Her fourth album, Kelis Was Here, appears in 2006. It is made without The Neptunes and instead features production from Max Martin, will.i.am and Raphael Saadiq. Singles from the album include “Bossy”, “Blindfold Me” and “Lil Star”. Kelis writes more of the album’s material than she does on Tasty, and the record includes sci-fi and electronica elements, especially on “Trilogy”.

After leaving Jive Records in 2007, she releases the greatest-hits set The Hits in 2008. It includes her own songs as well as tracks on which she appears as a featured artist, including “Got Your Money”, N.E.R.D.’s “Truth or Dare” and Richard X’s “Finest Dreams”.

She then signs to Interscope Records and releases Flesh Tone in 2010. “Acapella”, produced by David Guetta, comes first, followed by “4th of July (Fireworks)”, “Scream” and “Brave”. The next year she appears on Calvin Harris’s “Bounce”.

Food and later work

Work on her sixth album begins with the planned single “Distance”, which is first played on London station Reprezent 107.3FM. The album starts as a house and dance project, but sessions with TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek move it towards a soul direction. She completes the album in 2013, and Ninja Tune confirms the record the following year. “Jerk Ribs” serves as the lead single, having previously been issued as a free download. The album, Food, is released in 2014.

Kelis also appears at South by Southwest, where she performs and serves food from her food truck.

Other details

Her name is pronounced “Kuh-lees”. She is the daughter of a Black father, Kenneth, and a Chinese-Puerto Rican mother, Eveliss. She also attracts attention for her distinctive image, including shaving her hair at 13 and dyeing the regrowth rainbow colours.