Kelis

Kelis
Kelis performing during Manchester Pride in Manchester on August 29, 2010
Born
Kelis Rogers

(1979-08-21) August 21, 1979 (age 45)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Alma materLe Cordon Bleu (BA)
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • chef
  • restaurateur
Years active1997–present
Works
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2003; div. 2010)​
  • Mike Mora
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2014; died 2022)​
Children3
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
Labels
Websitekelisofficial.com

Kelis Rogers (/kəˈliːs/;[2] born August 21, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and chef.[3] She attended New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts,[4] where she played saxophone and was selected for the Girls Choir of Harlem.[5] Upon graduation, Rogers landed a role as a backing vocalist for the hip hop group Gravediggaz. She then began working with music producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo—collectively known as the Neptunes—who led her to sign with Virgin Records in 1998.[6][7]

Rogers' debut studio album, Kaleidoscope (1999) was inspired by jazz and disco music from the 1970s. Despite critical acclaim, the album was met with domestic commercial failure; it instead found moderate success on international charts.[8] Supported by her first Billboard Hot 100 entry with its lead single "Caught Out There", the album peaked at number 43 on the UK Albums Chart and earned gold certification by the country's British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[9] She parted ways with Virgin Records after her second album, Wanderland (2001) also received poor sales—not seeing a domestic release until 2019. After signing with the Neptunes' Star Trak Entertainment, Rogers third studio album, Tasty (2003), served as her commercial breakthrough and earning continued critical praise. Its lead single, "Milkshake" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100; the song and its follow-up, "Trick Me", both peaked at number two on the UK singles chart. Her fourth album, Kelis Was Here (2006)—preceded by the US top 20 single "Bossy" (featuring Too Short)—peaked number ten on the Billboard 200. Following its release, she took a hiatus from recording and ventured into culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu.

She later signed with will.i.am Music Group to release her fifth album, Flesh Tone (2010), which explored electronic music. Two of its singles, "Acapella" and "4th of July (Fireworks)" found success on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and the UK Dance Singles Chart. Tying-in with her culinary career, she released her sixth studio album Food (2014), which became her second top-20 album in the UK and spawned three singles: "Jerk Ribs", "Rumble" and "Friday Fish Fry". The album explored a neo soul recording style.[10][11][12]

Rogers has been recognized at the Brit Awards, Q Awards, NME Awards, and Grammy Awards.[13] Her musical output as a lead and featured artist encompasses various genres. She has collaborated with R&B and hip hop acts including Nas (whom she married in 2003), Busta Rhymes, Outkast, and Puff Daddy; electronic and dance producers such as Calvin Harris, Disclosure, Giorgio Moroder, Timo Maas, and Richard X; pop and rock acts Enrique Iglesias, Duran Duran, and No Doubt; and indie and alternative musicians including Björk and Dave Sitek. She has sold 6 million records worldwide[14] and has had particular success in the United Kingdom, where ten of her singles have peaked within the top ten of the UK singles chart.

  1. ^ "Kelis signs to Ninja Tune, announces new album Food – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". Factmag.com. December 11, 2013. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  2. ^ She can be heard singing her name in the song "Blindfold Me"
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference chef was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Kelis - Biography". Biography.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  5. ^ "Kelis Biography". Musicianguide.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  6. ^ "Kelis | Encyclopedia.com". Encyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  7. ^ danielli (February 27, 2019). "Here Is A Little Bit About Kelis And Her Life Since Divorcing Nas And Living Her Best Life". Wearemitu.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  8. ^ Preezy (December 6, 2014). "Five Best Songs From Kelis' 'Kaleidoscope' Album". The Boombox. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  9. ^ ""British album certifications – Kelis – Kaleidoscope"". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  10. ^ "Jerk Ribs – EP by Kelis". iTunes Store (US). February 18, 2014. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  11. ^ "Rumble – EP by Kelis". iTunes Store (Ireland). Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  12. ^ "Friday Fish Fry – EP by Kelis". iTunes Store (US). July 15, 2014. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  13. ^ Kate Hutchinson, 'Soul Food' Archived January 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The T Dawg , March 1, 2014.
  14. ^ "Kelis Interview - Contactmusic.com". Contactmusic.com. October 27, 2010. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2015.