Kali Uchis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kali Uchis
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Uchis in 2022
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Karly Marina Loaiza |
| Born | July 17, 1994 Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2012–present |
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| Partner(s) | Don Toliver (2020–present) |
| Children | 1 |
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Kali Uchis, whose real name is Karly Marina Loaiza, is an American singer and songwriter. She was born on July 17, 1994.
She first became known after releasing her mixtape Drunken Babble in 2012. Her first official music project, Por Vida, came out in 2015. She then signed with Virgin EMI Records to release her first studio album, Isolation, in 2018. This album was very popular and received great reviews.
Later, she signed with Interscope Records. She released her second album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), in 2020. This was her first album mostly sung in Spanish. A song from this album, "Telepatía", became a huge hit on TikTok. It was her first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Her third album, Red Moon in Venus, came out in 2023. Her fourth album, Orquídeas, was released in 2024. This was her second album mainly in Spanish. Kali Uchis has also won a Grammy Award for her song "10%" with Kaytranada. She has also won an American Music Award and two Billboard Music Awards.
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Early Life and First Steps in Music
Karly-Marina Loaiza was born on July 17, 1994, in Alexandria, Virginia. Her father moved from Pereira, Colombia, to the United States. There, he met her mother in the late 1980s.
When Kali Uchis was in high school, her father moved back to Colombia. He went to take care of his sick mother. Kali Uchis would spend her summers in Colombia with her father's family. During the school year, she lived with her mother and older siblings.
In high school, she learned to play the piano and saxophone. She was part of a jazz band. She also loved spending time in the photo lab, making short films. Her interest in photography even helped her design covers for her music.
She faced some challenges at home. During this time, she lived in her car and wrote songs on her keyboard. These songs later became her first mixtape, Drunken Babble. She also wrote poetry and songs. At first, she was more interested in making films than singing. Her father gave her the nickname "Kali Uchis."
Music Career
2012–2016: Early Music and First EP
After finishing high school, Kali Uchis released her first mixtape, Drunken Babble, on August 1, 2012. People described this mixtape as unique, mixing sounds like doo-wop, reggae, and R&B.
In 2014, she worked with rapper Snoop Dogg on a song called "On Edge." In February 2015, she released her first EP (Extended Play) called Por Vida. She offered it for free download on her website. Many different musicians helped produce this project, including Diplo and Tyler, the Creator. In October 2015, she went on her first tour with Leon Bridges, performing across the United States and Canada.
2017–2018: Becoming Well-Known with Isolation
In April 2017, Kali Uchis was featured on two songs from the band Gorillaz's album Humanz. The next month, she released "Tyrant," a song with English singer Jorja Smith. This song was the first single from her upcoming first studio album.
In June 2017, she announced her first tour as the main performer. This tour took place from August to October 2017. She then released "Nuestro Planeta" with Reykon as the second single. In October 2017, she was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for her song "El Ratico" with Juanes. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for "Get You" with Daniel Caesar.
Kali Uchis also opened for Lana Del Rey on her tour from January to February 2018. Her song "After the Storm", featuring Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins, came out in January 2018. Her first studio album, Isolation, was released on April 6, 2018. Critics loved the album, giving it very high scores. The last single from the album, "Just a Stranger," was released in October 2018.
2019–2021: To Feel Alive and Sin Miedo
In June 2019, Kali Uchis worked with Free Nationals and Mac Miller on the song "Time." In December 2019, she released "Solita." She was also featured on Kaytranada's song "10%" in December 2019. This song later won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
On April 24, 2020, Kali Uchis released an EP called To Feel Alive. She recorded this EP while staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On August 7, 2020, she released "Aquí Yo Mando" with rapper Rico Nasty. This song was the first single from her second studio album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios). This album was her first project mostly sung in Spanish. "La Luz" with Jhay Cortez was released as the second single in October 2020. The album was released on November 18, 2020. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums Chart.
A song from the album, "Telepatía", became very popular on TikTok in early 2021. It quickly became a top song on Latin music charts. It also reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This success helped Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) get on the Billboard 200 chart. On September 29, 2021, she released "Fue Mejor" with SZA. This song was added to a special version of Sin Miedo.
2022–Present: Red Moon in Venus and Orquídeas
On April 21, 2022, Kali Uchis announced that she had finished two new albums. One would be in Spanish, and the other in English. On September 2, 2022, she released a new song called "No Hay Ley."
On January 19, 2023, she released "I Wish You Roses" as the first single for her new album. On January 23, 2023, she announced her third studio album, Red Moon in Venus. It was released on March 3, 2023. She also went on a tour to support the album. On February 15, 2023, her boyfriend Don Toliver released a song with her called "4 Me." On February 24, 2023, she released "Moonlight" as the second single for Red Moon in Venus. The album featured other artists like Omar Apollo and Summer Walker.
In July 2023, Kali Uchis announced a "new era" for her music. She released a new single called "Muñekita" with El Alfa and JT. This was the first single for her next album. On August 11, 2023, she was featured on the song "Me tengo que ir" from Karol G's album. On October 11, 2023, Kali Uchis announced her fourth studio album, Orquídeas. It was released on January 12, 2024. She also released "Te Mata" as the second single from the album. On July 31, 2024, she announced a follow-up, Orquídeas Parte 2, which came out on August 9, 2024.
Artistry
Influences
Kali Uchis has said that music from the 1960s inspires her. She likes its mix of early soul, R&B, and doo-wop. She also enjoys jazz music. She has mentioned Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday as inspirations. Other musicians she looks up to include Curtis Mayfield, Celia Cruz, Selena, and Shakira. She also admires singer Mariah Carey.
Personal Life
Kali Uchis has been in a relationship with American rapper Don Toliver since 2020. In January 2024, she announced that they were expecting their first child. She gave birth to a son in March.
Discography
Studio albums
- Isolation (2018)
- Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) (2020)
- Red Moon in Venus (2023)
- Orquídeas (2024)
Accolades
Kali Uchis has won many awards for her music.
- She won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for "10%" with Kaytranada in 2021.
- She won an American Music Award for Favorite Song - Latin for "telepatía" in 2021.
- She has won two Billboard Music Awards: Top Latin Song for "telepatía" and Top Latin Female Artist in 2022.
- She won a iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Latin Artist in 2023.
- She won a Latin American Music Award for Favorite Pop Album for Orquídeas in 2024.
- She won a Premios Juventud award for The New Generation - Female in 2021.
- She won two Premios Nuestra Tierra awards in 2021: Best New Artist and Best Alternative/Rock/Indie Song for "telepatía".
Images for kids
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Uchis in 2022
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Kali Uchis's signature
See also
In Spanish: Kali Uchis para niños
