Kali Uchis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kali Uchis
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Uchis in 2015
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| 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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Karly Marina Loaiza (born July 17, 1994), who is known by her stage name Kali Uchis, is an American singer and songwriter. She has won many awards for her music, including a Grammy Award, an American Music Award, and two Billboard Music Awards. She has also been nominated for five Latin Grammy Awards.
Uchis first became known for her mixtape Drunken Babble (2012) and her first EP, Por Vida (2015). Her first album, Isolation (2018), was a big success and reached number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Her second album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) (2020), was her first project in Spanish. It included the hit song "Telepatía", which became very popular on TikTok. This song was her first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her later albums, Red Moon in Venus (2023), Orquídeas (2024), and Sincerely (2025), were also very successful.
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Early Life and Background
Karly Marina Loaiza was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on July 17, 1994. Her father is from Colombia and her mother is from the U.S. Her parents met in the late 1980s. When Uchis was in high school, her father moved back to Colombia.
Uchis spent summers in Pereira, Colombia, with her father and other family members. During the school year, she lived with her mother and older siblings. In high school, she learned to play the piano and saxophone and was part of a jazz band.
She went to Alexandria City High School. She was very interested in photography and making short films. This interest led her to create the cover art for her own mixtapes. After having disagreements with her parents, she had to leave home for a while. During this time, she lived in her car and wrote songs on her keyboard. Some of these songs later appeared on her first mixtape, Drunken Babble.
She also wrote poetry and at first, she wanted to direct movies instead of being a singer. Her friends gave her the nickname "Karluchis," which she later changed to "Kali Uchis" for her stage name.
Music Career
2012–2016: Starting Out
Soon after graduating from high school, Uchis released her first mixtape, Drunken Babble, on August 1, 2012. People liked it because it mixed different styles of music, like doo-wop, reggae, and R&B from the early 2000s. In 2014, she worked with the famous rapper Snoop Dogg on a song called "On Edge."
In February 2015, Uchis released her first EP, Por Vida, for free on her website. The project included work from well-known musicians like Diplo, Tyler, the Creator, and Kaytranada. Later that year, she went on her first tour across the United States and Canada with singer Leon Bridges.
2017–2018: Success with Isolation
In 2017, Uchis was featured on two songs on the Gorillaz album Humanz. This helped more people discover her music. That same year, she released her own songs, "Tyrant" and "Nuestro Planeta," as the first singles from her upcoming album. She also went on her first headlining tour across North America.
Uchis was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for her work with the Colombian musician Juanes. She also received a Grammy Award nomination for her song "Get You" with Canadian singer Daniel Caesar.
In early 2018, she toured with Lana Del Rey. On April 6, 2018, she released her first studio album, Isolation. The album was loved by critics and music fans.
2019–2021: Spanish Album and TikTok Fame
In 2019, Uchis was featured on the song "Time" with the band Free Nationals and rapper Mac Miller. It was the first song officially released after Miller's death. Later that year, she won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for the song "10%" with producer Kaytranada.
On April 24, 2020, Uchis released an EP called To Feel Alive. She recorded it all by herself during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her second album, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), was released on November 18, 2020. It was her first album mostly in Spanish. A song from the album, "Telepatía", became a huge hit on TikTok in 2021. The song became so popular that it reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
2022–Present: More Successful Albums
In 2022, Uchis announced that she had finished two more albums, one in English and one in Spanish.
Her third album, Red Moon in Venus, came out on March 3, 2023. It featured artists like Omar Apollo and Summer Walker. The album was a success and reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart. She went on a tour to support the album.
On January 12, 2024, she released her fourth album, Orquídeas. This was her second Spanish-language album and featured artists like Karol G and Peso Pluma. It was also very successful, reaching number two on the charts. A follow-up, Orquídeas Parte 2, was released on August 9, 2024.
Her fifth album, Sincerely, was released on May 9, 2025.
Artistic Style
Uchis has said that she is inspired by music from the 1960s, including soul, R&B, and doo-wop. She also loves jazz and has named singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday as influences.
Other artists who have inspired her sound include Curtis Mayfield, Irma Thomas, and Latin music stars like Celia Cruz, Selena, and Shakira.
Personal Life
Uchis has been in a relationship with American rapper Don Toliver since 2020. In January 2024, they announced they were expecting their first child. Their son was born in March 2024.
Discography
Studio albums
- Isolation (2018)
- Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) (2020)
- Red Moon in Venus (2023)
- Orquídeas (2024)
- Sincerely (2025)
Awards and Nominations
Uchis has won many awards throughout her career. Here are some of them:
- American Music Awards: She won Favorite Latin Song for "Telepatía" in 2021.
- Billboard Music Awards: In 2022, she won Top Latin Song for "Telepatía" and Top Latin Female Artist.
- Grammy Awards: She won Best Dance Recording in 2021 for her collaboration "10%" with Kaytranada. She has been nominated for several other Grammys.
- Billboard Latin Music Awards: She won Latin Pop Album of the Year in 2021 for Sin Miedo and in 2024 for Orquídeas.
In May 2024, Billboard Latin Women in Music gave her the Rising Star award for her work in Latin pop music.
Tours
Headlining
- Kali Uchis Tour (2017)
- In Your Dreams Tour (2018)
- Red Moon in Venus Tour (2023)
- The Sincerely, Tour (2025)
Co-headlining
- The Kali & Jorja Tour (with Jorja Smith) (2019)
See also
In Spanish: Kali Uchis para niños
