Kelis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kelis
Kelis in 2011
Born	Kelis Rogers (1979-08-21) August 21, 1979 (age 45) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	Le Cordon Bleu (BA)
Occupation	Singer songwriter chef restaurateur
Years active	1997–present
Works	Discography filmography
Spouse(s)	Nas ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2010)​ Mike Mora ​ ​ (m. 2014; died 2022)​
Children	3
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B pop hip hop dance
Labels	Ninja Tune Virgin Star Trak Arista Interscope Jive Geffen will.i.am BMG
Associated acts	Dave Sitek Free School Nas The Neptunes Raphael Saadiq will.i.am

Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and chef. She is known for her unique music style, which blends R&B, pop, hip hop, and dance music. Kelis has released several successful albums and singles throughout her career. She has also become a trained chef and has her own food ventures.

Discovering Music and Early Career

Kelis grew up in Manhattan, New York City. Her father was a jazz musician and her mother was a fashion designer. Kelis started singing in church choirs when she was young. She also learned to play the violin, piano, and saxophone.

She attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. This is a famous school for talented students. After high school, Kelis became a backing vocalist for the hip hop group Gravediggaz. She then met music producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, known as The Neptunes. They helped her sign with Virgin Records in 1998. In 1999, she was featured on Ol' Dirty Bastard's song "Got Your Money". This was her first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Releasing First Albums

Kelis's first album, Kaleidoscope, came out in 1999. It was inspired by jazz and disco music from the 1970s. Critics liked the album, but it did not sell very well in the U.S. However, it was more popular in other countries. Her song "Caught Out There" was her first song as a lead artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The album reached number 43 on the UK Albums Chart. It also earned a gold certification in the UK.

After her second album, Wanderland (2001), did not sell well, Kelis left Virgin Records. Wanderland was released in Europe and Asia but not in North America until 2019.

Finding Mainstream Success

Kelis then signed with The Neptunes' record label, Star Trak Entertainment. Her third album, Tasty (2003), became a big success. It was praised by critics. The main song from the album, "Milkshake", became very popular. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Both "Milkshake" and her next song, "Trick Me", reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Her fourth album, Kelis Was Here (2006), included the song "Bossy". This song reached the top 20 in the U.S. The album itself peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart. After this album, Kelis took a break from music. She decided to study cooking at Le Cordon Bleu.

Kelis performing in 2007

Exploring New Music Styles

Kelis later signed with will.i.am Music Group. She released her fifth album, Flesh Tone (2010), which focused on electronic music. Two songs from this album, "Acapella" and "4th of July (Fireworks)", were successful on dance charts.

In 2014, Kelis released her sixth album, Food. This album connected with her culinary career. It became her second album to reach the top 20 in the UK. The album featured a neo soul style of music.

Kelis performing in 2011

Awards and Collaborations

Kelis has been recognized with nominations at the Brit Awards, Q Awards, NME Awards, and Grammy Awards. She has worked with many different artists. These include R&B and hip hop artists like Nas and Busta Rhymes. She has also collaborated with electronic and dance producers such as Calvin Harris and Disclosure. Pop and rock acts like Enrique Iglesias and Duran Duran have also worked with her. Kelis has sold 6 million records worldwide. She has been especially successful in the United Kingdom, where ten of her songs have reached the top ten on the UK Singles Chart.

Culinary Adventures

Kelis trained as a chef from 2006 to 2010. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, a famous cooking school. In 2013, she launched her own line of sauces called Feast. Later, it was renamed Bounty & Full. Her first cookbook, My Life on a Plate, was released in 2015. She described it as an exploration of different tastes and cultures.

In March 2014, Kelis opened a food truck at the SXSW music festival. She cooked for the attendees there. The Cooking Channel also aired a TV show starring Kelis called Saucy and Sweet. In 2016, she opened a pop-up restaurant in London. She also adapted it into a food truck for UK music festivals.

Other Ventures

Fashion and Television

In 2006, Kelis designed her own line of fashion accessories called Cake. She has also appeared on several television shows. In 2017, Kelis was a judge on the BBC One singing competition Pitch Battle. In 2020, she competed as the Daisy on the British version of The Masked Singer.

Personal Life

Kelis married rapper Nas in July 2003. They had a son in July 2009. Their divorce was finalized in May 2010.

Kelis married photographer Mike Mora in 2014. They had a second son in November 2015 and a daughter in September 2020. Mike Mora sadly passed away on March 14, 2022, at the age of 37. Since January 2020, Kelis has been living on a farm outside Los Angeles.

Musical Style

Kelis is known for her "punky, rebellious" singing style. Critics have described her voice as "dynamic." Her first album, Kaleidoscope, was influenced by 1970s urban, rock, jazz, hip hop, R&B, soul, and disco music. She mentioned early jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald as major influences.

Her album Food (2014) includes influences from soul, funk, gospel, and Afrobeat. Kelis wanted this album to create a nostalgic feeling, like the records her parents used to play.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Kaleidoscope (1999)
• Wanderland (2001)
• Tasty (2003)
• Kelis Was Here (2006)
• Flesh Tone (2010)
• Food (2014)

Tours

Headlining Tours

• Tasty Down Under Tour (2004)
• All Hearts Tour (with Robyn) (2010)
• Intimate Venues Tour (2014)
• Kaleidoscope 20th Anniversary Tour (2020)

Supporting Tours

• Area:One Tour (2001)
• Elevation Tour (2001)
• MTV2's Sisters for Hip-Hop & Soul Tour (2001)
• The Onyx Hotel Tour (2004)
• Hip Hop – Don't Stop (with Missy Elliott and Talib Kweli) (2004)
• Sugar Water Festival (2006)

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Kelis in 2011

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  Kelis performing in 2007

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  Kelis performing in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Kelis para niños