Kelis
Kelis
Kelis Rogersbetter known mononymously as Kelis, is an American singer-songwriter and certified chef. Kelis achieved moderate international success with her 1999 debut album, Kaleidoscope, but left her label Virgin Records after its follow-up, Wanderland, received little sales attention and no U.S. release. Her third album, 2003's Tasty, earned the singer commercial prominence and produced the hit single "Milkshake", her most well-known song. Kelis Was Here, her fourth album, was the subject of further label disputes and she took a hiatus...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPop Singer
Date of Birth21 August 1979
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
The album 'Kelis Was Here' sucked the life out of me, and so I went off and studied to be a Cordon Bleu chef. What's great about food is that it's less about who you know and what you look like, and more about if you're any good.
My mom was concerned that us four little black girls have a really well-balanced life. She wanted us to be around people like us, but we also went to private school and traveled all the time. Now I fit in most places because I've been most places.
For me, saying 'I'm bossy' is a cute, tongue-in-cheek way of saying that I'm in control of my life.
In my life, looking at other women who have been pregnant while writing, I always feel like it's kind of their most musical or the closest to themselves. I think for me it's such a validating moment, you know. I always knew I wanted to have kids, and I've been making music all my life.
I love lifestyle stuff, I love housewares. I'm really a homebody, honestly. Anything to do with my kitchen, or my house, I'm all about it. I'm working on a sauce line, so that's kind of exciting. I'm a saucier.
Everything I do has a certain quality, a certain flair, a certain flavor. I like to eat the way I like to dress, the way I listen to music: put it all together, and it's a great party.
People know 'Milkshake' like a jingle, but they don't really know who I am.
My audience is made up of such bizarre, rare people. They're very sparse and scattered; it's not like a huge body of people.
I was never an R&B artist. People coined me one, but that's because, especially if you're in the States, if you're black and you sing, then you're R&B.
I had always been a fan of Nas, but I never met him. This is the one guy in the industry who's, like, the phantom rapper.
As a black artist in America, you know, it is so segregated as far as the radio goes and how they position music on the radio.
I'm a really emotional cook. Not violent, but I don't like someone coming in while I'm cooking. I'm notorious for themed dinner parties. The colour green, 'The Sopranos' last episode... any excuse. But if anyone arrives before I'm ready and walks through for a chat, I'm like: 'Just stand back. Stay there! In fact, just go - this is not for you.'
My desire was never to put out albums; it was to do musical theatre!
I'm a multi-platinum recording artist; my passion is food.