Kelela Mizanekristos ( am, ከለላ ሚዛነክርስቶስ; born June 3, 1983) is an American singer. She made her debut in the music industry with the release of her 2013 mixtape ''
Cut 4 Me
''Cut 4 Me'' is the debut mixtape by American singer and songwriter Kelela. It was released on October 1, 2013, by Fade to Mind for free download on SoundCloud. Seeking to make the mixtape sound like a remix album, Kelela sung over instrumental t ...
.'' In 2015, she released ''
Hallucinogen
Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorized ...
'', an EP which deals with the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship in reverse chronological order. Her debut studio album, ''
Take Me Apart
''Take Me Apart'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Kelela. It was released on October 6, 2017, through Warp (record label), Warp. Combining electronic music and contemporary R&B, R&B, the album was noted for its futuristi ...
'', was released in 2017 to critical acclaim.
Early life and education
A second-generation
Ethiopian American
Ethiopian Americans are Americans of People of Ethiopia, Ethiopian descent, as well as individuals of American and Ethiopian ancestry.
History
In 1919, an official Ethiopian goodwill mission was sent to the United States to congratulate the Al ...
and an only child, Mizanekristos was born in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
on June 6, 1983.
Growing up in
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg ( ), officially the City of Gaithersburg, is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, Gaithersburg had a population of 69,657, ...
, she learned to play the violin in fourth grade and sang in her school's choir.
In 2001, she graduated from
Magruder High School
Col. Zadok Magruder High School (#510) is a secondary public school located in Rockville ( Montgomery County), Maryland, United States.
Magruder is named for Colonel Zadok Magruder, a Revolutionary War patriot and farmer. He was colonel in comma ...
.
After transferring from
Montgomery College
Montgomery College (MC) is a Public college, public community college in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded officially in 1946 as Montgomery Junior College, its name comes from the county in which it is located. The earliest start date that c ...
to the
American University
The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
, Mizanekristos began singing jazz standards at cafés.
In 2008, she joined an indie band called Dizzy Spells and sang
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
after meeting
Tosin Abasi
Oluwatosin Ayoyinka Olumide Abasi (born January 7, 1983), is an American musician, best known as the founder and lead guitarist of the instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders. He has recorded and released five albums with Animal ...
, whom she later dated. In 2010, she moved to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
where she currently lives, in addition to London.
Career
2012–2015: ''Cut 4 Me'' and ''Hallucinogen''
In November 2012, Mizanekristos began work on her debut mixtape with already two recorded songs. She later quit her job as a
telemarketer
Telemarketing (sometimes known as inside sales, or telesales in the UK and Ireland) is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent f ...
to fully pursue her career as a musician. Having moved to Los Angeles, Mizanekristos connected with
Teengirl Fantasy
Teengirl Fantasy is an American electronic music duo. It consists of Logan Takahashi and Nick Weiss. It is best known for the track called "Cheaters".
Career
Teengirl Fantasy was formed by Logan Takahashi and Nick Weiss while they were studying at ...
and contributed to the group's 2013 album ''Tracer'' on the song "EFX", which led her to meet Prince William from the label Fade to Mind.
He introduced her to the sound of the record label and its sister imprint from
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, Night Slugs. In May 2013, she appeared on Kingdom's "Bank Head", and five months later released her mixtape ''
Cut 4 Me
''Cut 4 Me'' is the debut mixtape by American singer and songwriter Kelela. It was released on October 1, 2013, by Fade to Mind for free download on SoundCloud. Seeking to make the mixtape sound like a remix album, Kelela sung over instrumental t ...
'' for free.
Harriet Gisbone of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' described the mixtape as "an experiment for the production team, the first time the production crew had used vocals on their club tracks."
Her track "Go All Night" was included on ''
Saint Heron
''Saint Heron'' is a compilation album released by Solange Knowles' record label, Saint Records, on November 11, 2013. It features the original recordings of several contemporary R&B artists, including Knowles (who also curated the project), Jh ...
,'' a multi-artist compilation album released by
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles (; born June 24, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, performance artist, and actress. Expressing an interest in music from an early age, Knowles had several temporary stints as a backup dancer for Destiny's Child, wh ...
. The mixtape was heavily influenced by
grime
Grime may refer to:
* Dirt, in the form of black, ingrained dust
* Grime (music genre), a genre of music
* ''Grime'' (album), a 2001 album by Iniquity
* ''Grime'' (video game), a 2021 Metroidvania video game
* "Grime", a 2022 song by Dallas Woo ...
music, a popular electronic genre based in the UK, and helped revive the subgenre known as
Rhythm & Grime.
In December 2013, DJ Kitty Cash released her ''Love the Free'' mixtape, which featured her song, "The High". Mizanekristos later released the track herself on February 4, 2014, on her
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
. She also featured on
Bok Bok's song "Melba's Call", which was released on March 5.
On March 3, 2015, Mizanekristos announced the release of her first EP, ''
Hallucinogen
Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorized ...
'', alongside the release of the lead single "A Message" and its accompanying music video. The second single, "Rewind", was released on September 2. The EP covers the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship in reverse chronological order. It includes the previously shared "The High".
2016–2018: ''Take Me Apart''
![Kelela2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Kelela2014.png)
In 2016, Mizanekristos was featured on "A Breath Away" from
Clams Casino's ''
32 Levels'', "From the Ground" from
Danny Brown
Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known by his stage name Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He has been described by MTV as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory".
In 2010, after amassing ...
's ''
Atrocity Exhibition'', and "Scales" from
Solange
Solange (died 10 May, c. 880) was a Frankish shepherdess and a locally venerated Christian saint and cephalophore, whose cult is restricted to Sainte-Solange, Cher. Saint Solange was the patron of the traditional Province of Berry, of which C ...
's ''
A Seat at the Table
''A Seat at the Table'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Solange. It was released on September 30, 2016, by Saint Records and Columbia Records. While recording the album, Solange released an EP, titled ''True'' (2012) and ...
''. In February 2017, she took part in Red Bull Sound Select's 3 Days in Miami. Later that year, she was featured on the track "Submission" alongside rapper
Danny Brown
Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known by his stage name Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He has been described by MTV as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory".
In 2010, after amassing ...
and provided additional vocals on the track "Busted and Blue" from
Gorillaz
Gorillaz are an English virtual band formed in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, ...
's album ''
Humanz
''Humanz'' is the fifth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz. It was released on 28 April 2017 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone and in the United States by Warner Bros. Records. The album was announced on the band's official Instagr ...
''.
On July 14, 2017, Mizanekristos announced her debut studio album, ''
Take Me Apart
''Take Me Apart'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Kelela. It was released on October 6, 2017, through Warp (record label), Warp. Combining electronic music and contemporary R&B, R&B, the album was noted for its futuristi ...
''. It was made available for pre-order on August 1 alongside the release of the lead single, "
LMK
"LMK" (initialism for "Let Me Know") is a song by American singer and songwriter Kelela. It was released on August 1, 2017 through Warp (record label), Warp Records as the lead single from her debut studio album, ''Take Me Apart'' (2017).
Compos ...
". Three more singles preceded the album, "Frontline", "Waitin" and "Blue Light", before it was released on October 6, 2017. The album received widespread acclaim from music critics and featured on various year-end lists. It was also included in the 2018 edition of the book ''
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...
.''
On June 13, 2018, Mizanekristos was featured on the Girl Unit remix of the song "WYWD", which served as the lead single from his upcoming album, ''Song Feel''. The two have previously worked together on ''Cut 4 Me''s "Floor Show" and ''Hallucinogen''s "Rewind".
On September 12, 2018, Mizanekristos announced ''
Take Me a_Part, the Remixes'', a
remix album
A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 2007 ...
consisting of remixes from her debut album, and shared a remix for "LMK" featuring
Princess Nokia
Destiny Nicole Frasqueri (born June 14, 1992), known professionally as Princess Nokia, is an American rapper and songwriter. She released her debut studio album, ''Metallic Butterfly'', in 2014, followed by the 2015 mixtape ''Honeysuckle''. As P ...
,
Junglepussy
Shayna McHayle (born October 31, 1991), known professionally by her stage name Junglepussy, is an American rapper and actress from New York City. Her first mixtape ''Satisfaction Guaranteed'' was released in 2014. She has received recognition fro ...
,
Cupcakke
Elizabeth Eden Harris (born May 31, 1997), known professionally as Cupcakke (often stylized as CupcakKe; pronounced ), is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. She is known for her hypersexualised, brazen, and often comical persona and mus ...
and Ms. Boogie. The album features contributions from
Kaytranada
Louis Kevin Celestin (born August 25, 1992), known professionally as Kaytranada (stylized as KAYTRANADA, shortened as KAYTRA), is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of mixtapes, remixes, ...
,
Rare Essence
Rare Essence is a Washington, D.C.-based go-go band formed in 1976. Rare Essence has been amongst the most prominent musicians of the D.C. music scene, producing numerous hit songs in the local D.C. market and several hits nationwide, including ...
,
Serpentwithfeet
Josiah Wise (born July 9, 1988), known professionally as serpentwithfeet, is an experimental musician based in Brooklyn, New York City. Wise released the EP ''Blisters'' in 2016, his debut studio album ''soil'' in 2018, his second EP ''Apparit ...
and more.
On September 26, Mizanekristos shared
Kaytranada
Louis Kevin Celestin (born August 25, 1992), known professionally as Kaytranada (stylized as KAYTRANADA, shortened as KAYTRA), is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. Celestin rose to prominence after releasing a series of mixtapes, remixes, ...
's "Waitin" remix as the second single from the album.
The album was released on October 5, 2018, making it a year since the release of ''Take Me Apart''.
2019–present: Hiatus and ''Raven''
On September 13, 2022, Mizanekristos released "Washed Away", her first single in five years alongside a music video. On November 15, 2022, Mizanekristos announced her second studio album ''
Raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
'' is scheduled to be released on February 10, 2023. "Happy Ending" and "On the Run" were also released as singles prior to the release of the album.
Personal life
Kelela openly identifies as
queer
''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
Remix albums
Mixtapes
Extended plays
Singles
Guest appearances
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1983 births
21st-century American singers
American women singer-songwriters
Ethiopian musicians
American women songwriters
American electronic musicians
American people of Ethiopian descent
American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
LGBT people from Washington, D.C.
American LGBT singers
LGBT songwriters
LGBT African Americans
Living people
Warp (record label) artists
American women in electronic music
21st-century American women singers
LGBT people from Maryland
Queer women
African-American women musicians
21st-century African-American women singers
20th-century African-American people
20th-century African-American women
Singer-songwriters from Washington, D.C.