Unlike those of her debut, Wanderland's sales were mediocre, with just 80,000 copies sold worldwide, and the sole single released off the album, "Young, Fresh n' New", only reached number thirty-two in the UK. record company at the time, v*rgin, did not understand Wanderland, and this prompted her to leave the label around the time of the album's European release. The video for the song barely registered on American MTV or VH1, but received heavy airplay on MTV2 as well as on Canada's MuchMusic. Kelis's second album, Wanderland, was released in 2001 exclusively in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, after its lead single, "Young, Fresh n' New", failed to catch on in the U.S. Later she would distance herself from the release, proclaiming 'I was never an R&B artist'. Furthermore, Kelis won the BRIT Award for International Breakthrough Act and the NME Award for Best R&B/Soul Act in 2001. The British Phonographic Industry certified Kaleidoscope gold, selling over 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom, where it reached number forty-three on the UK Albums Chart. A second single, "Good Stuff" (featuring Terrar of Clipse), was a modest hit, securing a number nineteen position on the UK Singles Chart, although the third release, "Get Along with You", only reached number fifty-one in the United Kingdom, despite Kelis promoting the track there. "Caught out There" entered and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart in the United Kingdom. Kelis's colorful style in both clothing and hair received considerable attention. The entire album took off in Europe, where "Caught out There" was a sizable hit in 1999. Its lead and most notable single, "Caught out There", peaked at number nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and became a minor MTV/BET video hit. As of 2006 the album had sold 249,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Produced by The Neptunes, the album debuted at number 144 on the Billboard 200 and reached the top fifty on the Top Heatseekers, selling 11,000 copies in its first week of release. Kelis began recording her debut album, Kaleidoscope, in mid-1998 and was finished within a year. Kelis was also a bartender and a sales associate at a clothing store before graduating high school saying that she stole certain items from her job to get by from living out of her parents' house afterwards, a friend introduced Kelis to The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) they formed a strong bond, and, with their support, she landed a record deal.
LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she formed the R&B trio BLU (Black Ladies United). In an interview with Charlotte Roche, Kelis says she was kicked out of her parents' house at the age of sixteen for having bad behavior stating that she would sometimes clash with her mother, but continued her education at the Fiorello H. At the age of 13, Kelis shaved off all of her hair. She has three sisters, Kelis being the third born of the four girls.Īs a child, Kelis sang in church choirs and played violin, piano, and saxophone while attending Manhattan Country School, a private school. Her mother Eveliss is a Puerto Rican and Chinese fashion designer who inspired Kelis to pursue her singing career. Her father Kenneth was an African American jazz musician and Pentecostal minister, and was formerly a professor at Wesleyan University. Her first name is a portmanteau of her father's name, Kenneth (1944–2000), and her mother's name, Eveliss. Kelis Rogers was born and raised in the Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, New York City. Outside her native United States, she had 10 top ten singles in the United Kingdom alone. She has won Brit Awards, Q Awards, and NME Awards, and was nominated for two Grammy Awards and has released six regular studio albums so far. Kelis Rogers (/kəˈliːs/ born August 21, 1979), better known mononymously as Kelis, is an American singer-songwriter and certified chef.