Kelela

An artist with a wide-ranging musical palette—from soul to electronic music, R&B, and jazz—American singer Kelela Mizanekristos was born in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 1983. She grew up in Maryland and studied jazz before moving to Los Angeles. Having collaborated with the duo Teengirl Fantasy and Kingdom, she recorded her first mixtape Cut 4 Me (2013), featuring the producer alongside Bok Bok, Girl Unit, Jam City, and Nguzunguzu. Signed to the British label Warp Records, Kelela followed up with the EP Hallucinogen (2015), this time featuring Arca, Obey City, and Ariel Rechtsaid. Her alternative R&B style, infused with bass and atmospheric layers, sets her apart, and her smooth voice attracts collaborators, ranging from rappers to electronic producers. Released in October 2017, her debut album Take Me Apart reached No. 18 on the Billboard R&B charts and No. 3 on the UK equivalent. Most notably, the critically acclaimed album—hailed as one of the year’s greatest achievements—was included in the reference book 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Buoyed by this recognition, Kelela followed up with Raven (2023), which went virtually unnoticed on the charts. Like its predecessor, it was followed by a remix album, ahead of the 2025 release of the live and acoustic album In the Blue Light, recorded at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York. In 2026, Kelela ushered in a new phase with “Idea 1”, before releasing New Avatar, her third studio album, on Warp. Driven by “Linknb”, “Point Blank”, “Outta Time” featuring A. K. Paul, and “The Bridge” featuring PinkPantheress, the album shifts her electronic R&B into more rock-oriented territory, blending shoegaze guitars, grunge, and club music.