Trivia

Born to an African American father and a Chinese-Puerto Rican mother.

When she was 13, she shaved her head and, after it grew back, dyed it a succession of colors (blue-black, blood red, green, orange, platinum blond, and pink).

Her third album, "Tasty," was certified platinum in the UK but not in the US.

Became engaged to legendary hip-hop MC Nas on Christmas Eve 2002.

Her name is a combination of her parents' names.

At 16, she was accepted as a drama major at New York's renowned La Guardia School for the Arts

Grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in Harlem

Her wedding gown was a green design made by Matthew Williamson.

Monday 26th February 2006: Won Best International Newcomer at the 2001 Brit Awards.

Released her fourth album, 'Kelis Was Here', on August 22nd. (August 2006)

She is a lifelong liberal Democrat.

Has three children: one son, Knight Jones (b. July 22, 2009), with ex-husband Nas; one son, Shepherd Mora (b. November 2015), and one daughter (b. September 2020) with late husband Mike Mora.

In September 2021, her husband Mike Mora revealed publicly that he was battling stage IV stomach cancer. In an Instagram post, he stated he had been diagnosed with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma in September 2020 and given 18 months to live. Mora died on March 14, 2022 at the age of 37.