Net Worth Ranker
What Is Kelis’ Net Worth?
Kelis Rogers, most famously known as Kelis, is an American singer-songwriter, chef, and entrepreneur with a net worth of approximately $2 million. This valuation reflects a multifaceted career spanning music, culinary arts, and various entrepreneurial ventures. Her journey includes notable album sales, touring revenues, and income derived from her cooking-related activities and farm.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born on August 21, 1979, in New York City, Kelis’s upbringing was rich in artistic influences. Her father, Kenneth, a jazz musician and Pentecostal minister, had previously lectured at Wesleyan University, exposing Kelis to intellectual and creative environments. Her mother, Eveliss, worked as a fashion designer, likely instilling in Kelis an appreciation for aesthetics and design. Growing up with her three sisters, Kelis demonstrated early musical talent, singing in the church choir and learning to play the violin, piano, and saxophone. She attended the Manhattan Country School and later Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, nurturing her artistic skills. To support herself during high school, Kelis worked as a bartender and sales associate, gaining early experience in the service industry.
Kelis started her musical journey in high school by forming the R&B trio BLU. After graduating, she connected with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, known as The Neptunes. Impressed by her talent, they helped her secure a record deal with Virgin Records in 1998, marking a crucial turning point in her career. This deal paved the way for her debut album, “Kaleidoscope,” released in 1999.
Musical Career: Albums, Singles, and Recognition
Kelis’s debut album, “Kaleidoscope,” released in 1999, peaked at number 144 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and reached the top five on the Top Heatseekers chart, showcasing her initial impact on the music scene. Her single “Caught Out There” achieved significant popularity, becoming a top ten hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album performed better in Europe, reaching number 43 on the UK Albums chart. In 2001, Kelis was recognized with the BRIT Award for International Breakthrough Act and the NME Award for Best R&B/Soul Act, solidifying her presence in the international music arena. She also toured with Moby and U2, further expanding her audience.
Her second album, “Wanderland,” was released in 2001, but only in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. It was not released in the United States because Virgin Records dropped her from the label around the same time. Her third album, “Tasty” (2003), marked a turning point in her career, achieving mainstream success with the hit single “Milkshake.” “Milkshake” reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The album eventually achieved gold status in the United States and platinum status in the United Kingdom, contributing significantly to her financial standing.
In 2004, “Milkshake” earned Kelis a Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Her fourth studio album, “Kelis Was Here,” was released in August 2006 under Jive Records and debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200. The lead single, “Bossy,” achieved multi-platinum status through radio airplay. The album was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards. In 2010, Kelis released her fifth album, “Flesh Tone,” under Interscope Records, working with producers such as will.i.am, Diplo, David Guetta, and Benny Benassi. She supported the album with her first U.S. tour and performances at festivals such as Glastonbury and Good Vibrations Festival. Her album “Food,” produced by David Sitek, was released in April 2014. In 2019, “Wanderland” was rereleased in the United States, and in 2020, she embarked on a 20th-anniversary tour for “Kaleidoscope.” Throughout her singing career, Kelis has sold over six million albums worldwide.
The Neptunes Feud and Financial Struggles
Kelis met Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams at art school, and they later formed the production duo The Neptunes. Kelis signed with them with an agreement to split everything 33/33/33. She later claimed that she was “blatantly lied to and tricked [by] the Neptunes and their management and their lawyers.” Kelis claimed she did not make a penny off her first two albums as a result. She made money off touring, but saw no royalties or residuals. As a result, Kelis complained to Chad and Pharrell, and they apparently rebuffed her.
Ventures into Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship
Beyond her music career, Kelis has established herself in the culinary world. From 2006 to 2010, she trained as a part-time saucier and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. She co-authored a cookbook with Lauren Pesavento in 2006. In 2013, Kelis launched her line of sauces called “Feast” at the Beverly Hills Food & Wine Festival, later rebranding it as “Bounty & Full” and releasing it for general sale in 2015. She hosted her cooking series, “Saucy & Sweet,” on the Cooking Channel in 2014 and created a food truck at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas. In September 2015, she released her first solo cookbook, “My Life on a Plate,” which explores her experiences with motherhood, marriage, and music through food. These endeavors have diversified her income streams and contributed to her overall net worth.
Her culinary ventures demonstrate a blend of creativity and business acumen. She showcased her entrepreneurial spirit when she acquired a 25-acre farm in Temecula, California, for $600,000 in July 2019. Kelis operates a farm on the property, and has expressed plans to open a restaurant using her own produce. The property includes multiple structures, most of which were built in 2003, and serves as both a residence and a business venue.
Personal Life, Relationships, and трагедии
In 2002, Kelis met rapper Nas at an MTV Video Music Awards party. They dated for a year before getting engaged in 2004. They married in January of 2005 and remained together before filing for divorce in April of 2009, citing irreconcilable divorces. At the time, Kelis was seven months pregnant and gave birth to the couple’s son a few months later. Kelis has stated that her relationship with Nas was physically and mentally abusive, and she decided she must leave the marriage before giving birth for the sake of her future son. The couple have been involved in an ongoing custody dispute over their son. In 2014, Kelis married photographer Mike Mora. The two had a son together in November of 2015. Since January 2020, Kelis and Mora have been living on a farm outside of Los Angeles. She gave birth to a daughter in September of 2020. Mora announced in September of 2021 that he was battling advanced stomach cancer. Mora passed away in March 2022. In June 2023, it was revealed that Kelis was dating actor Bill Murray.
