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She's Bossy! Kelis Announced as BIGSOUND 2024 Keynote Speaker

Will Backler
Originally Appeared In

The R&B icon will bring her milkshake to the southern hemisphere’s biggest music industry gathering this September.

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Image credit: Supplied

It’s been a quarter of a century since Kelis released her debut album Kaleidoscope (completely produced by legendary production duo The Neptunes). Since then, she’s gone from strength to strength and released some beyond iconic cuts including Milkshake, Trick Me, Millionaire (feat. Andre 3000), Bossy (feat. Too Short) and more.

Her last full-length album, 2014’s Food, showcased her range and depth as a performer, taking things in a more organic direction than previous records, fusing her signature r&b and soul with elements from funk, Afrobeat, Memphis soul, and neo soul.

10 years on from Food’s release, Kelis has just been announced as a headline keynote speaker at BIGSOUND on Thursday 5 September before an exclusive live performance at QMFs QLD Music Trails’ Sweet Relief! Music Festival, on Saturday, 7 September.

QMusic and BIGSOUND CEO, Kris Stewart, says of the partnership with QMF, “BIGSOUND lights up the heart of the Fortitude Valley each year with a flurry of music lovers, brilliant minds and world class performers. It’s a pleasure to get to partner with QLD Music Trails to bring to the city someone who encompasses all these things and more, Kelis, for what will undoubtedly be an incredible Keynote speech and festival performance.”

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Kelis joins the already stacked lineup of speakers this year, including the likes of Amy Taylor (Amyl & The Sniffers), Casper Mills (4AD/UK), Elijah (Artist/Butterz/UK), Korda Marshall (Mushroom Group/UK) and many more.

Head here for all the deets on BIGSOUND 2024, and enjoy some vintage Kelis vibes:

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