Kelela

Kelela Mizanet, known as Kelela, is an Ethiopian-American singer and songwriter. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1983, she emerged in the early 2010s as a key figure in a generation of alternative R&B and experimental electronic music.

She first gained attention with the 2013 EP Cut 4 Me, a collaboration with producers from the Night Slugs and Fade to Mind collectives, featuring a hybrid of futuristic R&B, club textures, and intimate vocal delivery. The project helped establish her as a distinctive voice among underground electronic scenes.

Her debut studio album, Take Me Apart, was released in 2017 on Warp Records. It received broad critical acclaim for its precise production and raw emotional range and spawned singles such as "LMK" and the title track. The album is frequently cited as a landmark in contemporary electronic R&B.

In 2023, Kelela released Raven, a full-length album that continues her exploration of voice and machine-driven soundscapes. Critics highlighted its cohesive atmosphere, experimental textures, and personal lyricism.

Kelela's work is characterized by a fusion of R&B, electronic, and avant-garde influences, with an emphasis on mood, space, and groove. She has influenced a generation of artists in the alt-R&B and experimental pop scenes and has collaborated with a range of producers and performers across electronic and urban music.