After a short spell working as a model, 5'10" Kelis began appearing on songs by Neptunes produced rappers such as 'Got Your Money' by the late rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard. Soon afterwards, she released her debut album, Kaleidoscope in 1999 of which the first single was 'Caught Out There,' a song based on the time she caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and she beat him. The video feautures Kelis leading a pack of angry women down the street screaming 'I hate you so much right now!'. The album was released in USA, Europe and Asia, but did not find much audience in the USA. Not a great success, it only sold 249,000 copies to date.
After finding her largest audience in Europe, Kelis released her second album titled Wanderland (2001) in Europe only, which like her first album did not fare well. It only sold 80,000 copies and was entirely produced by The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) again, similarly to her debut. Only one single was released 'Young Fresh N New'.
In 2003 Kelis finally found fame in her country with the single 'Milkshake,' which was a massive success in Europe, Asia and USA, and she began dating rapper Nas (born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones). The single was from the album 'Tasty' which did not feature the Neptunes as heavily as her previous albums. Singles included the popular Dallas Austin produced 'Trick Me' and 'Millionaire', a collaboration with OutKast's Andre 3000. 'In Public's duet with Nas was the fourth single from the album, becoming a top twenty hit in the U.K. without a video.
In 2006, Kelis presented a new album to her fans, entitled Kelis Was Here, which was originally to be called 'The Puppeteer' which was released on 22 August but was due Fall 2005. No Neptunes tracks appeared on this album, but Kelis used other producers such as Max Martin, Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas) and Raphael Saadiq. Singles are the huge 'Bossy', 'Blindfold Me', and 'Lil Star'. Kelis wrote more of the material on this album than she did for Tasty, and carries off the sci-fi, electronica sounds so often considered Neptunes material without them. This is most evident on the brilliant 'Trilogy'. Kelis has said she wants to make her mark with this album, as it will be the last 'album like this' she will make.
In October 2007, Kelis was dumped by Jive Records, for poor sales of Kelis Was Here but a new album is in the pipeline. The Hits - a greatest hits collection - was released in March 2008, including tracks where she was a featured artist, eg, Got Your Money by Ol' Dirty Bastard , N.E.R.D's Truth or Dare, and Richard X's Finest Dreams.
Kelis then signed to Interscope Records, and released her fifth studio album entitled Flesh Tone in May 2010. The David Guetta-produced Acapella preceded the LP in February of that year. Other singles released from the album include '4th of July (Fireworks)', 'Scream' and 'Brave'. The following year, Kelis appeared on Calvin Harris' 'Bounce'.
In the beginning of 2010, Kelis received a letter by animal rights organization PETA, in which she was informed about the cruelty that comes along with the production of fur coats. She pointed out that the organization seems to have little concern about the treatment of people of color and that she will continue wearing fur and eating meat.
Songfacts reported that 'Distance', the planned first single from Kelis’ sixth studio album received its first play during the June 30, 2012 show of The Beatnik Mix on London's Reprezent 107.3FM. At the time, the album was set to be house/dance-inspired, but sessions with TV on The Radio's Dave Sitek led to it taking a soul-like direction.
Kelis completed her sixth album in April 2013, and her new label Ninja Tune confirmed details regarding the album in January the following year, 'Jerk Ribs' served as the lead single for the album; the track had however been previously released as a free download the previous year.
Food was released in April 2014 to critical acclaim. Kelis also appeared for the first time at the annual South by Southwest festival, both performing and serving meals to attendees from her food truck.
Home
KELIS Lyrics
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To find everything that you searching for is right there
Your love is blinding, I'm already home
The lights are shining, I'm already home
Who can you trust when you can't trust yourself
So I made a vow, in my faith only you I'll follow
Your love is blinding, I'm already home
The lights are shining, I'm already home
I'm not worthy, never could be that, I know
But somehow in spite of me you're always there to hold
Your love is blinding, I'm already home
The lights are shining, I'm already home
I can be a mess, I'm reckless and it shows
But with you I close my eyes and let you take control
Damn, damn, damn, damn
Your love is blinding, I'm already home
The lights are shining, I'm already home
The song "Home" by Kelis speaks to the idea that everyone is running their race trying to find what they are searching for, but the answer may have been right in front of them all along. Kelis talks about the trust issues that one may face in life, and how it can be difficult to trust oneself. In response, she has made a vow to only follow her faith, which she sees as the only thing she can rely on. She talks about feeling unworthy, but despite this, she knows that her love is blinding and feels at home with her partner. No matter how much of a mess she may be, she trusts her partner to take control.
The lyrics mirror real-life situations where one may struggle to trust themselves or others, and turn to their faith as the only dependable thing in their life. It speaks to the idea of vulnerability and putting faith in something outside of oneself. The chorus reinforces the idea that despite all of the struggle and uncertainty in life, the love from her partner is blindingly bright, and she feels at home and safe within it.
Line by Line Meaning
We are all running in a race
We are all constantly striving to achieve something, trying to get ahead of the competition and emerge as winners.
To find everything that you searching for is right there
To realize that what you are looking for is always within reach, and sometimes, all you need to do is look a bit harder or in the right direction.
Your love is blinding, I'm already home
Your love is all-consuming, so much so that I feel that I have found my ultimate destination in it already.
The lights are shining, I'm already home
The lights, which represent hope and joy, signal that I am already where I want to be, which is with you.
Who can you trust when you can't trust yourself
At times, we lose faith in ourselves and our abilities, which makes it difficult to know whom to trust or rely on.
So I made a vow, in my faith only you I'll follow
In my moments of self-doubt, I will depend solely on you, and I will put my faith in you to guide me in the right direction.
I'm not worthy, never could be that, I know
Despite my flaws, imperfections, and limitations, I recognize that I could never be deserving of your love and admiration.
But somehow in spite of me you're always there to hold
Despite my shortcomings, you still choose to be with me, to support me, and to hold me close.
I can be a mess, I'm reckless and it shows
I acknowledge that I am flawed, impulsive, and often make mistakes. These flaws are evident in my behavior and choices.
But with you I close my eyes and let you take control
I hand over the reins to you, trusting that you will guide me and lead me towards the right path, even when I can't see it myself.
Damn, damn, damn, damn
An expression of frustration or exasperation that highlights the intensity of the emotions being conveyed in the song.
Your love is blinding, I'm already home
The magnitude of your love clouds my senses and thoughts, making it impossible for me to imagine being anywhere else.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JEAN BAPTIST KOUAME, KELIS ROGERS, NICK MARSH, RYAN BUENDIA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind