Early life and education
A second-generation Ethiopian American and an only child, Mizanekristos was born in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 1983.[6] Growing up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, she learned to play the violin in fourth grade and sang in her school's choir.[7] In 2001, she graduated from Magruder High School.[7][8] After transferring from Montgomery College to the American University, Mizanekristos began singing jazz standards at cafés.[7] In 2008, she joined an indie band called Dizzy Spells and sang progressive metal after meeting Tosin Abasi, whom she later dated. In 2010, she moved to Los Angeles,[7] where she currently lives, in addition to London.
Career
2012–2015: Cut 4 Me and Hallucinogen
In November 2012, Mizanekristos began work on her debut mixtape with already two recorded songs. She later quit her job as a telemarketer to fully pursue her career as a musician.[10] Having moved to Los Angeles, Mizanekristos connected with Teengirl Fantasy and contributed to the group's 2013 album Tracer on the song "EFX", which led her to meet Prince William from the label Fade to Mind.[6] He introduced her to the sound of the record label and its sister imprint from London, Night Slugs. In May 2013, she appeared on Kingdom's "Bank Head", and five months later released her mixtape Cut 4 Me for free.[11] Harriet Gisbone of The Guardian described the mixtape as "an experiment for the production team, the first time the production crew had used vocals on their club tracks."[1] Her track "Go All Night" was included on Saint Heron, a multi-artist compilation album released by Solange Knowles. The mixtape was heavily influenced by grime music, a popular electronic genre based in the UK, and helped revive the subgenre known as Rhythm & Grime.
In December 2013, DJ Kitty Cash released her Love the Free mixtape, which featured her song, "The High". Mizanekristos later released the track herself on February 4, 2014, on her SoundCloud.[14] She also featured on Bok Bok's song "Melba's Call", which was released on March 5.[15] On March 3, 2015, Mizanekristos announced the release of her first EP, Hallucinogen, alongside the release of the lead single "A Message" and its accompanying music video.[16] The second single, "Rewind", was released on September 2. The EP covers the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship in reverse chronological order.[17] It includes the previously shared "The High".
2016–2018: Take Me Apart
Kelela in 2014
In 2016, Mizanekristos was featured on "A Breath Away" from Clams Casino's 32 Levels, "From the Ground" from Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition, and "Scales" from Solange's A Seat at the Table. In February 2017, she took part in Red Bull Sound Select's 3 Days in Miami.[18] Later that year, she was featured on the track "Submission" alongside rapper Danny Brown and provided additional vocals on the track "Busted and Blue" from Gorillaz's album Humanz.
On July 14, 2017, Mizanekristos announced her debut studio album, Take Me Apart.[19] It was made available for pre-order on August 1 alongside the release of the lead single, "LMK".[20] Three more singles preceded the album, "Frontline",[21] "Waitin"[22] and "Blue Light",[23] before it was released on October 6, 2017.[24] The album received widespread acclaim from music critics and featured on various year-end lists.[25][26] It was also included in the 2018 edition of the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The music critic Craig Jenkins noted heavy electronic instrumentation on the album with, "deconstructed dubstep wubs in “Blue Light” and used the Roland synth that gave “Jupiter” its name—an instrument famous for its blaring leads—to play sultry chiptune instead."
On June 13, 2018, Mizanekristos was featured on the Girl Unit remix of the song "WYWD", which served as the lead single from his upcoming album, Song Feel. The two have previously worked together on Cut 4 Me's "Floor Show" and Hallucinogen's "Rewind".
On September 12, 2018, Mizanekristos announced Take Me a_Part, the Remixes, a remix album consisting of remixes from her debut album, and shared a remix for "LMK" featuring Princess Nokia, Junglepussy, Cupcakke and Ms. Boogie. The album features contributions from Kaytranada, Rare Essence, Serpentwithfeet and more.[29] On September 26, Mizanekristos shared Kaytranada's "Waitin" remix as the second single from the album.[30] The album was released on October 5, 2018, making it a year since the release of Take Me Apart.
2019–present: Hiatus and Raven
On September 13, 2022, Mizanekristos released "Washed Away", her first single in five years along with a music video. On November 15, 2022, Mizanekristos announced her second studio album Raven would be released in early 2023. "Happy Ending", "On the Run", "Contact", and “Enough for Love” were also released as singles prior to the release of the album.
On February 10, 2023, Raven was released. She performed her song “Enough for Love” during a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the same day.
Raven includes collaborators such as Asmara from Fade to Mind's NGUZUNGUZU, Philadelphia-based DJ and producer LSDXOXO, German ambient duo OCA, and Toronto DJ BAMBII. The album showcases Black futurist art and electronic music sharing inspiration with Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and Sun Ra to Janelle Monáe, Solange, Beyoncé, Drexciya and Aaliyah.
Do It Again
Kelela Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One touch takes you out your sleep, and I
Got you where I want
Stop before I'm done
You're begging me
I won't do it again
Do it, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again (I'm holding out)
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
(Holding out)
Now you're wide awake, I'm on top
Suddenly I'm the one who can't stop
No rules to this game
Turn me out
Now I'm helpless
And I beg you
Do it again
Do it, do it again
Do it, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again (but you're holding out)
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
You keep beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me
You keep beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me
To do it again
I keep beggin' you, beggin' you, beggin' you, beggin' you
I keep beggin' you, beggin' you, beggin' you
To do it again
You keep beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me
You keep beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me
To do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
Do it again, do it again
In Kelela’s song, “Do It Again,” the listener is taken on a journey of two lovers who can’t resist the temptation of each other. The lyrics depict a story of two people who are drawn to each other, even though they know they shouldn’t be. The song’s opening line (“Late at night you feel me creep in, one touch takes you out your sleep, and I got you where I want”) describes the moment when the lovers can’t resist each other any longer. They’ve been trying to fight their feelings, but they’re too strong. The next line, “Stop before I’m done, you’re begging me,” further emphasizes the point that even though they know they shouldn’t be together, they can’t help themselves.
As the song progresses, the lovers become more and more entangled in each other. They can’t seem to get enough of each other, even though they know it’s not right. The lyric “No rules to this game, turn me out, now I’m helpless and I beg you, do it again” further emphasizes this point. They’re in too deep and they know it. The song ends with both lovers begging each other to “do it again,” even though they know it’s not the right thing to do.
Overall, “Do It Again” is a beautiful song about the power of attraction and the inability to resist it. Despite their better judgment, the lovers in the song are drawn together and can’t seem to break free. The song is a testament to the power of love and how it can make us do things we never thought possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Late at night you feel me creep in
I arrive at night, and you are aware of my presence.
One touch takes you out your sleep, and I
As soon as I touch you, you awaken from your sleep, and I'm there with you.
Got you where I want
I have you in the position that I desire.
Stop before I'm done
I want you to stop before it's too late.
You're begging me
You're pleading with me to continue.
I won't do it again
I'm not going to do it again.
Now you're wide awake, I'm on top
You are now fully alert, and I am in control.
Suddenly I'm the one who can't stop
All of a sudden, I am unable to control myself.
No rules to this game
There are no guidelines to this experience.
Turn me out
You have driven me wild.
Now I'm helpless
I am vulnerable, with no power in this situation.
And I beg you
I am pleading with you to continue.
You keep beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me, beggin' me
You continue to plead with me repeatedly.
To do it again
To continue with the experience.
Do it again, do it again
Repeat this action.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Daniel Pineda, Dominic Mocky Salole, Kelela Mizanekristos, Will Boston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Franco Matías
Late at night you feel me creep in
One touch takes you out your sleep
And i got you where i want
Stop before I'm done
You're begging me
I won't do it again
Do it again
Do it again
Do it again
I'm holding out
Now you're wide awake, I'm on top
Suddenly I'm the one who can't stop
No rules to this game
Turn me out
Now I'm helpless
And i beg you
Do it again
Do it again
Do it again
Do it again
But you're holding out
I keep beggin' you beggin' you beggin' you
I keep beggin' you beggin' you beggin' you
But you're holding out
Del’Treesce
this will NEVER get tired; Kelela really made her place with "Cut 4 Me" Deluxe! The REMIXES, THE PRODUCTION, the EMOTIONS!
Franco Matías
Late at night you feel me creep in
One touch takes you out your sleep
And i got you where i want
Stop before I'm done
You're begging me
I won't do it again
Do it again
Do it again
Do it again
I'm holding out
Now you're wide awake, I'm on top
Suddenly I'm the one who can't stop
No rules to this game
Turn me out
Now I'm helpless
And i beg you
Do it again
Do it again
Do it again
Do it again
But you're holding out
I keep beggin' you beggin' you beggin' you
I keep beggin' you beggin' you beggin' you
But you're holding out
Gustavo Lourenço
i can't stop listenning to this masterpiece its amaaaazing, Kelela <3
Çois Agver
esto realmente suena muy bien, deberían pensar en trabajar un álbum juntos <3
plasticwrap
how does this song (and more of this album in general) not have more views? This girl should be the new Rihanna, honestly. Though in truth, fame would probably bring on redundant, repetitive, boring pop tracks, but as long as she stays with the Fade To Mind label, she'll stay interesting I think.
Arthur
Rihanna is so much overrated in my opinion.
WorstCaseAce
Well 3 years later it's the first time I've heard this song or her.. it randomly popped up in my the weeknd playlist...hours later i looked her up.
gaia girl
+plasticwrapcharlie not saying that shes not good she has real talent (with all those voice modifiers) but no one can replace rihanna you shouldnt compare artist like that its really rude i mean rihanna is amazing and she has her very own voice no one can replace her :l
A
I just discovered you KELELA!!! And I’m obsessed!!!! Thank you for your music!!!! You got a new fan here!!!
bruno
That bass at 2:13 just saved my life