Kelela

As it pertains to my black womanhood, there's just a lot of ground to cover. There's a lot of stuff to say.

— Kelela

I don't write lyrics. I hear the track and sing in gibberish over it, then I try and fit words into the…

— Kelela

In the music industry, you can't create success without having to engage a white man. It's just not possible. Whether it's executives,…

— Kelela

When I was little, my parents would have these gatherings, and it was a common thing for me and my cousins to…

— Kelela

Often, I write to feel better and to heal - to cope with things that I'm dealing with. I'm either writing to…

— Kelela

I'm very into familiar things, popular things. I'm into things that no one seems to know about or be into. I'm trying…

— Kelela

I've talked about that with friends, about what genre makes sense to choose for each record and the strategy around that... Sometimes…

— Kelela

We don't want it to be obscure music. We're not trying to be indie. We want to be popular.

— Kelela

After it became clear that I was not going to graduate, I had this moment where I was like, 'I need to…

— Kelela

The act of me just being robust in the world is so radical - it's so radical for a black woman to…

— Kelela

I just want to live in a world where I can tell a guy, 'This is the deal: I really want this.…

— Kelela

The whole thing about 'progressive R&B' blows my mind. Black music has always been progressive.

— Kelela

I really do like Solange, sincerely. I'm down for her, and I trust her judgment.

— Kelela

A black woman's handbook in this industry is, 'Whoa.' The chapter on 'Don't go there.' The chapter on 'How to say that…

— Kelela

The assumption is simply that I hit on all the things I've hit on so far by accident, that my talent is…

— Kelela

I'm just tryna be honest about all the things that I dig in my music. It's not just this over here, it's…

— Kelela

I do like things the way that I like them. But I'm trying not to be - I don't wanna be that…

— Kelela

I want to speak in the tradition of rhythm and blues and soul music, but also push how it's dressed and how…

— Kelela

I remember the day I first heard what Timbaland and Aaliyah did - that intersection of her pretty voice and his weird,…

— Kelela

It's gratifying to hear something familiar and challenging at the same time.

— Kelela

I think I'm taking risks and putting myself out there.

— Kelela

Fog and one blue light is all I need in life at the club. Just a dark room and loud music. I'm…

— Kelela

I like smart rappers who aren't necessarily trying to be deeper than you, like Danny Brown.

— Kelela

The most rewarding thing for someone like me is for someone else to find solace through my music.

— Kelela

It means so much to be able to share myself with the world.

— Kelela