Kelis Triumphantly Returns in SXSW Blowout
It has been four years since Kelis' last U.S. performance, and during her set at NPR's opening night showcase at SXSW, she accomplished something impressive: She made herself completely anew. On more than a few occasions I overheard people standing around the crowded venue mispronouncing her name and misremembering her breakout single, "Milkshake." From the stage, it seemed like she couldn't care less.
The starlet opened with a cover of "Feelin' Good," sounding surprisingly fresh and sporting a gorgeous caftan, drawing a few people to make comparisons to M.I.A. If the two have anything in common, it's their unique brand of effortless cool, which is the stuff of jealousy.
Kelis is a fighter, having to battle not just the divorce from her "Milkshake" image, but the very public divorce from hip hop legend Nas. When Nas puts your wedding dress on the cover of his 2012 record Life is Good, how do you leave your past in the dust?
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