Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Kelis is back with her first solo song since 2014’s “Midnight Snacks”
Kelis has released her first new solo song since 2014’s critically acclaimed, soulful album Food. Entitled “Midnight Snacks,” (BMG) the track’s stripped-back, slinky sound is a throwback to the early days of Keils’ career, which kicked off with the game-changing, genre-defying album Kaleidoscope in 1999.
Somebody recently told Kelis that she was always talking about food in her songs. “I was like, do I?” she laughs. “I mean, obviously I do. It isn’t intentional, but the idea is just that food is a very carnal thing. Everyone can relate to it. It’s very human, it’s sensual, it’s something that you crave. And it’s sexy.”
Featured along with the release “Midnight Snacks” was directed by photographer/director Adrienne Raquel (Travis Scott, Rihanna, Selena Gomez); the visual came to life in a futuristic, yet retro dreamscape – a world where Black beauty, fashion, and decadence collide, inspired by the allure of the 1990’s and paired with the glamour of the 1970’s.
The song was recorded in a studio on a boat in London and produced by The FaNaTix (Giggs, Nicki Minaj, Popcaan, Vybz Kartel). It has a minimal, sleek, back-to-basics feel, shot through with nighttime sounds taken from the natural world and percussive babies’ gurgles. “I heard the beat, thought it was dope, and the first thing that came to mind was “Midnight Snacks.” The FaNaTix were like, what are you talking about? And I was like, it makes you feel like a midnight snack! And that was it.” says Kelis.
She may keep singing about food, but there’s more to this than late-night stories of raiding the fridge. “It’s funny to me, but I like the fact that you can take sex and food, and you can put these two things together, and they’re totally interchangeable. I love that.”
Over nearly two decades in the music industry, Kelis has released six albums, has been nominated for multiple Grammys, has charted with numerous top 10 singles and has sold millions of albums. Kelis went on to release her worldwide smash hit song ‘Milkshake,’ her uniquely feminist anthem ‘Bossy,’ and her dancefloor-dominating collaboration with Calvin Harris, ‘Bounce.’ She has travelled the world playing sold out tours and festivals many times over and is now a world renowned Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, building her own Bounty and Full empire.
The reminiscent feel of the song – harkening back to Kelis’ first recorded output – is a deliberate choice, one made by Kelis when she first started to think about writing again. “I think it’s about when I loved music, you know? I’m looking for the era when I was excited about it, going back to the beginning, and coming full circle.”
