will.i.am: “Kelis Could Be As Big As The Black Eyed Peas”

With  Kelis‘  putting the finishing touches to her new LP ‘Fleshtones’, the singer has received a glowing endorsement from Black Eyed Peas front-man will.i.am, who signed the 30 year old to his Will.i.Am Music Group imprint over at Interscope. Speaking to VIBE, he said:

“Kelis has always been a best kept secret. The cool people know Kelis. But the majority of people just know ‘Milkshake.’ If Kelis were fashion she would be a girl’s favorite pair of shoes or a coat…high fashion. I would like Kelis to show she’s an international sensation. She can be big. A lot of people think big is being on the radio or that being big is having a show in London, France and sometimes Japan. But that ain’t international…that’s just three countries. The Black Eyed Peas are big; the Black Eyed Peas are international. I think Kelis can be that big. As big as the Peas.

Fergie is huge. When Fergie blew up she was bigger than me! I believe Kelis can do the same.” {Source}

The former Ms Nas’ new single ‘Acapella’ has grown on me considerably since first hearing it. Here’s hoping the rest of the album delivers the goods and garners the success she so deserves.

Your thoughts?

Posted under:

Comments 30

Please Post Your Comments & Reviews

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Kevin March 7, 2010

    wow, i really dont see the appeal to the black eyed peas.

    will.i.am seems pompous as hell, too. Fergie is still WAY bigger than will.i.am, I don’t know what hes talking about

  2. Leon March 7, 2010

    its about time she got that major crossover appeal

  3. 12345 March 7, 2010

    Black Eyed Peas The End album sux, they are overrated and yes if you go to the dictionary and check the world “cool” you will see Kelis image, she is fantastic, fierce, she doesnt give a s***, she isnt a gimmick, Kelis is for Rihanna what Roisin Murphy is for Lady Gaga, Kelis and Roisin dont pretend to be it, they are, Rihanna and Lady Gaga arent theirselves, they are gimmicks, there is the difference

  4. Aunt Jackie March 7, 2010

    Will.I.Am’s statement hit the nail on the head.

    That is Kelis. All ‘Different’ chicks need to bow down (did I just stan?)

  5. March 7, 2010

    this is another case of bigging up your friends, as opposed to being realistic.
    i think kelis can do well internationally, but no way in hell will she come close to their US success.

    i don’t care how “different” she is
    it ain’t happenin’

  6. MaZ March 7, 2010

    KELIS was BIG way before BEP! It’s been more than 10 years she’s in the game.
    It’s not like she starts her career. WILL.I.AM said that cause Kelis is signed now to his label. All he wants is some publicity!

  7. Dave March 7, 2010

    I agree. & Kelis career did start 10 years ago, but she still has not garnered huge success, only fairly moderate, & NOT on a international level either, hugely.

  8. Dave March 7, 2010

    & I agree “Acapella” has really grew on me. At 1st, I was like this shouldn’t be a single, but no it was right, for people that truly want a different type of music, it’s great.

  9. trillafood March 7, 2010

    Kelis has major success overseas, but not much in the U.S. Kelis definitely has what it takes to blow up in the U.S. Shes freaking amazing!!!! No other black female artist can do it like Kelis. Rihanna tries, but shes a fake. Kelis is the TRUTH! This will be a good year for her.

  10. cool chick March 7, 2010

    as big as black eyed peas? ummm imma have to disagree on that one

    but i think Kelis definitely has some potential

  11. dan March 7, 2010

    why is everyone always saying people have success in europe when they are nothing in the us….

    she is not big here, no one knows her…

    she had one hit here which was trick me, that was a summer hit back in the day…

    since then

    nothing

  12. webstar March 7, 2010

    Why is Will acting like he “discovered” Kelis. She has been making solid albums for 10 years, lol. Some artists just aren’t meant to be HUGE & really as a fan, that is ok with me.

  13. dontazz March 7, 2010

    I AGREE WEBSTAR!Just because u have millions and millions of albums sold,does not make u a good Artist…Kelis does have potential to be bigger..its just something that wont stick with her..maybe its cause she isnt mainstream..and i think shes ok with that but….on the other hand…money talks..bullshyt walks..and Nas still aint paying up so……..we shall see lol

  14. dontazz March 7, 2010

    And i think her second album Wonderland- was only released overseas..dont know how it did but she did garner an international following of some kind during that period…

  15. Darren March 7, 2010

    OMG when will someone get the name of her album correct??? it is “FLESH TONE” TWO WORDS SIINGULAR! but yea she has always been bigger than the BEP and Will is right, Kelis is onl;y for cool people.

  16. trillafood March 7, 2010

    @dan
    You must be like 13 years old because Kelis has had 13 Top 10 hit singles in the U.K.
    Get your facts straight loser.

  17. X,Y,”and Z” March 7, 2010

    …..So she said would “take-Nas for all-he’s-worth,” and that is JUST what she did; that was BEFORE she had his son! Then she goes “blabbing and running-off-at-the-mouth”, bout Nas’ finances – ‘knowing-good-and-well,’ the entire-world is watching/listening, and who THEN “sends-notice” to Nas? …The IRS!

    ‘Kelis’: Not Yesterday, not today and certainly NOT tomorrow – NO COCAINE, NO LOVE!

    We can expect to see Kelis, not-too-long-from-now, along with Rihanna: giving their best-efforts, with dance partner Terrel Ownes – on Dancing with the Stars!

    X,Y,”and Z” — OUT!

  18. HLOVE March 7, 2010

    People should not compare Kelis to Rihanna. Kelis it now 10 years since kelis released her first album Kaleidoscope. Kelis best known album was Tasty which did well in the US and across Europe. Kelis Was Here for me was an amazing album bit it did not get the recognition it deserved and yest it was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2007 Grammy Award. It seem to me Kelis has been in the music industry for so long but she has not made that much impresion. This year she need to release her best album yet. With the fierce competition of other female artise (Christina, Britney, Gaga, Rihanna and Kelly Rowland) who will be releasing their album this year, Kelis GOOD LUCK……………

  19. Shamn March 7, 2010

    Yes Kelis deserves to be as big as MADONNA & BEP. . .I hope Interscope & Will promote the helll out her . . because b****** like rihanna get on my nerves with their fake ass music & slutty ways! Flesh Tone has some of the new & amazing producers of the decade & I know it will deliver because seriously its Kelis what else do u expect. Anyway just bought Acapella off Itunes. . . def loves that song. . . its the stand-out track in the clubs all the time!!!!!! Support real artists people come on now

  20. Shamn March 7, 2010

    @HLOVE

    Shut the f*** up. We comparing Kelis to that scum because the lil confused b**** is always copying Kelis & putting her stank on it like its hers. Kelis is in a league on her own. . .rihanna is basically a hooker selling her soul to the devil

  21. Roab March 7, 2010

    All hail Kelis…for being herself and making a track for her fans and not the masses…Kelis is the black Bjork…map props!

    Does anyone know many units or digital downloads Acapella has sold?

    It’s number 2 this week on Billboard dance. I hope she can get the number one spot next week.

  22. Shamn March 7, 2010

    @Roab

    its already #1 buddy . . . .. the billboard site is just late because she announced it on her twitter

  23. MyNailsStayDoneBitch March 7, 2010

    @12345 YOU NAILED IT!!!!
    “Black Eyed Peas The End album sux, they are overrated and yes if you go to the dictionary and check the world “cool” you will see Kelis image, she is fantastic, fierce, she doesnt give a s***, she isnt a gimmick, Kelis is for Rihanna what Roisin Murphy is for Lady Gaga, Kelis and Roisin dont pretend to be it, they are, Rihanna and Lady Gaga arent theirselves, they are gimmicks, there is the difference”

    I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m so happy someon else knows Roisin Murphy as well.

    #fact Rihanna bites Kelis & Gaga bites Roisin. We all know the original is always the best. The end!

  24. Kikyo Fierce March 7, 2010

    Yes mam I can not wait til Flesh Tone comes out and destroys all her clones in its path.

    Kelis has and will always be light years ahead of her competition and with Will.i.am

    on her team this is sure to be a successful era. He worked mircales for Fergie

    and I know he can do the same for my girl Kelis. Oh Acapella is on Itunes now u guys go support it

  25. RevoleR March 7, 2010

    She’s the only chick doing real innovative r&b music. I will be buying her new album, anything that Kelis drops is def gonna be a classic!

  26. Jordyn March 7, 2010

    So glad he is behind her 100%. Now she can finally get the credit that is overdue. Now Acapella is a worldwide track and I pray that its more global than Milkshake!

  27. dan March 8, 2010

    haha fergie is still bigger than will.i.am, maybe he is big as a producer, but no one wants to see him live….or want to buy his solo material…as you can see by his sales

    fergie is the black eyed peas, without her they wouldnt be as big as they are now…

    and kelis as a big international, no dont think she has the factor do be that big

    @trillafood

    uk, ok…maybe…i live in germay and here she had just one real hit, which was trick me

    and where the hell did she had 13 top 10 hits in the uk? get ur facts straight, i looked it up and she had 5…since 1999…she nearly didnt have 13 singles out…

    and here in germany she had 1 top ten hit…trick me…after that her last “hit” was lil star which was 99 on the top 100

    dont get me wrong, i like her music, but dont act like she s big in whole europe…which she isnt

    if she was that big she would not have been kicked out her label…
    because the uk are a very big market, but with kelis was here’s top chart at number 41 there wasnt that big success, was it? and tasty was just 11…

    so please dont act like shes big, which she is not!

  28. X,Y,”and Z” March 8, 2010

    Yes, Rihanna, ‘begged, borrowed and stole’ from the likes of Kelis and Fefe Dobson; that said, who did THEY “liberate/expropriate-from’? ….Grace Jones, that’s who!

    When Amber Rose did that picture- her homage – to Ms. Jones: her redoing Ms. Jones’ CD cover of “Island Life” – she was giving Ms. Jones “HER proper!”

    …Now, I ask you: What does Rihanna OR Kelis “bring-to-the-table?” What does EITHER offer, to YOU, as consumer? Both sell-p****, is THAT what YOU want, OR NEED, at this/in THESE – trying economic times? …Escapism you say? …”Real”!?! ….”Women in full-command of their sexuality?” – HA! …Perish-the-thought, if YOU want it “real”, “rough” while STILL ‘done-with-class-and-style,’ and, looking-good, WHILE doing it: ” And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, HEERRREEEE’S GRACE!!!

    X,Y,”and Z” — OUT!

  29. Chan Rock March 8, 2010

    FORGET KELIS SHE BOGUS FOR CHILD EXPLOITATION >>>> STOP BEG”N!!!!

  30. giubbotti peuterey 2011 December 14, 2014

    Great post.

Recommended Posts
..**