New Video: Kelis – ‘Acapella’ Video

Published: Monday 29th Mar 2010 by Sam

The video for Kelis‘ new single ‘Acapella’ premièred a few moments ago. Check out the tribal-inspired, Chris Cottam directed vid below…

Visually stunning! If ever there was a case.point.example of how to think outside of the box concept-wise, with a limited budget, this would be it. Though pretty much a studio-filmed affair, each setup managed to be highly artist, without ever coming across contrived.  Awesome video!

Your thoughts?

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  1. Dilla March 29, 2010

    Pretty cool I must say.

  2. guertri mecca March 29, 2010

    F*****’ AMAZIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Kelis never disappoints and always does the unthinkable.
    While all these wack chicks doing avant garde , Kelis going straight TRIBE on you muthasuckas!

  3. Dilla March 29, 2010

    I really like the end of the video where she has her cutesy little man on her back, I was wondering who she was singing about.

  4. Oggie March 29, 2010

    FOR ME SO FAR, THIS IS THE VIDEO AND SONG OF THE YEAR! AMAZING!!!

  5. MaZ March 29, 2010

    I Like it! How to be creative with a limited budget! Her baby made his first public appearence. It’s obvious she was singing for him. ;D

  6. Jammy March 29, 2010

    def shits on iamamiwhoami (whoever that is)

    and the gimmicky gaga

  7. Reasonable Voice March 29, 2010

    That was really, really good! Bravo, Kelis, Bravo!

  8. Simply Phillip Brown March 29, 2010

    Wow! Kelis isn’t playing this time around, I see things do get better with age!

  9. guertri mecca March 29, 2010

    @ JAMMY
    KILL URSELF!
    Gaga is the white version of Kelis.
    Now ROGER THAT!

  10. ibedaBADDEST March 29, 2010

    @GUERTRI MECCA
    lmAOO! I dont think he was dissing Kelis.
    anyways, this video is epic. I’m so proud of her.

  11. Delroy March 29, 2010

    i love the fact that i watched the snippet of the vid last week and i was thinking this is going to be an interesting vid. now that i have seen it i still think that she has made this fan happy. she didn’t let slip 2 much and she didn’tdisapoint unlike a few artists that are in the game 2day. but i stillneed to like the song, i like the vid but i’m really starting to get annoyed with nearly every artist comming out with the B.E.P sound the direction of the genre is starting to p*** me off.

  12. POTATOES March 29, 2010

    I think the comparisons between Kelis and Gaga are sad; a part from the fact that they’re both eccentric with their style, musically they are nothing alike. It’s somewhat demonstrative of how commercialized pop music has become; like people have forgotten what an artist is.. (remember how people would go on about how ugly they thought Lady Gaga is – as though she said she was a model).

    Anyway. I think Kelis pulled this video off well. It’s intriguing and visually powerful, but simple.

  13. POTATOES March 29, 2010

    Delroy, I agree with the “B.E.P. sound”. It SEEMS like House/Electronica is beginning to take what was once hip-hop’s influence on Pop music. For now, I’m liking it but I can see overdose is imminent. Lol it’s like David Guetta has taken over from Timbaland.

  14. Ghetto Fab March 29, 2010

    Really nice video! Thats what you call being creative. Even if you don’t have a million dollar budget you can still manage to make great videos. Take notes folks! David Guetta Rules! Now all we are waiting to hear is “Commander.”

  15. GetitIn March 29, 2010

    Such a great video. I loved how the whole time, I was thinking the song was about a guy, but Kelis switched it up on us and revealed it’s about her newborn baby.

    Very great visuals and unique concept. I wish more artists would make videos like this. Sucks that Kelis isn’t getting the success she deserves. 🙁

  16. antertain March 29, 2010

    What a hot body Kelis has. Proper womanly shape.

    This sound is really cool 4her. Very Euro sounding but think she’s versatile enough to pull it off.

    Decent video 2.

    Be interesting to find out what other sounds she brings in her new era.

  17. anon March 29, 2010

    my girl gaga don’t even need to be mentioned in these posts and her name gets thrown around, just goes to show how far she has come.

    back to kelis, i wasn’t really checking for this song until this video. AMAZING, made me love the song now, its on replay as we speak!!

  18. Chantel March 29, 2010

    I want a post-baby body like Kelis’s when I have children! And is that her baby on her back? Cameo!

  19. raydeeohcity March 29, 2010

    ugh i dont like this song kelis.

    im a fan..she always has great ALBUM CUTS, yes shes more than “my milkshake brings theboys to the yard” and “im bossy”…hot material but i dont like her new direction. I been thinkin that im the only one who is not a fan of this pop-techno-house crap that alot of todays R&B are indulging in.

    I miss her stellar, grungy, big colored hair, punkish style/music.

  20. OPTICAL March 29, 2010

    I’m loving her back again. That bossy-smell-my-v***** era was just pukable. Go Kelis!

  21. Madame Zenobia March 29, 2010

    OMG I love it! I love her. The end was so awesome. I thought she was singing about a lover or something. Beautiful. I love it! Love this woman! Now the ponytail and crazy hair makes sense !!! LOL

  22. LEA March 29, 2010

    blah, kelis is not a great singer either…

  23. Lioness March 29, 2010

    love it

  24. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    OH PLZ THIS NO TALENT NEEDS TO GO SIT DOWN W/ HER GOLD DIGGING ASS!

    STOP TRYIN TO BE THE BLACK GAGA, NOT WORKING.

    EVER SINCE GAGA PPL HAVE BEEN COMING OUT THE WOODWORKS TRYIN TO BE DIFFERENT AND ORIGINAL…YET IT FAILS!!!

  25. Roooom March 29, 2010

    I believe Kelis and GaGa have their own styles, but GaGa has been proved to steal another singer’s style before. Roisin Murphy baby. Roisin Murphy.

  26. KRow March 29, 2010

    ERR RETARDS PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THE HELL SHE IS SIMILAR TO GAGA? WHICH OUTFIT? WHAAAAT ARE YOU ON!!?

    Kelis WAS there before and DID all the quirky s*** before Gaga, I’m not a Gaga hater, I’m a fan but Kelis haters need to get their facts right.

    Seriously makes me LOL when you see someone wearing something as slight as a gold hat and the instant reply you get is “OMGZZZ SHE COPYING GAGA!!!!”

  27. incognegro March 29, 2010

    Beautiful video!!! The different themes, the costumes, and the colors were all amazing! A bit Avatar-esque, but entirely different also. Kelis is gorgeous, and the song is amazing. TEAM KELIS!!!!

  28. KRow March 29, 2010

    @LEA

    Are you SERIOUS?
    Go youtube some live performances, she CAN sing very well. In fact, her voice/tone is just as unique as her appearance!

  29. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    OH PLEASE GO BE TEAM KELIS…WHO IS SHE?! SHE NEEDS ALL THE SUPPORT SHE CAN GET, SHE’S JUST LIKE CASSIE, A NO HIT WONDER!!! WTF, B**** AINT NOBODY

    GAGA CAME OUT IN 08 AND SLAYED ANY AND EVERYTHING KELIS HAS EVER DONE!!! THE WHOLE IM WIERD AND DIFFERENT IMAGE KELIS IS TRYIN TO PUT ON IS FAKER THAN FAKE…SHES TRYIN WAYY TO HARD TO BE DIFFERENT BUT SRRY NOT BUYING IT!

    HER VOCALS SUCK ASS LIVE! WTF R U HEARING!? LISTEN TO HER LIVE THAN GO WATCH LADY GAGA SING SPEECHLESS….CRUSHES KELIS!!!

    KELIS IS A NO TALENT, NO BODY….IT WOULD AT LEAST BE A DIFFERENT STORY IF SHE WAS SOMEBODY…BISH PLZ, SITDOWN GO SPEND ALL NAS MONEY…

  30. Yo Mama! March 29, 2010

    PURPLE_GUNZ has clearly had a taste of Gaga’s donkey d*** and now can’t get his head out of her a***!

    B**** PLEAAAAASE!

  31. wideawake March 29, 2010

    @PURPLE_GUNZ Hey I think you left your capslock on.

  32. Avataress March 29, 2010

    I swear these Gaga stans are like 10!! Seriously, they seem to think Gaga is the only one past. present and future!!

    Erm hello, Grace Jones? Madonna? Erykah Badu?

  33. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    EW GAGA IS NOTHIN LIKE GRACE OR ERYKAH

    AND SHE’S INSPIRED BY MADONNA, AND I LOVE MADONNA SO WHO CARES THERE! BUT SHE DIDNT COPY MADONNA IN ANYWAY, SHE MADE HER STYLE!!!

    GAGA IS WAYYY MORE TALENTED THAN A NON-SINGING BISH LIKE ERYKAH..UGH I CANT STAND HER VOICE!!!! PLUS DIDNT ERYKAH GO ON JIMMY FALLON W/ NO PANTS TRYIN TO BE GAGA?! SMH LOL ANYWAY WHO CARES….

    GAGA GOT ALL THESE CHICKS TRYIN TO BE EDGY….ESP NO TALENT KELIS

  34. wideawake March 29, 2010

    Someone needs to hit puberty first before starting writing comments.

  35. Parisian girl March 29, 2010

    I love the song!!!it’s cool and fresh!
    The video is interesting!

  36. rudeboy! March 29, 2010

    brilliant!

  37. Blasian March 29, 2010

    I LOVE THE VIDEO HOT! NEW FLASH LADY GAGA ISN’T ORIGINAL!!!? EVERYTHING LADY GAGA HAS DONE HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE

  38. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    EVERYTHING GAGA’S DONE BEEN DONE BEFORE?!?!?

    WHAT HASNT!! BUT AT LEAST GAGA IS MORE ORIGINAL WITH IT!!! NOBODYS STYLE OR MUSIC CAN COMPETE WITH GAGA RIGHT NOW….EVEN PEREZ HILTON SAID IT!!!

  39. I AM… March 29, 2010

    i couldnt hear the words half the damn time but the vid was ok nothin epic… kinda reminds me of Kanye West Love Lockdown

  40. AuntJackie March 29, 2010

    Wow, what a great video! It’s a good song too. <3 Kelis. And yes, people are DEF going to overdose on this new techno direction. Why does everyone have to be so damn trendy these days?

    The Gaga comparisons are ignorant and unfounded. Are the people making these comparisons 12 years old? Kelis was out while GAGA was in junior high. What, was Kelis going up to Gaga's 8th grade class and checking out her looks, her styling and her singing in her junior high school talent show? Right, I didn't think so. Kelis is 31 years old. Gaga is 23. Kaleidoscope (1999) was released when Kelis was 20, and she was just as weird and crazy then. Count that, if you can. That's 11 years ago. And no, she isn't 'stealing' her sound or her looks now. Not everyone is trying to be this chick Gaga. She's great, but stop trying to bring her into everything and comment on-topic. Which is KELIS. The original crazy-pants.

    LOL @ Purple_Gunz calling Erykah Badu Non-Singing. Even though I'm a young gal, some of these comments make me feel old. I wonder, what the measure of being able to 'sing' for people under 20 is now. SMH

  41. bevin daggs March 29, 2010

    ok kelis did her thing let me jus say that first of all!!! i dont like how she is tryin 2 f*** nas in court but i do dig her artistry. As far as gaga she couldnt be more different gaga is the biggest gimmick in the game sub par vocals and halloween costumes dont make u a great artist. so all these gaga fan need to go sit down and chill. i hope u know shes a devil worshiper the proof is all in her videos. so keep feeding into her b*******!!!anyway great job kelis!!!!

    ps- this video doesnt give me a dark scary vibe the way gaga videos do. jus sayn.

  42. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    UM EXCUSE ME BUT KELIS DIDNT DRESS AND DO MUSIC LIKE THIS BEFORE GAGA…IT WAS ALL MILKSHAKE THIS AND BOSSY THAT AND BASICALLY A NOBODY R&B CHICK!

    GAGA HAS ACCOMPLISHED MORE IN A YEAR THAN KELIS WHOLE CAREER!!! LOLOL SUCKS HUH! LOL

    AND Erykah’s Voice to me is fukin hideous and annoying! And thats my opinion..I Cant stand it and turns off anything that she sings on…Awards, TV Shows, Radio Whatever…EKKK

    IF U want to Here OUTSTANDING vocals Look For Xtina Aguielara, or even Gaga!

  43. ADE March 29, 2010

    i couldnt even tolerate the song long enough to watch the whole video…seriously this song is so s***

  44. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    @ BEVIN?!?

    KELIS AND ARTIST?! WITH ARTISITRY?! THAT HAS TO BE THE BIGGESTJOKE EVER!!! KELIS IS NOT AN ARTIST….SHES A WHACK JOB W/ NO TALENT, A NOBODY

    GAGA IS ARTISTRY, HER STYLE, MUSIC, VIDEOS ARE ALL EPIC AND GOT EVERYBODY FOLLOWING AFTER HER…THE NEW POP ICON!!

    I HAVENT SEEN PPL GO NUTZ OVER HER VIDS, STYLE ETC SINCE MJ, MADONNA ETC.

  45. Luis March 29, 2010

    Shits all over “Telephone”.

    This is an truly artistic original video.

  46. AuntJackie March 29, 2010

    @ Purple Gunz

    Do you really know how Kelis dressed before Lady Gaga came out?

    Once again, Kelis was out, dressing just as crazy as she does now, when Lady Gaga was 12 and in Junior High School. What you are essentially saying is that Kelis went up to Lady Gaga’s Roman Catholic private prep school that her rich parents put her in called Convent of the Sacred Heart, checked out her looks and then wore them.

    Sheesh! That’s a lot of work for someone who was 20 years old at the time and had a record called Kaleidoscope (1999) and was shooting video’s . Remember her song ‘I hate you so much right now’? The BISH was in a strait jacket in her video. Check out a video called ‘Get Along with you’ inspired by a little film called ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYsqgScbPp4

    This video came out in 2000. She’s dressing as outrageous and weird as ever. This video is as creative and as strange as ever. This video came out before Gaga even signed with Def Jam (a label which dropped her after 3 months, idiots)!

    Before you write something. Please, Please know what you are talking about.

  47. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    U WISH THIS WAS BETTER THAN TELEPHONE

    THIS WAS AN EPIC MESS, THE VIDEO WAS A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING!!!

    LETS SEEIF IT CAN GET EVEN HALF THE SUCCESS OF TELEPHONE…LOLOLOL

  48. PURPLE_GUNZ March 29, 2010

    AUNT JACKIE

    THANKS FOR PROVING MY POINT TO SHOW HOW MUCH OF AN EPIC MESS SHE HAS ALWAYS BEEN!!!! LOL THAT WAS HORRID

    KELIS IS FUKIN UGLY AT THAT SO THAT ALONE DOESNT HELP LOLOL

  49. incognegro March 29, 2010

    I don’t get it…if one’s life goal is too stan for another artist, why waste your time in a message board for another artist. I mean more valuable time can be spent on Lady Gaga’s website, rather than dissing Kelis. It’s like going to a NRA meeting, knowing that you’re a anti-gun protestor – you’re asking to be dissapointed.

    In regards to the comparison – apples and oranges! They don’t sound the same, they don’t dress the same, they don’t make the same type of music, and clearly they have totally different types of fans. For anyone who knows Kelis’ music, this song and this video are not a shock. She has always been left of center, it’s just “left-of-center” is fashionable these days; but Kelis was doing this when it was not. She was dying her hair, wearing crazy clothes, and making crazy videos before it was the recipe for billboard success. This is Kelis’ steez, and I fuqs with Kelis all day everyday. Team Kelis!!!!

  50. Luis March 29, 2010

    If you want to keeping taking s*** instead of artistry it’s your choice you ignorant retarded. 😉

  51. Stoney-Brie March 29, 2010

    I LOVE THIS OUR WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF DISCO QUEENS!! KELIS, KELLY AND ESTELLE! THIS IS GREAT I CAN SEE THEM DOIN IT! THEY HAVE DEF FOUND THEIR NICHE’

  52. Gary March 29, 2010

    B.R.I.L.L.I.A.N.T !!!!!!!!! The video is amazing , the song is beyond awesome !

    Looooove the ending ! She realy said it in an interview that the song is dedicated to her baby ! ” Before you , my whole life was acapella ” . I’m LOVING IT !

  53. roadsareendless March 29, 2010

    omg this is sooo beautiful!!! unlike lady gaga, who i adore, kelis proves that originality can be evoked on a low budget!! loved the baby at the end…simply beautiful…so artistic! KELIS IS BACK B******!!!

  54. Puppy Love March 29, 2010

    Yasssssss!

  55. Darren March 29, 2010

    It was exactly what i wanted from K. It is also hands down the best video of the year. that d*** GaGa wishes she was as cool as Kelis.

  56. katighe March 29, 2010

    KELIS JUST SLAYED EVERY MUSIC VIDEO THATS RELEASED THIS YEAR SO FAR!!!

  57. cuhZAMM March 29, 2010

    PURPLE_GUNZ
    I HOPE U GETTING PAID TO GO FROM BLOG TO BLOG TO HATE ON KELIS.
    MANLY PAPA WILL NEVER BE AS FASHION FORWARD OR AS AMAZING AS KELIS AND THATS FACT!
    EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT UGLY T***** IS RECYCLED.
    ACAPELLA VIDEO SHITS AND PISSES ALL OVER TELEPHONE VIDEO AND YOU’RE ANGRY! HAHAHAHA! B ANGRY! KELIS IS BACK B**** AND SHES ABOUT TO SHOW THESE WANNABE EDGY GIRLS HOW ITS REALLY DONE.
    NOW GO END UR LIFE, U PIECE OF S***.

  58. ibedaBADDEST March 29, 2010

    Manly JaJa is the WHITE version of KELIS, expect JaJa has a penis. hahaha

  59. cuhZAMM March 29, 2010

    Manly Papa’s Just Dance video was a rip off of Kelis’ Bossy.

  60. here to laugh March 29, 2010

    Pretty cool video! Kelis never dissapoints! The song is even starting to grow on me now.

    I really wish people would stop with the Kelis and Gaga comparisons. Both women are talented but let’s get one thing striaght: Kelis has been out almost ten years longer than Gaga and has always had a very eclectic and funky style. Kelis had NEVER copied Gaga.

  61. The Realest March 29, 2010

    Sooo lets have a little Kelis trendsetting 101. All the fresh, young, hot and new chicks that are drippin wit swag in the industry right now for their weird looks (outside of beyonce) have all taken a lil somethin from Kelis.

    Example 1) Teyana Taylor. I love Teyana for her style and her looks alone make ppl stare (which is why she is still relevant on blogs yet no music). However, Kelis was the ORIGINATOR of the huge giant curly fro joint (which has now become teyana’s trademark) which was debuted over 10 years ago in 1999 wit her first album. Not to mention, Kelis is from Harlem. Back then n***** didnt know her name but def knew who she was via the hair (just watch Milkshake).

    Example 2) Rihanna. When she was still trying to figure out who she wanted to be (b4 her “rockstar epiphany”) and was battling between being dancehall or a pop princess as she swung her long locks on the screen in SOS (not to mention, this was also when the world was hell bent on jackin Beyonce’s swag by throwing every industry chick in office high heels and a ruffled skirt), Kelis came thru wit the whole super high fashion threads, louboutin heels, the ill short asymmetrical haircut, rockstar attitude and funky shades that practically now defines the new rihanna (Peep the entire package design, promo, and videos from the “Kelis Was Here” joint. In which that album did exactly what the titled said. She left her mark… and that mark is RiRi. Sidebar: That Halle/Toni Braxton throwback cut riri rocked came after and were merely styles derived from the original cut rirhanna debuted with… that was the cut Kelis had.

    Example 3) Cassie. This chick used to be the girl next door on her first album. Now she is this “daring” individual who wears supper short skirts and doesn’t give a f*ck. She made the net go bonkers when she cut all her hair off on one side and ppl started to think she lost it. However, Kelis back in 06/07 did the same cooky sh&t when during her later live performances for “Kelis Was Here”, ppl started noticing she was shedding the rihanna cut and was goin in a very bizarre direction as she started shavin her head and dang near makin herself look like a crazed cancer patient in a dress. And although it was some s*** girls wouldnt dare do to their heads, it was still lookin right on Kelis.

    Example 4) GaGa. I wont even go too heavy into this one simply because I just find the comparisons hilarious, From jump Kelis’s whole motto was f*** the world and what the industry thinks. She was all about the art (which is why she kept getting the door shut on her concerning becoming a household name). She had been rockin the alexander Mcqueen s*** b4 the industry was even ready for him and was still concerned with Gucci and Prada. She been doing weird ass vids that make n***** scratch their heads and press rewind (Take a look at 1999’s “Get Along With You” vid) and the left field makeup choices (take a look at Angie Martinez’s vid “Take You Home” or any other vid kelis has done or was featured in.

    Example 5) Amber Rose. This girl is all about shades, legging and shoe game. Just take a quick browse at some of the photo shoots Kelis did back in 06.

    LONG STORY SHORT, KELIS IS AHEAD OF HER TIME AND THAT IS WHY SHE NEVER SEEMS TO GET HER BIG BREAK BECAUSE SHE DOES THINGS WHEN THE WORLD ISN’T READY. WATCH WHAT THIS FLESHTONE ALBUM DOES… 3 years from now everybody gone be saying “f*** rnb/pop” and gon b makin dance albums… and no not s*** wit hints of techno, the whole 9.

  62. KjCain March 30, 2010

    Women who Run With Wolves…this video is beautiful…Im thinking Midwestern Gray Mullet Tribal Native American DreamCatcher TrailerPark Storm Super 3d Futuristic Older Woman Wisdom Genuis!!!!!

  63. Rob March 30, 2010

    That was amazing. Kudis to Ms. Kelis.

  64. _NoBitchAssNess March 31, 2010

    GREAT!

  65. Hannah March 31, 2010

    I love the video & the song, If i ever got high.. this is what i’d imagine see’ing lmao..
    I can just play this over and over.

  66. likeCaesar March 31, 2010

    Yall giving Kelis too much credit for things that she copied as well. I mean there really wasn’t anything original about the video or these crazy sunglasses or that f***** up hairdo. I do like the song and the video is decent but far from EPIC… And @The Realest…Rihanna’s image comes from the androginous punk rock scene meets high fashion. Seeing as how Kelis’s success is mediocre I doubt anybody was studying her style…music…or anything else. APPEARING TO BE THE FIRST TO DO SOMETHING DOES NOT MEAN YOU OWN IT! For the record: I think Lady Gaga, Kelis, and Rihanna are completely different kinds of artists.

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