Kelis Is Heading to Australia For a Keynote at Bigsound 2024

Kelis, the “Milkshake” master, Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef and author is heading to the land Down Under, where she will deliver a keynote presentation for Bigsound conference.

On Thursday, Sept. 5, the Harlem-born artist will deliver “an honest conversation on the importance of being authentic and her fearless approach to transformation,” subjects that strongly align with the Bigsound 2024 themes, organizers say. And later, on Saturday, Sept. 7, she’ll perform live and exclusively at QLD Music Trails’ Sweet Relief! Music Festival.

Twenty-five years on from the release of her 1999 debut studio album, Kaleidoscope, and 21 years on from her commercial breakout LP Tasty, Kelis has expanded her repertoire into cooking, helming several specials on Netflix and elsewhere and penning her own cookbook, “My Life on a Plate.”

Set for Sept. 3 – 6 in Brisbane, the 2032 Olympic city, Bigsound’s conference and showcase extravaganza “lights up the heart of the Fortitude Valley each year with a flurry of music lovers, brilliant minds and world class performers,” comments Kris Stewart, CEO of QMusic and Bigsound, which is teaming up with QLD Music Trails to bring Kelis to Australia.

“It’s a pleasure to get to partner with QLD Music Trails,” adds Stewart,” to bring to the city someone who encompasses all these things and more, Kelis, for what will undoubtedly be an incredible Keynote speech and festival performance.”

Kelis has landed seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100, led by Tasty cut “Milkshake,” one of many early recordings she created with The Neptunes’ Pharrell and Chad Hugo. “Milkshake” peaked at No. 3.

Also, five Kelis albums have impacted the Billboard 200 chart, including a top 10 for 2006’s Kelis Was Here, which peaked at No. 10.

At the 2024 edition of Bigsound, Kelis joins previously announced keynote speaker Amy Taylor, singer with ARIA Award-winning punk rock act Amyl & The Sniffers, plus a lineup of international speakers including Korda Marshall (Mushroom Group), Bradly Palmer (Concord Music Publishing), Elliott Lefko (AEG / Goldenvoice).

The event is supported by the Queensland government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and is presented by Oztix and Brick Lane.