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Chakeiya Richmond was born and raised in [[Chicago]] on the city's south side.<ref name="thecut2020">{{Cite web|last=Blacksher|first=Devine|date=2020-12-11|title=The R&B Singer Who Makes Her Own Beats|url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/12/they-seem-cool-r-and-b-artist-keiyaa.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=The Cut|language=en-us}}</ref> During childhood she sang in the [[Chicago Children's Choir]] until switching to the [[alto saxophone]] in seventh grade.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2015-02-24|title=Download the debut EP by jazz saxophonist turned R&B singer Keiya|url=https://www.factmag.com/2015/02/24/listen-to-the-stunning-debut-ep-by-jazz-saxophonist-turned-rb-singer-keiya/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Fact Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> She cited soul artists including [[Chaka Khan]], [[Patrice Rushen]], jazz musicians like [[John Coltrane]] and [[Miles Davis]] and R&B groups such as [[SWV]] as early musical influences.<ref name=":1" /> She also finds inspiration in goth and post-punk artists like [[Nirvana]] and [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]].<ref name=":1" />
Chakeiya Richmond was born and raised in [[Chicago]] on the city's south side.<ref name="thecut2020">{{Cite web|last=Blacksher|first=Devine|date=2020-12-11|title=The R&B Singer Who Makes Her Own Beats|url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/12/they-seem-cool-r-and-b-artist-keiyaa.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=The Cut|language=en-us}}</ref> During childhood she sang in the [[Chicago Children's Choir]] until switching to the [[alto saxophone]] in seventh grade.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2015-02-24|title=Download the debut EP by jazz saxophonist turned R&B singer Keiya|url=https://www.factmag.com/2015/02/24/listen-to-the-stunning-debut-ep-by-jazz-saxophonist-turned-rb-singer-keiya/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Fact Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> She cited soul artists including [[Chaka Khan]], [[Patrice Rushen]], jazz musicians like [[John Coltrane]] and [[Miles Davis]] and R&B groups such as [[SWV]] as early musical influences.<ref name=":1" /> She also finds inspiration in goth and post-punk artists like [[Nirvana]] and [[Siouxsie and the Banshees]].<ref name=":1" />


Richmond attended [[University of Illinois at Chicago]] and [[Columbia College Chicago|Columbia College]] to study jazz and play alto sax before leaving due disillusionment with the program's hierarchical nature as well difficulty balancing school with working full-time.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Jagota|first=Vrinda|title=KeiyaA’s Divine Soul|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/keiyaa-forever-ya-girl-interview/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Pitchfork|language=en-us}}</ref> Shortly after she decided to pursue music professionally.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Nostro|first=Lauren|date=|title=Premiere: KEIYA Shares the Video for "Work"|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2015/05/keiya-new-video-premiere-work|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Complex|language=en}}</ref>
Richmond attended [[University of Illinois at Chicago]] and [[Columbia College Chicago|Columbia College]] to study jazz and play alto sax before leaving due to disillusionment with the program's hierarchical nature, as well difficulty balancing school with working full-time.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Jagota|first=Vrinda|title=KeiyaA’s Divine Soul|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/keiyaa-forever-ya-girl-interview/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Pitchfork|language=en-us}}</ref> Shortly after she decided to pursue music professionally.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Nostro|first=Lauren|date=|title=Premiere: KEIYA Shares the Video for "Work"|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2015/05/keiya-new-video-premiere-work|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Complex|language=en}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==
While still playing and performing on alto sax, she collaborated with Chicago musicians including [[Noname (rapper)|Noname]] and [[Vic Mensa]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=July 21|first=rew SacherPublished:|last2=2020|title=5 great albums from 2020 you may have missed|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/5-great-albums-from-2020-you-may-have-missed/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=BrooklynVegan|language=en}}</ref> She decided to switch her focus to producing and singing R&B and electronic music.<ref name=":1" /> Performing under the name Keiya, she released her debut EP, ''WORK'', in July 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cliff|first=Aimee|date=|title=KEIYA Is Unapologetically “Fly”|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/07/15/keiya-fly|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=The FADER|language=en}}</ref> It was described as "Emotional, sleepy, and yet strikingly optimistic" by ''These Days'' magazine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keiya • "Simple" & "Rite 1"|url=https://thesedaysmag.com/releases/2015/12/17/keiya-simple-rite-1|access-date=2021-02-12|website=These Days|language=en-US}}</ref> Shortly after its release she moved to New York.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=DJBooth|date=2020-04-30|title=Chicago R&B Singer KeiyaA Has Come for Her Things: Interview|url=https://medium.com/@DJBooth/chicago-r-b-singer-keiyaa-has-come-for-her-things-interview-5240979bccbd|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref> She added an additional "a" to the spell Keiyaa in order to differentiate her name from other performers on streaming sites.<ref name=":2" />
While still playing and performing on alto sax, she collaborated with Chicago musicians including [[Noname (rapper)|Noname]] and [[Vic Mensa]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=July 21|first=rew SacherPublished:|last2=2020|title=5 great albums from 2020 you may have missed|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/5-great-albums-from-2020-you-may-have-missed/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=BrooklynVegan|language=en}}</ref> She decided to switch her focus to solo work producing and singing R&B and electronic music.<ref name=":1" /> Performing under the name Keiya, she released her debut EP, ''WORK'', in July 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cliff|first=Aimee|date=|title=KEIYA Is Unapologetically “Fly”|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/07/15/keiya-fly|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=The FADER|language=en}}</ref> It was described as "emotional, sleepy, and yet strikingly optimistic" by ''These Days'' magazine.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keiya • "Simple" & "Rite 1"|url=https://thesedaysmag.com/releases/2015/12/17/keiya-simple-rite-1|access-date=2021-02-12|website=These Days|language=en-US}}</ref> Shortly after its release she moved to New York.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=DJBooth|date=2020-04-30|title=Chicago R&B Singer KeiyaA Has Come for Her Things: Interview|url=https://medium.com/@DJBooth/chicago-r-b-singer-keiyaa-has-come-for-her-things-interview-5240979bccbd|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref> She added an additional "a" to her name (Keiyaa) in order to differentiate herself from other performers on streaming sites.<ref name=":2" />


Keiyaa's debut album ''Forever, Ya Girl'' was released in March 2020 and self-produced under her personal label Forever Recordings.<ref name="esquire" /> It was reviewed by Olivia Ovendon for [[KEXP-FM|KEXP]] as featuring "powerful mantra-esque lyrics, and woozy, heady, immersive beats in captivating fashion."<ref name="kexp" /> [[Esquire (magazine)|''Esquire'']] described the sound as "downcast grime and smooth R&B."<ref name="esquire">{{Cite web|last=Ovenden|first=Olivia|date=2020-12-11|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2020|url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a30427570/best-albums-2020/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Esquire|language=en-GB}}</ref> Pitchfork writer Clare Lobenfeld rated the album an 8.2/10 and praised its "resolute realness that can only happen outside the major label gaze."<ref name="pitchfork2020">{{Cite web|last=Lobenfeld|first=Clare|date=2020-04-22|title=KeiyaA: Forever, Ya Girl|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/keiyaa-forever-ya-girl/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Pitchfork|language=en}}</ref> ''Forever, Ya Girl'' was named to ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'', ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', and ''[[The Guardian]]''<nowiki/>'s "Best Albums of 2020" lists.<ref name="best50pf">{{Cite web|last=Pierre|first=Alphonse|date=2020-12-08|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2020|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2020/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Pitchfork|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-11|title=The best albums of 2020 so far|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/may/11/the-best-albums-of-2020-so-far|access-date=2021-02-12|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Jonathan Bernstein,Emily Blake,David Browne,Jon Dolan,Brenna Ehrlich,Andrew Firriolo,Kory Grow,Samantha Hissong,Joseph Hudak,Jeff Ihaza,Daniel Kreps,Hank Shteamer,Simon|last2=Bernstein|first2=Jonathan|last3=Blake|first3=Emily|last4=Browne|first4=David|last5=Dolan|first5=Jon|last6=Ehrlich|first6=Brenna|last7=Firriolo|first7=Andrew|last8=Grow|first8=Kory|last9=Hissong|first9=Samantha|date=2020-12-21|title=18 Great Albums You Might Have Missed in 2020|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/underrated-2020-music-1101175/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref>
Keiyaa's debut album ''Forever, Ya Girl'' was released in March 2020 and self-produced under her personal label Forever Recordings.<ref name="esquire" /> It was reviewed by Olivia Ovendon for [[KEXP-FM|KEXP]] as featuring "powerful mantra-esque lyrics, and woozy, heady, immersive beats in captivating fashion."<ref name="kexp" /> [[Esquire (magazine)|''Esquire'']] described the sound as "downcast grime and smooth R&B."<ref name="esquire">{{Cite web|last=Ovenden|first=Olivia|date=2020-12-11|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2020|url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a30427570/best-albums-2020/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Esquire|language=en-GB}}</ref> Pitchfork writer Clare Lobenfeld rated the album an 8.2/10 and praised its "resolute realness that can only happen outside the major label gaze."<ref name="pitchfork2020">{{Cite web|last=Lobenfeld|first=Clare|date=2020-04-22|title=KeiyaA: Forever, Ya Girl|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/keiyaa-forever-ya-girl/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Pitchfork|language=en}}</ref> ''Forever, Ya Girl'' was named to ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'', ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', and ''[[The Guardian]]''<nowiki/>'s "Best Albums of 2020" lists.<ref name="best50pf">{{Cite web|last=Pierre|first=Alphonse|date=2020-12-08|title=The 50 Best Albums of 2020|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2020/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Pitchfork|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-11|title=The best albums of 2020 so far|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/may/11/the-best-albums-of-2020-so-far|access-date=2021-02-12|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Jonathan Bernstein,Emily Blake,David Browne,Jon Dolan,Brenna Ehrlich,Andrew Firriolo,Kory Grow,Samantha Hissong,Joseph Hudak,Jeff Ihaza,Daniel Kreps,Hank Shteamer,Simon|last2=Bernstein|first2=Jonathan|last3=Blake|first3=Emily|last4=Browne|first4=David|last5=Dolan|first5=Jon|last6=Ehrlich|first6=Brenna|last7=Firriolo|first7=Andrew|last8=Grow|first8=Kory|last9=Hissong|first9=Samantha|date=2020-12-21|title=18 Great Albums You Might Have Missed in 2020|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/underrated-2020-music-1101175/|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:11, 12 February 2021

Chakeiya Richmond (born 1992),[1] known professionally as Keiyaa (stylized as KeiyaA), is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. She independently released her debut album Forever, Ya Girl in 2020.[2]

Early life and education

Chakeiya Richmond was born and raised in Chicago on the city's south side.[3] During childhood she sang in the Chicago Children's Choir until switching to the alto saxophone in seventh grade.[2][4] She cited soul artists including Chaka Khan, Patrice Rushen, jazz musicians like John Coltrane and Miles Davis and R&B groups such as SWV as early musical influences.[4] She also finds inspiration in goth and post-punk artists like Nirvana and Siouxsie and the Banshees.[4]

Richmond attended University of Illinois at Chicago and Columbia College to study jazz and play alto sax before leaving due to disillusionment with the program's hierarchical nature, as well difficulty balancing school with working full-time.[5] Shortly after she decided to pursue music professionally.[5][6]

Career

While still playing and performing on alto sax, she collaborated with Chicago musicians including Noname and Vic Mensa.[7] She decided to switch her focus to solo work producing and singing R&B and electronic music.[4] Performing under the name Keiya, she released her debut EP, WORK, in July 2015.[8] It was described as "emotional, sleepy, and yet strikingly optimistic" by These Days magazine.[9] Shortly after its release she moved to New York.[10] She added an additional "a" to her name (Keiyaa) in order to differentiate herself from other performers on streaming sites.[2]

Keiyaa's debut album Forever, Ya Girl was released in March 2020 and self-produced under her personal label Forever Recordings.[11] It was reviewed by Olivia Ovendon for KEXP as featuring "powerful mantra-esque lyrics, and woozy, heady, immersive beats in captivating fashion."[12] Esquire described the sound as "downcast grime and smooth R&B."[11] Pitchfork writer Clare Lobenfeld rated the album an 8.2/10 and praised its "resolute realness that can only happen outside the major label gaze."[13] Forever, Ya Girl was named to Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian's "Best Albums of 2020" lists.[14][15][16]

She performed an NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert on February 11, 2021.[1]

Personal life

Keiyaa resides in Brooklyn.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Madden, Sidney (2021-02-11). "KeiyaA: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c Gaillot, Ann-Derrick (2021-01-26). "Cover story: KeiyaA – The artist is here for her things". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Blacksher, Devine (2020-12-11). "The R&B Singer Who Makes Her Own Beats". The Cut. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  4. ^ a b c d "Download the debut EP by jazz saxophonist turned R&B singer Keiya". Fact Magazine. 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  5. ^ a b Jagota, Vrinda. "KeiyaA's Divine Soul". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  6. ^ Nostro, Lauren. "Premiere: KEIYA Shares the Video for "Work"". Complex. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ July 21, rew SacherPublished:; 2020. "5 great albums from 2020 you may have missed". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2021-02-12. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Cliff, Aimee. "KEIYA Is Unapologetically "Fly"". The FADER. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Keiya • "Simple" & "Rite 1"". These Days. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  10. ^ DJBooth (2020-04-30). "Chicago R&B Singer KeiyaA Has Come for Her Things: Interview". Medium. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  11. ^ a b Ovenden, Olivia (2020-12-11). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Esquire. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  12. ^ a b "New Music Reviews (7/13)". www.kexp.org. 2020-07-13. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Lobenfeld, Clare (2020-04-22). "KeiyaA: Forever, Ya Girl". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Pierre, Alphonse (2020-12-08). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "The best albums of 2020 so far". the Guardian. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  16. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Jonathan Bernstein,Emily Blake,David Browne,Jon Dolan,Brenna Ehrlich,Andrew Firriolo,Kory Grow,Samantha Hissong,Joseph Hudak,Jeff Ihaza,Daniel Kreps,Hank Shteamer,Simon; Bernstein, Jonathan; Blake, Emily; Browne, David; Dolan, Jon; Ehrlich, Brenna; Firriolo, Andrew; Grow, Kory; Hissong, Samantha (2020-12-21). "18 Great Albums You Might Have Missed in 2020". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-02-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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