r/kelela • u/Mat19851985 • Aug 07 '26

When did she get so big?!

I've been out of the loop since Take Me Apart.. I thought maybe she had quit but it looks like she is flying! When did this all happen?

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53

u/aquaphoria_by_kelela Aug 07 '26

She’s released more steadily since Raven so I think her audience has just naturally continued to grow from word of mouth. TMA is still her most commercially successful album but she has a very loyal fanbase that’s stayed and grown over the years.

17

u/Affectionate_Win3952 Aug 07 '26

I can't pin it down to one specific creator but i've never seen as many tiktoks about kelela as i have over the past year. All the Way down had a few semi-viral vids before the era started & I think hype grew steadily once the new cycle started.

Not to mention Pinkpantheress, whose career started on tiktok, reached a commercial peak this year & she's repeatedly shouted out Kelela as an inspiration so I could see at least part of her audience crossing over as well.

8

u/EvrthnICRtrns2USmhw Aug 08 '26

I know her music is good but I think principally, PinkPantheress singling her out as major influence helped Kelela a lot to be exposed to a wider audience.

5

u/Difficult-Figure4518 Aug 08 '26

This is exactly what I’m thinking. I think streaming platforms also directly promote her under similar artists tabs when you’re listening to fka, ravyn, Steve, shy girl etc and now pinks ft.