Kali Uchis

Here is a detailed biography of Kali Uchis (with corrections and sources):

Kali Uchis — Life, Career & Influence


Kali Uchis (Karly-Marina Loaiza) is a Colombian-American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her genre-blending sound, bilingual artistry, and striking visuals. Discover her early life, breakthrough albums, artistic philosophy, and legacy.

Introduction

Karly-Marina Loaiza, better known by her stage name Kali Uchis, is a celebrated Colombian-American musician whose work spans R&B, neo-soul, Latin pop, reggaetón, and experimental pop. With a deeply personal and culturally rich approach, she has garnered acclaim, awards, and a devoted international fanbase.

Early Life & Background

  • Kali Uchis was born on July 17, 1994 in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. (often misreported as 1993).

  • Her father is Colombian (from Pereira), and her mother is American.

  • During childhood, she spent some years in Pereira, Colombia, before returning to the U.S. when she was around 9 years old.

  • Growing up, she was exposed to bilingual culture, moving between the U.S. and Colombia, which shaped her artistic identity.

  • In school, she learned piano and saxophone, and took interest in photography, video production, and visual storytelling.

  • In her teenage years, she sometimes skipped classes to work on creative projects, including short films and mixtape artwork.

Musical Beginnings & Breakthrough

Early Releases

  • In 2012, she self-released her first mixtape, Drunken Babble, which she produced largely on her laptop.

  • Her mixtape combined influences of doo-wop, reggae, early 2000s R&B, and lo-fi aesthetics, signaling her genre-defying style.

  • In 2015, she released her debut EP Por Vida, collaborating with producers like Diplo, Tyler, the Creator, and Kaytranada.

  • That EP was initially offered for free digitally and helped grow her following.

Studio Albums & Major Success

  • Her first full-length studio album, Isolation, dropped in 2018 to critical praise, blending pop, soul, and alternative influences.

  • In 2020, she released Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ?, her first primarily Spanish-language project, including the viral hit “Telepatía”.

  • More recently, she released Red Moon in Venus (2023) and Orquídeas (2024), further exploring Latin influences and emotional depth.

Awards & Collaborations

  • Kali Uchis has received numerous accolades, including a Grammy Award (for “10%” with Kaytranada) and nominations across Latin Grammy and American awards.

  • She has collaborated with artists such as Tyler, the Creator; Snoop Dogg; Jorja Smith; Juanes; and more.

Artistic Style & Influences

  • Kali Uchis is known for her genre fluidity, blending R&B, neo-soul, Latin pop, reggaetón, and experimental pop.

  • She often sings in both English and Spanish, reflecting her bicultural heritage.

  • Her visual aesthetics are strong: she integrates retro, dreamy, and femme elements in cover art, videos, and fashion.

  • Her influences include 1960s soul, doo-wop, jazz (Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday), as well as Latin artists like Celia Cruz.

Personal Life & Identity

  • Kali Uchis has identified as bisexual.

  • She has spoken of personal losses and growth, including the passing of her mother, which deeply influenced her latest work.

  • In 2024, she became a mother, and used her recent album Sincerely as part of her grieving and healing process.

Legacy & Cultural Impact

  • Kali Uchis stands as a powerful example of bicultural artistry—she bridges Latin and anglophone music markets with authenticity.

  • Her willingness to experiment and defy genre norms makes her a role model for creative independence in the streaming era.

  • Through her visuals, voice, and identity, she has empowered queer Latinx communities, especially women of color, to see themselves on her stage.

  • Her most recent album Sincerely is being received as a deeply personal work that honors grief, memory, and artistic evolution.

Articles by the author

I didn't want to go to school, because I wanted to be an artist, and they were never going to teach me art. None of my family had ever done that kind of stuff either.

Kali Uchis

I'm Colombian. My family all have different complexions; some are people of color. I've been called every name by white people, been mocked for speaking in Spanish by white people.

Kali Uchis

Do you. Wear what you want to wear. Be an individual. Be unique and live your best life.

Kali Uchis

If my life is a movie - in the movie, there's always the bad part. There's also the parts where you're down and out, and there are parts where everything's amazing.

Kali Uchis

The reason I made my stage name Kali Uchis is because it's still me in the sense that, my dad called me 'Kali Uchis' my whole life. It's still something I've been called since I was a baby. It's still me.

Kali Uchis

No matter where you are, what point in your life you're at, it's not the end.

Kali Uchis

I'm naturally sort of a sad person, and that comes out in my music, but when I realized how many people were listening to it... I wanted to be a little more conscious about what I was putting out and what people were going to be taking from it.

Kali Uchis

N.E.R.D. was also from - not too far from where I was from growing up. For a lot of people who make music, that was a huge influence in teen years.

Kali Uchis

I was a very creative child. I played the saxophone and piano, and I was always writing poetry and stories, or drawing in my notebook. I just tried to express myself through as many creative outlets as possible. And in high school, I started to get really into photography and videography and would spend hours working on it.

Kali Uchis

I'm into crystals and good energy and harnessing more. It's just like prayer. It helps you be grateful, think about good things, and keep that positive energy around you.

Kali Uchis

My first relationship was from when I was about 15 to 19. My second relationship was kind of like a rebound, but also a really important part of my journey - he was very emotionally manipulative and just wanted me to be an accessory.

Kali Uchis