Kelli Sae

Kelli Sae (born October 19, 1966; New York, U.S.A.) is an internationally acclaimed American vocalist, songwriter, composer, and playwright whose career bridges the gap between global jazz-funk royalty and modern independent artistry.

Emerging from the vibrant New York music scene, she established her reputation as a formidable vocal force capable of moving effortlessly between acid-jazz, soul, house, and theatrical styles.

Beyond her extensive work as a frontwoman for highly regarded international music collectives, she has built a substantial catalogue as a solo artist, released music through her own independent label, and successfully expanded her portfolio into television, theatre production, and film composition.

Early Life

Raised in an eclectic household, she was born to a Puerto Rican mother and an African-American father, alongside Native American grandparents, exposing her to a broad soundscape from an early age that ranged from traditional Spanish classics and Afro-Cuban rhythms to jazz, funk, and classic rhythm and blues.

This rich cultural heritage heavily informed her early musical foundations, fostering an innate versatility in her vocal technique and songwriting. She began honing her craft within the local creative communities of New York, establishing a strong artistic identity rooted in raw emotional depth and high-energy performance before entering the professional industry.

Career

She achieved widespread international prominence in the 1990s and 2000s as the explosive lead vocalist for several legendary global jazz-funk and avant-garde collectives, including the British acid-jazz band Incognito, the veteran New York funk outfit Defunkt, and the Austrian jazz-funk duo Count Basic. Her extensive partnership with Count Basic founder Peter Legat resulted in numerous chart-topping European hits and prestigious accolades, including winning Austria’s Amadeus Award and being officially inducted into the Wall of Fame in Vienna.

As a highly sought-after session and touring vocalist, she has shared the stage and recorded with legendary figures such as Tina Turner, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, and Lionel Richie. Launching her solo career under her independent imprint, Kwurk Arts Group Entertainment, she released three critically acclaimed studio albums, culminating in the 2012 indie release Pure, an album she entirely wrote, arranged, and produced.

In addition to her studio catalogue, her mainstream presence extends to American television, where she has long served as a principal live vocalist on the ABC network reality series Dancing with the Stars, alongside production roles on network shows such as I Can See Your Voice, Rising Star, and The Singing Bee.

Personal Life

Her artistic narrative is deeply intertwined with personal resilience, having navigated a period of emotional and creative challenges marked by a painful divorce and the tragic loss of her mother to cancer. Her triumph over clinical depression and industry fatigue inspired a profound period of self-investment, leading to her current marriage to her female soulmate.

Today, she leverages her decades of industry experience to work actively as an international vocal coach, public speaker, and dedicated mentor, focusing her community efforts on guiding and empowering the next generation of rising BIPOC musicians.

Current Activities

At present, she remains highly active within her genre, experiencing a major creative renaissance in the mid-2020s through a series of heavily praised independent house and dance tracks released via the Reel People Music label, including the singles "Good Love", "Right Now", "Believe In A Brighter Day", and her 2024 cut "Good Feeling".

These collaborative tracks serve as a teaser for her upcoming fourth solo studio album, which marks her first full-length project in over a decade. Concurrently, she has expanded her creative footprint into theatre and film, writing and starring in her intimate, autobiographical one-woman musical comedy production titled Disco, Dicks & Dykes, while expanding her behind-the-scenes portfolio by composing and scoring independent feature film soundtracks, such as the drama Such A Funny Life. At present, Kelli Sae remains active within her genre, with updates announced via official channels as confirmed.