KeyLiza
KeyLiza | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Kisita Elizabeth Massamba |
Also known as | DJ Queen of Beats |
Born | December 11, 1989 |
Origin | Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Singer, dancer, composer, beatmaker, DJ, director |
Instruments | Vocals, keytar, keyboards, synthesizer, talkbox, beatboxing, drums, guitar |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels | Warner Music |
Associated acts | Sistanova, Rihanna, Azad, Monrose, Rapsoul, Thomas Anders |
Kisita Elizabeth Massamba (born December 11, 1989), known by her stage name as KeyLiza, is a German singer, dancer, composer, beatproducer and DJ of Angolan and Congolese descent and best known for being a member of German R&B-Pop group Sistanova. Her stage name is an anagram of her two firstnames and the passion for playing Keytar and Keyboards.
Earlier life
Kisita was born on December 11, 1989 in Hanau, Germany. Both of her parents are from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo her Mother was born in São Salvador, northern Angola (present day M'banza-Kongo) and she is a part of the Kingdom of Kongo. At the age of four she moved with her family to Frankfurt am Main. In 2001 she started getting piano, singing, jazz dancing & theater lessons at school & gospel choir and also started beatboxing in the school recess and malls where she discovered her passion to create music instrumentals Hip Hop Beats.[1] She get her first attention to hip hop music and rap when she listens to Tupac Shakur, Bone Thugs N Harmony and Orishas. Since the age of 14 she creates and compose Songs, Instrumentals, Soundtracks and Theme music and which explains her other Pseudonym DJ Queen of Beats.
Musical career
2004–07: Warner Music and touring
Kisita knows one band-mate since childhood and they were close friends. In a school club they sang, took jazz dance lessons and composed their own music. In 2004, they met the third member and created the group Black Supremes. The band went on to regional competitions and recorded demos. In 2005 they met the production team Noizemakers, which took the Black Supremes under the new name Sistanova under contract.[2] In 2006, the band was signed to Warner Music Group. On September 21, 2007 they released their first single "Was ist los?" a dance-R&B song produced by Thomas Troelsen which entered the German Singles Chart at #76 and German Urban Charts at #24.[3] The video premiere was on VIVA Germany and MTV Germany. [4] [5] In November 2007 they were the opening act for Barbadian recording artist Rihanna for her European Good Girl Gone Bad Tour in (Munich/Zenith, Cologne/Palladium, Frankfurt/Jahrhunderthalle, Berlin/Columbiahalle) Germany. [6] [7] In the same time they was on tour with the group Rapsoul throughout Germany and Austria. Kisita and her bandmates join the NRJ Music Tour in Stuttgart with Craig David, Monrose, Culcha Candela & The Boss Hoss and they performed in front of over 8.500 People. [8]
2008–10: Warner Music, album release
In 2008 they wrote and composed the ballad "Mama" for the Mother's Day, to which a video was shot and they were invited on RTL Television with their Moms to perform an Acapella of the song. They also composed and sang the soundtrack song "Ziele" for the children's book The HelleWecks with Thomas Anders from the popular pop-duo Modern Talking.[9] In Spring 2008 Kisita and her bandmates composed songs for their debut album and worked with several producers like Noizmakers Entertainment (Rick Damm & Ralph Diehl), Chris Applegate (Jennifer Rush), Andreas Herbig (Culcha Candela), Thomas Troelsen (Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez), Marcus Brosch (Brandy, Nick Carter, Enrique Iglesias) and Michelle Leonard. [10] During the recordings of the debut album they performed with four-time Breakdance World Champions Flying Steps at the Tuning World Messe Bodensee and present their second single "Sexy Girl".[11] they also got a contract for the German Playboy Magazine to promote their second single "Sexy Girl". But family members didn't agreed with that and the contract with Playboy was cancelled.
On December 8, 2008 they released their debut album "Unglaublich". [12] [13] In 2010 they were in the German Cinema Movie Homies (HipHop Express) with actor & singer Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht which was released in August 2011. According to their MySpace page, all band members will go on a solo career.
2015–present
In 2011 KeyLiza aka DJ Queen of Beats was composing and producing jingles, songs and beats for artists, radio shows & TV. She moved to Vancouver, Canada to study Bachelor of Fine Arts & film production. She also created in 2015 her own Entertainment company called 'Key Palace Studio' for TV/Film music composition, musical short, musical films, films and commercials.[14] She's currently working on new projects and music in Canada.
Artistry
Influences
Since a child she grew up with Afropop, Cuban son, Reggae, Jazz, Afro-Cuban jazz, Rock and Pop music.
Her father invited in the 1990s Congolese rumba musicians like Bozi Boziana, Zaiko Langa Langa and Pepe Kalle to play concerts in Frankfurt am Main. She learned her first dance choreography at the age of 6 with the song Thriller by Michael Jackson.[15] In her teens she was inspired by Spice Girls and TLC and performed at school festivals & school clubs their songs.[16]
Her dance style includes Hip Hop, Salsa, Street Jazz and Popping.
Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Celia Cruz, Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix, Charlie Chaplin and Mozart are her inspirations. She is also inspired by Vaudeville, Theater and Bollywood Musicals.
Discography
- As part of Sistanova
Singles
Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
German Singles Chart | |||
2007 | "Was Ist Los" | 76 | Unglaublich |
"Was Ist Los (Remix)" | 24 |
Studio Albums
- Unglaublich (2008)
- EPs
- Was Ist Los - EP (2007)
Tours
- Opening act
Rihanna – Good Girl Gone Bad Tour
- November 13, 2007 – in Munich - Zenith
- November 20, 2007 – in Cologne - Palladium
- November 23, 2007 – in Frankfurt - Jahrhunderthalle
- November 26, 2007 – in Berlin - Columbiahalle
- Opening act
- Rapsoul – Achterbahn Tour
- NRJ Music Tour
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.musikmachen.de/Stories/Sistanova. "Sistanova – Musikmachen.de"
- ↑ http://www.regiomusik.de/pop/cd/preview-sistanova-unglaublich.html "Preview: Sistanova – Unglaublich"
- ↑ http://deltalabstudios.blogspot.ca/
- ↑ http://www.viva.tv/musikvideos_artist/5020-sistanova "Sistanova – Was Ist Los"
- ↑ http://www.mtv.de/musikvideos/14740-sistanova-was-ist-los"Sistanova – Was Ist Los"
- ↑ Good Girl Gone Bad Tour "Opening acts"
- ↑ http://www.journal-frankfurt.de/journal_news/Panorama-2/Turnstunde-in-der-Jahrhunderthalle-mit-Sistanova-und-Rihanna-7910.html "Turnstunde in der Jahrhunderthalle mit Sistanova und Rihanna"
- ↑ http://diginights.com/event/2007-12-01-grosses-finale-der-energy-music-tour-2007-mtv-halle# "Grosse Finale der ENERGY MUSIC TOUR 2007"
- ↑ Thomas Anders "Collaboration singles"
- ↑ http://www.rockreport.de/cd_details.php?cd_id=3649 "Rock Report – Sistanova"
- ↑ http://www.auto-tuning-news.de/news/artikel/its-showtime-die-programm-highlights-der-tuningworld-2008/ "Girlpower von Sistanova"
- ↑ regiomusik.de "Preview: Sistanova – Unglaublich"
- ↑ http://www.warnermusic.ch/catalogue_detail-n43-i5051865179122-sF.html "Warner News – Sistanova
- ↑ de:Sistanova "Kisita/Sistanova on German Wikipedia"
- ↑ http://www.bravo.de/stars/musik-charts/sistanova-ihr-erster-clip-was-ist-los
- ↑ http://www.musikmachen.de/Stories/Sistanova. "Sistanova – Musikmachen.de"