Lady Sings The Clues
NYLON|September 2017

On Kali Uchis’s debut album, the Colombian-American singer offers a blueprint for empowering underdogs like her.

Jessica Herndon
Lady Sings The Clues

“They fucked me up!” Kali Uchis says, holding out both hands to display her jacked-up manicure. The singer-songwriter is sitting on a Victorian style velvet couch in a lavender sweatsuit after her NYLON photo shoot in Los Angeles. She explains that a nail artist was supposed to hook her up with a blended French tip, her usual look, but left her with an uneven mess instead. “The guy just threw his hands up and walked away. I’m thinking, ‘I’m going to be an hour late to my shoot for this!?’” She pauses, then shrugs and laughs.

Uchis’s vanity isn’t so deep that she’d let the mishap ruin her day, but you can’t blame her for wanting every detail of the lead-up to her full length debut to be right. “I feel like my whole life has been building up for this moment,” she says. Having grown up with little means in northern Virginia and Pereira, Colombia, with her parents and siblings, Uchis has always found a way to fend for herself. As a teen, she shot music videos and designed mixtape cover art for Maryland rappers. She also made custom clothes and sold them out of her Subaru Forester, a ride she lived in after her dad kicked her out when she was 17 for being rebellious. Now 23 years old, residing in L.A. with her boyfriend, and with an album hitting the streets via a major label (Interscope Records) this month, she’s developing a new sense of empowerment and independence.

This story is from the September 2017 edition of NYLON.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2017 edition of NYLON.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NYLONView All
From Bedroom Blogger To Media Mogul
NYLON

From Bedroom Blogger To Media Mogul

From bedroom blogger to media mogul, Michelle Phan is not only on fleek - girl is on fire. 

time-read
10+ mins  |
February 2016
Sound Check With DJ Mia Moretti
NYLON

Sound Check With DJ Mia Moretti

Mia Moretti is making noise on the path to legendary DJ stardom.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2016
Keke Palmer Is Hitting All Of The Right Notes
NYLON

Keke Palmer Is Hitting All Of The Right Notes

With a groundbreaking role in Grease: Live as the latest addition to an ever-growing resume, Keke Palmer is striking all the right notes.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2016
Fandom Is Forever, But Today It's A Whole New Game
NYLON

Fandom Is Forever, But Today It's A Whole New Game

Fandom is forever, but today it's a whole new game.

time-read
9 mins  |
February 2016
With A Hit Show & Killer Voice, Serayah Is Building An Empire
NYLON

With A Hit Show & Killer Voice, Serayah Is Building An Empire

With a hit TV show, a killer voice, and membership in Taylor Swift's squad, Serayah is absolutely unstoppable. 

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2016
Nicki Minaj - Hustle & Glow
NYLON

Nicki Minaj - Hustle & Glow

Sitting pretty on the double-platinum success of The Pinkprint, rap queen Nicki Minaj is now giving acting and executive producing a whirl.  

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2016
Elijah Wood Has His Eyes On The Prize
NYLON

Elijah Wood Has His Eyes On The Prize

Actor-producer-DJ Elijah Wood may be on of the busiest guys in Hollywood, but he always has time to stop and listen to the music. 

time-read
4 mins  |
April 2016
Sophie Turner Has the X Factor
NYLON

Sophie Turner Has the X Factor

Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner gets her superhero on.

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2016
Girl On the Rise - Bille Lourd
NYLON

Girl On the Rise - Bille Lourd

She's crazy-funny, crushing it in some very cool roles, and happens to be Princess Leia's daughter-can she be our best friend?

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2016
Boarding House
NYLON

Boarding House

Dani Stahl Takes a Tour of the Wintry World of Burton.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2016