Meet keltiey, the Y2K-Bedazzled Gen Z Rising Star Embracing the Lawlessness of Pop
Photo: Anna Koblish
From a small TikToker with a technicolor vision and a few hundred fans to a viral sensation with millions of streams and a hungry following, keltiey is bringing a fresh wave of jersey club to a new generation.
keltiey is a hard sight to miss. The embodiment of Y2K culture, she wears every color and texture at once, telling stories through her neon-tinged hair, bedazzled nails, and candy bracelets. From rubber duckies as hair pins to making braces seem like the flyest accessory, her one-of-a-kind sense of expression has much to do with why many anticipate her to be PinkPantheress’ successor.
Racking up streams in the millions with each, the Houston-based songstress plays with pitch and speed, creating an addictive blend of hyperpop and jersey mix. Her music is inherently nostalgic, especially for those that were sentient enough to remember the lawlessness of 2000s pop. Her music is fun for the sake of being fun, a vital component of feel-good electro-pop.
A trending sound you truly couldn’t escape from, her first single “Need” established itself through viral TikTok fame. Thousands of TikTokkers joined in with their own dance takes, including fellow musicians Flo Milli and Bella Poarch. The single's recently released video, featuring Emma Rogue, is equally as colorful and dynamic as the song itself, proliferating her name into more rooms and landing her a spread in PAPER Magazine.
It hasn’t exactly been a straight shot to fame, with keltiey facing a harsh reality many small artists get buried under. A ripped version of the single nearly reached six million streams before getting taken down, catastrophically interfering with the artist's income and streaming data. It’s enough to make an independent musician admit defeat, though luckily, keltiey faced it head-on with patience and grit. There’s something pretty mind-boggling about the fact that the singer’s already impressive numbers should have somehow been even higher, but ultimately, numbers are unable to define what true talent and thirst will.
Showcasing a wider range of vocals, her latest single “Dumiri” gives promise that while still only a high school student, she’ll continue to ride the momentum and explore her own versatility. Whether or not she’s here to take the new Y2K princess crown, or to give birth to a new wave entirely, keltiey is a name that will find its way into all of our headphones soon enough.
