Kiesa Rae Ellestad, who goes by Kiesza, is a native of Calgary, Canada, and together with her brother joined the Royal Canadian Navy Reserves. During her service, she taught herself to play guitar.
She won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, then went to New York City, where she started performing. She discovered she had an affinity for house music and upbeat dance tunes.
Kiesza released her first single in 2012, a song called “Oops” about a couple’s intimate relationship. Although she said she originally intended it to be a joke, it revealed the composer’s up-tempo pop style mixed with her sometimes-facetious lyrics. The combination brought her to the attention of other artists, and Icona Pop, Kylie, and Rihanna asked her to compose lyrics for them.
The artist’s breakthrough occurred when she filmed a video for “Hideaway,” a single. In the video, she dances in the streets in Brooklyn. The song debuted on BBC Radio 1 and appeared at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. She released her first album, “Sound of a Woman,” in 2014. A review says:
“The show was amazing! . . . Kiesza brought the house down!”
Kiesza will be at the Music Box on October 16. When shows like this are planned, organizers will often use poster printing to promote the performances.