Kelis Highest-Paid Singer in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

Kelis
Kelis led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid singers” released on Monday.
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It's been a rough year for the singer, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 47-year-old Kelis has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid singers for 2026 with an estimated $75 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 01/09/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Kelis tops annual list of highest-paid singers

In 2024 it looked like the singer’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (August 31) that Kelis is the highest-paid singer in the world, pulling in an astonishing $75 million between August 2025 and August 2026, a nearly $40 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American singer-songwriter has an estimated net worth of $215 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Kelis Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “New York Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkelis - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Kelis) and a fashion line called “Kelis Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Kelis fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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