Keshia Chanté: Aaliyah, Kiki, Movies, Drake, Age, Career, Biography & More

Keshia Chanté is a Canadian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, and entrepreneur best known for early-2000s R&B hits, hosting television programs, and her long-standing place in Canadian pop culture. She rose to fame as a teenager and later expanded into TV hosting and entertainment media.

Quick Facts About Keshia Chanté

● Full Name: Keshia Chanté Harper

● Birth Date: June 16, 1988

● Age: 37

● Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

● Nationality: Canadian

● Profession: Singer, Host, Actress

● Known For: Music, TV hosting, Drake connection

● Famous Nickname Link: “Kiki”

Age

Keshia Chanté was born on June 16, 1988, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. As of 2026, she is 37 years old.

Early Life & Background

Born Keshia Chanté Harper, she was raised in Ottawa and later moved to the Greater Toronto Area as a teenager. She graduated from Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School in Ontario. She comes from a multicultural family background with Afro-Trinidadian, Puerto Rican, and Portuguese roots.

Career

Music Career

Keshia Chanté signed a recording deal as a teenager and became one of Canada’s youngest breakout R&B stars. Her best-known songs include:

● Shook

● Unpredictable

● Bad Boy

● Been Gone

● 2U

● Fallen

● Table Dancer

She won a Juno Award at age 16, becoming one of the youngest winners in her category at the time.

Television Career

She successfully expanded into television, working as a host, judge, and entertainment personality. Her credits include:

●

● Entertainment Tonight Canada

● BET Awards appearances

● The World’s Best (judge)

● Big Brother Rewind (CBS aftershow host)

● Battle of the Blades

● The Legacy Awards host

Drake & “Kiki”

Keshia Chanté is widely known as Drake’s first girlfriend from their teenage years in Toronto. Over the years, Drake has publicly spoken warmly about her and brought her onstage during OVO Fest in 2022, calling her someone he loves “with all my heart.”

She has also long been connected to the nickname “Kiki” referenced in Drake’s hit song In My Feelings, though this was initially fan speculation before becoming widely discussed in media coverage.

Aaliyah Connection

Aaliyah was one of Keshia Chanté’s stated musical influences, alongside Beyoncé and Brandy. Chanté has publicly cited Aaliyah as a childhood inspiration whose style and artistry helped shape her own music direction.

Over the years, fans have also compared Keshia’s look and early-era style to Aaliyah, especially during her teen music years.

Movies & Acting

Keshia Chanté has acting and on-screen credits, though she is more widely known for music and television than feature films. She has appeared in television productions and entertainment programming, while building a cross-platform career as a performer and host.

Fame: A Temptation Story

Keshia Chanté appeared in the television film Fame: A Temptation Story, an early acting credit that reflected her expansion beyond music into screen performance. The project added to her profile as a multi-platform entertainer during the years she was balancing recording, acting, and television work.

Although she is more widely recognized for music and hosting than acting, appearances in productions like Fame: A Temptation Story helped showcase her versatility and broadened her entertainment résumé.

Philanthropy

Keshia Chanté has participated in multiple charitable and youth-focused initiatives throughout her career. As a young artist, she was involved in campaigns encouraging education, anti-bullying awareness, and community empowerment. She has also supported causes tied to children’s wellbeing and women’s confidence through public appearances, fundraising events, and mentorship-style outreach.

Chanté has often used her platform to speak about self-esteem, perseverance, and career ambition, especially for young women pursuing creative careers. While she is not known for operating a large branded foundation, her philanthropy has largely come through advocacy, appearances, and community involvement rather than highly publicized institutional campaigns.

106 & Park

Keshia Chanté gained greater North American visibility through appearances on 106 & Park, one of the most influential music television platforms of the 2000s and early 2010s. As her music career grew, she appeared on BET programming and was introduced to a broader U.S. audience through interviews, performances, and entertainment coverage on the network.

Her later relationship with BET expanded through hosting opportunities and award-show appearances, helping position her as one of the few Canadian female R&B artists to cross into mainstream American music television spaces.

Relationships

Drake

Her most publicly known early relationship was with Drake during their teenage years.

Ray Emery

Keshia later became engaged to late NHL goaltender Ray Emery. The wedding was later called off.

Awards & Recognition

Keshia Chanté has received multiple honours, including:

● Juno Award winner

● Multiple Juno Award nominations

● Multiple Urban Music Awards

● Canadian radio chart success with several Top 10 singles

Conclusion

Keshia Chanté built a successful career as one of Canada’s most visible R&B entertainers, later expanding into television and hosting. Whether through her music, media career, or public ties to Drake and early-2000s pop culture, she remains a recognizable figure in Canadian entertainment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Did Drake date Keshia Chanté?

Yes. Drake and Keshia Chanté dated as teenagers in Toronto before either became global stars. Drake has publicly referred to her as his “first love,” and he brought her out during OVO Fest 2022.

2. What is Keshia Chanté doing now?

Keshia Chanté continues working in entertainment as a television host, media personality, entrepreneur, and occasional music artist. In recent years, she has hosted events, appeared on television specials, and remained active in fashion/beauty ventures.

3. What is Keshia Chanté known for?

She is known for:

● Being one of Canada’s early 2000s R&B stars

● Hits like Shook, Unpredictable, and Bad Boy

● Winning a Juno Award at a young age

● Hosting television programs such as ET Canada

● Her past relationship with Drake

4. What is Keshia Chanté's race?

Keshia Chanté has publicly discussed having a multiracial background, with reported Afro-Trinidadian, Puerto Rican, and Portuguese heritage. She is Canadian by nationality.