Keshia Chanté Harper (born June 16, 1988) is a Canadian singer who is also a television host, an actress, a songwriter and a businesswoman.
As a teenager, Chanté gained recognition from the release of her singles "Unpredictable," "Bad Boy," "Does He Love Me," "Been Gone," "2U," and "Fallen," featuring Drake.
In 2013, she rose to international prominence as co-host of BET's 106 & Park with Bow Wow, launching her career as a TV Host and Television Personality.
Chanté has served as an international music judge on The World's Best, and hosted Entertainment Tonight Canada and ETC Live in California.
[7] Chanté has hosted, judged and appeared on numerous shows including the BET Awards, Paramount+ Peak of the Week, The Official Big Brother's after show (CBS), Battle of the Blades,[8] The Next Star, Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada and Match Game[9] Chanté has donated and raised millions of dollars for multiple organizations and causes, including WE Charity, Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, Joyful Heart Foundation and World Vision International.
[10] As an actress, Chanté had a recurring guest star on TV series' Blood & Treasure, Jann and Private Eyes.
[11] Keshia Chanté Harper was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario and spent summers with her grandparents in Hinesville, Georgia.
In November 2003, the CD single of "Unpredictable" was certified gold and later went on to win Chanté the Canadian Radio Music Award for "Best New Solo Artist".
[17] This brought the attention of the President of BET, Stephen Hill, who became Chanté's mentor and putting the video for "Bad Boy" into heavy rotation.
In that same month, she sang the national anthem at the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup championship game.
Also in 2006, Chanté made a featured cameo appearance in Bow Wow and Chris Brown's music video "Shortie Like Mine".
[27] Chanté guest starred & judged on TV shows Top Chef Canada and Canada's Best Beauty Talent with supermodel Coco Rocha and Flare magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Lisa Tant[28] On June 14, 2012, Chanté made her US television debut on BET's 106 & Park as a co-host on two separate occasions co-hosting with Terrence J.
[29] On June 30, 2013, Chanté attended the 2013 BET Awards as a correspondent for the event and began co-hosting select episodes of 106 & Park.
On September 26, 2013, BET President Stephen Hill announced on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show that Chanté will be a new co host for 106 & Park alongside rapper Bow Wow starting on October 1.
On March 22, Ebro Darden announced Keshia Chanté's track listing for Unbound 01 and premiered "Bryson Tiller" exclusively with Apple Music on the Beats 1 radio show.
[31] On March 23, Noisey premiered "RedLight", citing the track as "the sonic equivalent of a cool, still night: beautiful but there is something eerie in its midst, hidden in the dark"[32] and AUX TV premiered "Harmless" citing that Chanté is "re-igniting her signature R&B sound" and that "Chanté's soaring vocals lend the track a distinctly modern edge".
[33] On March 24, 2017 Chanté released Unbound 01, an EP and in February 2018 it was nominated for a Juno Award for Best R&B Recording.
In August 2018, it was announced that Chanté would be a Celebrity Hollywood Correspondent for Entertainment Tonight Canada and she has since conducted interviews with Larry King, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Tyra Banks, Jamie Lee Curtis, Trevor Noah, Charlie Hunnam, Rami Malek and many more.
In November 2018, Chanté hosted We Day in Washington, Baltimore, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa for WE Charity.
Chanté gave a motivational speech in front of 17,000 youths at We Day in Vancouver advocating for mental health and sharing her personal experience with depression and anxiety.
[38] Denise Sheppard from Amazon.ca also noted, "[Chanté is] a teen-targeted pop phenom" whose "music has the one-two punch of melodic hooks and the voice to back them up; a combination that can and will appeal to dance/pop music fans of any age.”[39] Chanté cited Beyoncé, Aaliyah and Brandy as her childhood influences, as well as Tupac Shakur, with whom she shares the same birthday.
[40] Chanté has been noted for her resemblance to late singer Aaliyah, leading to early comparisons in the media.
Flare Magazine has named her a "true style chameleon"[43] In January 2012, Fashion Television labeled Keshia a Fashion Icon[44] In 2012, Chanté served as a Judge on Canada's Best Beauty Talent with Coco Rocha and Editor-in-Chief of FLARE Magazine, Lisa Tant.
[55] On July 28, 2022 at OVO Fest in Toronto, Drake introduced Chanté to the world, saying "This next person coming to the stage, I used to get into my mom's car.
[60] On September 18, 2017, TMZ reported Emery was arrested for uttering threats and assault with a weapon towards Chanté, after she went to the police seeking a restraining order.
[61] On July 16, 2018, two days after his accidental drowning, Chanté penned an emotional tribute[62] to Emery stating that she was "heartbroken" and that he was "a Superhero" who was "loving, affectionate, intelligent, hilarious, giving".
[65][66] In 2014, Chanté starred in NBC's PSA for Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart foundation alongside Eli Manning, Hilary Swank and others to raise awareness on domestic violence.
Chanté hosted We Day Calgary and Ottawa, and spoke in front of 16,000 young people on her passion to raise awareness on mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.