Today we’d like to introduce you to Keirstan Boykin.
Hi Keirstan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
From a young age, Keirstan Boykin, known professionally as The Kiy, has been immersed in a world brimming with creative talent. A native of Mobile, AL, The Kiy was born into a family of musicians and performers, where creativity was as natural as breathing. Her mother is a singer, coming from a house of music where her grandfather was a DJ who later became a pastor, and her grandmother played the piano and sang in the church. Her grandfather could play any and every guitar — he even taught The Kiy how to play the bass guitar. Growing up, her mother would play the piano and sing, and when The Kiy asked how to play, her mother simply told her to listen — and sure enough, The Kiy and her siblings learned to play by ear.
Her father used to be a rapper but stopped when he found out her mother was expecting her. Later, when her mother married her stepfather, a traveling gospel artist with the group Charity, music became even more deeply woven into their family dynamic. The Kiy, her mother, her stepfather, her older brother Donavan, and her younger sister Jeida would sing together in harmony — The Kiy and her mother singing soprano, Jeida singing alto, Donavan singing tenor, and her stepfather holding down bass or second tenor. They joked that if someone forgot their part, they’d be “kicked out of the family.”
The Kiy grew up deeply rooted in the church, where her family’s gospel group became a major part of her upbringing. Her stepfather directed the group, her mother played the keyboard, and The Kiy, Donavan, Jeida, and a church friend Kelsey made up the vocal section. Singing in church and with her family laid the foundation for her musical ear, vocal strength, and ability to harmonize — skills that would later influence her professional career.
From a young age, The Kiy had a natural gift for dance. Her mother would say that even songs like “Yes, Jesus Loves Me” would get her moving. In elementary school at W.D. Robbins Elementary School, she taught her dance team ballet while still attending Robinson’s School of Dance, where she trained in jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. Her mother also taught choir at the school, creating a version of show choir where The Kiy’s siblings and classmates performed together.
Her creative journey expanded when she attended Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet Middle School, where she participated in advanced choir, advanced dance, art, and baton. It was a golden era — big performances, packed-out crowds, and a beautiful balance of arts and academics. She participated in honor choir and honor dance, loving the excitement of getting ready in the mirror, doing makeup, and feeling the energy of the stage.
In high school at John L. LeFlore Performing Arts Magnet School, The Kiy was involved in choir, dance, and drama. She joined the Mighty Marching Rattlers as a Strikette in her junior year and continued participating in honor choir and honor dance, performing at events like Celebrate the Arts. One summer, as The Kiy was preparing to enter 9th grade, her brother Donavan was attending choir rehearsals at the school. The Kiy was invited to join in, and after singing the soprano part, the choir teacher, Mrs. White, asked her to audition for the South Alabama Show Choir — the next day. Confident in her singing and dancing abilities (especially with Michael Jackson’s music), The Kiy nailed the audition and soon became a leader within the group, helping others with choreography and rehearsals. Donavan was also part of the choir, making their performances a family affair. The group performed throughout the school year on a school tour and also did a special summer performance, solidifying The Kiy’s confidence as both a singer and dancer.
After high school, The Kiy attended Coastal Community College (now Faulkner Community College) on a choir scholarship. When she discovered they also had a dance program, she secured a dance scholarship the following year while continuing with the choir. After Coastal, she attended The University of South Alabama, where she practiced dance in their studios. Financial aid complications prevented her from continuing after a few semesters, but she kept dancing in the student rec center’s studios. Her talent caught the eye of a dance coach for the Black Student Union’s majorette team, S.W.A.T. She became one of the team’s coaches, helping create choreography and performing with them.
In 2021, The Kiy’s big break came when she performed at Rolling Loud Miami as a dancer and co-choreographer for Yung Bleu’s set, specifically choreographing one of his verses on the hit single “Baddest.” That experience ignited her desire to pursue a dual career in music and dance.
In 2022, The Kiy joined Chris Brown’s “One of Them Ones” Tour with Lil Baby and Yung Bleu as a backup dancer — a pivotal experience that deepened her understanding of the music industry. That same year, she founded Ki Kreative Movement LLC to teach industry-style dance — a niche largely unexplored in Mobile, where traditional and majorette dance were more common. Through her company, she has worked as a choreographer and featured dancer for local artists like Jaden Eaton (Freddy Kash) and Cotaliya. Teaching and creating have become a core part of her artistic expression.
In 2023, The Kiy relocated to Atlanta to expand her professional opportunities. This move marked a turning point, as she gained recognition from renowned choreographer Sakinah LeStage, which led to a standout performance at a prominent showcase. Around this time, she was gifted studio equipment, which became a turning point in her creative process, allowing her to explore and refine her sound independently.
The Kiy released her first single, “Chump Change,” under the name Goddess Kee in 2022. After a period of artistic rebirth, she rebranded as The Kiy and released “Chill Waters” in 2023. She served as the creative director for the music video, developing the treatment and concept, styling the outfits, and designing the cover photo. The video was filmed, edited, and directed by LaDarrius White.
In 2024, The Kiy signed with Day 6 Entertainment to elevate her career further. That same year, she moved back to Mobile and curated, choreographed, and directed her own live show in Mobile, Alabama, with the support of her management and assistant choreographer Deja Young. The show featured a full band and dancers and was a sold-out success with standing-room-only crowds. Seeing a vision she created in her mind come to life was one of her most fulfilling moments as an artist.
By 2025, The Kiy’s business Ki Kreative Movement LLC evolved into a full-fledged entertainment company, exclusively distributed by Virgin Music Group — a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit and creative vision.
The Kiy’s journey reflects her versatility as an artist, blending dance, music, and performance into a dynamic and captivating career. Her ability to create, teach, and perform across multiple disciplines sets her apart — not just as an artist, but as a creative force shaping the future of music and dance.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh no, it has been a ride. Truly non linear experience for sure. I would say some of the struggles I have had in the past was honestly keeping my mind clear of naysayers. That is a big one. Imagine going on your journey and believing in something greater than your surroundings and you hear things like, “Just go to school get your degree.”, “Have you found another job yet?”, “Just find something more stable.” while you are trying to make something manifest from your internal vision and it is coming from family. That is honestly why I stopped going around as much for my emotional well being and to stay focus. Even though it was coming from a good place, it still would hurt to have them halfway believe in my vision because the lack of perceived stability or say not all people make it. In my mind I was always like yes, but I am apart of that percentage that will. Another struggle was letting go of the expectation of how my dreams will happen because the journey is not what you would expect so balancing out knowing where I want to go while simultaneously surrendering to the flow of how it will manifest. I would also say that during the journey I realized that I had a tendency to overwork which at the root cause was I was feeling like I was not doing enough, and that took a toll on my physical body. That was a reality check for me to address more internal struggles so balancing that out came to the forefront for me. I really had no choice because my well being was on the line. I didn’t want to live like that. It was a challenge identifying rest with productivity because it was always a work hard rhetoric around achieving goals. It can be counterproductive if you are sacrificing your well being for the sake of achievement. In the end, we wont be there fully enjoy the fruits of our labor and I surely am going to enjoy it!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Well I am a creative music artist. I sing, write, music produce, play the piano, dance, choreograph and creative direct to name some. I specialize in performing giving the fact I come from a family of artist and performers we have been doing it since I was younger. Growing up I was known for singing and dancing. I am most proud of my willingness to believe in something greater for myself and act from that place. Because I was shy in my expression, I am also proud that I am now using my voice to express myself authentically. That means so much to me. What sets me apart from others is being cultivated in a family of talented artist/creatives as a young child, performing since I was a child, my professional career as a dancer, my creative talents of singing, writing, producing, dancing, choreographing and playing the piano, mental strategy and the ability to acquire skills necessary and apply them to organize information that I receive and create something from my inner world and make it plain in the physical. Really it is my creative talents as well as my mental ability.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with and collaborate with me by emailing my management at day6entertainment@gmail.com. People can join and support my journey by following and subscribing to all of my social media platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok at @thekiyofficial
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iamthekiy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekiyofficial/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheKiyOfficial/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheKiyOfficial
Image Credits
Stella Photography
BreakingNews production
