Kehlani Ashley Parrish (born April 24, 1995)
is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Kehlani is originally from
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
, and achieved initial fame as a member of the teen group
Poplyfe
Poplyfe (also stylized in all caps) was a teen Pop music, pop band from Oakland, California, that was a contestant on America's Got Talent (season 6), season 6 of ''America's Got Talent''. They finished in fourth place on the show after performing ...
in 2011.
In 2014, Kehlani released their first commercial
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
, ''
Cloud 19
''Cloud 19'' is the debut mixtape by American singer and songwriter Kehlani, who released it as a free digital download on August 26, 2014, and is widely recognized as launching their music career.
The mixtape ranked at twenty-eighth on ''Compl ...
''.
The mixtape was listed as one of the ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''s "50 Best Albums of 2014."
Their second commercial mixtape, ''
You Should Be Here'' (2015), debuted at number 5 on the
R&B/Hip-Hop chart. In 2016, they were nominated for the
Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album
The Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for quality works on albums in the urban contemporary subgenre within the R&B field. Honors in several categories are presented at t ...
for ''You Should Be Here''. Kehlani released their debut studio album, ''
SweetSexySavage
''SweetSexySavage'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. The album was released on January 27, 2017, by Atlantic Records. Kehlani started work on the album shortly after the release of their mixtape '' You Should Be ...
'', in 2017.
They released their second studio album ''
It Was Good Until It Wasn't
''It Was Good Until It Wasn't'' is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. It was released on May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records. It features guest appearances from Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James ...
'' in 2020. They released their third studio album ''
Blue Water Road
''Blue Water Road'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kehlani. It was released through Atlantic Records and TSNMI on April 29, 2022. The album features guest appearances from Blxst, Justin Bieber, Syd, Jessie Reyez, Ambré ...
'' on April 29, 2022.
Early life
Kehlani Ashley Parrish was born on April 24, 1995, in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
. They were adopted and raised by their aunt when their mother, who had a drug addiction, served time in jail.
Kehlani's father, who also had a drug addiction, died when they were a toddler.
During their teenage years, they attended the
Oakland School for the Arts, where they initially practiced dance, particularly ballet and
modern dance
Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance which included dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th ...
.
Early in their life, Kehlani aspired to train as a dancer at the
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most el ...
, but they had a knee injury in junior high, which led them to turn their attention towards singing.
While living with their aunt, Kehlani was exposed almost exclusively to
R&B and
neo soul
Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contempo ...
artists, such as
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
,
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by rhythm and blues, R&B, Soul music, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the ...
and
Jill Scott, whom today they describe as some of their early musical influences.
When they were 14, Kehlani was recruited to join a local
pop cover band, Poplyfe.
Career
2009–2013: Beginnings with PopLyfe
Kehlani's singing career effectively began when they started out as a member and lead vocalist for the group called PopLyfe. The band's music was produced by former
Tony! Toni! Tone! member
D'Wayne Wiggins
D'wayne Patrice Wiggins (born February 14, 1961) is an American singer, guitarist, and record producer best known as the founding member of the 1990s soul/R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!
Early life
Wiggins was born in Oakland, California; spec ...
.
Within two years, the group performed throughout the
Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...
and other cities. In 2011, they auditioned for the
sixth season of ''America's Got Talent,'' and eventually finished in fourth place. During their final appearance, judge
Piers Morgan
Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; né O'Meara; born 30 March 1965) is a British broadcaster, journalist, writer, and television personality. He began his Fleet Street career in 1988 at '' The Sun''. In 1994, aged 29, he was appointed editor of the ...
told Kehlani, "You've got real talent, but I don't think you need the group."
After the end of ''
America's Got Talent
''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is a televised American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distribut ...
'', Kehlani left PopLyfe, because of several managerial and contractual disputes. Over six months, they avoided doing anything music related to avoid being sued by the group's management.
In 2012 and 2013, Kehlani was effectively homeless, moving from house to house and often sleeping on couches.
During their senior year of high school, they moved to Los Angeles, California, with no legal guardian. In 2013,
Nick Cannon
Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American television host, actor, rapper, and comedian. In television, Cannon began as a teenager on ''All That'' before going on to host ''The Nick Cannon Show'', ''Wild 'n Out'', ''America's G ...
, who had been the host of ''America's Got Talent'' during PopLyfe's run, called Kehlani to ask about being in a rap group. They agreed at first and went to Los Angeles, but, ultimately didn't like the direction of the group and moved back to Oakland. To help with money and food, they decided to begin stealing iPhones to sell, and items from grocery stores for a short time.
Months later, Kehlani released their first solo track on
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, called "ANTISUMMERLUV". Cannon called back after hearing the song and he bought them an apartment in
LA, along with studio time.
2014–2017: ''SweetSexySavage''
![Kehlani 2015](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Kehlani_2015.jpg)
In 2014, the studio time culminated in the release of their first mixtape, called ''
Cloud 19
''Cloud 19'' is the debut mixtape by American singer and songwriter Kehlani, who released it as a free digital download on August 26, 2014, and is widely recognized as launching their music career.
The mixtape ranked at twenty-eighth on ''Compl ...
''. The mixtape features
guest appearance
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...
s from Kyle Dion. Cannon also sent them to New York City to work with record producer Jahaan Sweet.
The mixtape ranked at twenty-eighth on ''Complex's'' list of the "50 Best Albums of 2014,"
and was also listed among
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
's "Overlooked Mixtapes 2014."
A song they released in late 2014, "Till the Morning" was placed by ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' as one of the "Emerging Picks of the Week" on November 7, 2014.
In 2015, Kehlani opened for American rapper
G-Eazy on the second leg of his From the Bay to the Universe tour.
On April 28, 2015, they released their second mixtape ''
You Should Be Here''. ''Billboard'' called it the "year's first great R&B album",
when it debuted at number 5 on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
. The project features guest appearances from fellow American rapper
Chance the Rapper
Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
and American singer
BJ the Chicago Kid.
A week after the release, they announced that they had signed a deal to Atlantic Records.
In support of the Mixtape, they went on the You Should Be Here tour, which sold out every North American date and select European dates.
Throughout 2015, they also received individual plaudits: ''Complex'' called them one of the "15 Artists to Watch Out for in 2015"
and ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' named them one of the "10 New Artists You Need to Know".
They were also nominated for a 2016
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for
Best Urban Contemporary Album. In March 2016, Kehlani was featured on English singer and friend
Zayn on his single, "
Wrong
A wrong (from Old English – 'crooked') is an act that is illegal or immoral. Legal wrongs are usually quite clearly defined in the law of a state and/or jurisdiction. They can be divided into civil wrongs and crimes (or ''criminal offens ...
" from his debut solo studio album ''
Mind of Mine
''Mind of Mine'' is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Zayn, released on 25 March 2016 by RCA Records. Primarily an R&B and alternative R&B, the album blends elements from a number of genres, including pop, folk, dub, soul, fu ...
''. Their song "
Gangsta
Gangsta may refer to:
Urban culture
* Gangsta rap, a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths
* Gangster, a member of a gang
* Hip hop fashi ...
" was featured on the soundtrack for the August 2016 hit movie ''
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
,'' which gave them and their music some beneficial recognition, as it reached number 41 on the Hot 100.
On November 26, 2016, Kehlani revealed the title of their debut studio album ''
SweetSexySavage
''SweetSexySavage'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. The album was released on January 27, 2017, by Atlantic Records. Kehlani started work on the album shortly after the release of their mixtape '' You Should Be ...
'', which was released on Atlantic Records on January 27, 2017.
In December 2017, Kehlani was featured on American rapper
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
's single "
Nowhere Fast", from his ninth studio album ''
Revival''. Kehlani's third annual Tsunami Christmas tour concluded in Santa Ana, California on December 18, 2017.
2018present: ''It Was Good Until It Wasn't'' and ''Blue Water Road''
Kehlani served as an opening act on American singer
Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
's
Tell Me You Love Me World Tour
The Tell Me You Love Me World Tour was the sixth headlining concert tour and third worldwide tour by American singer Demi Lovato, in support of her sixth studio album '' Tell Me You Love Me'' (2017). The tour began on February 26, 2018, in San Di ...
in North America, which started on February 26, 2018 and concluded on April 2, 2018. They then opened on American singer
Halsey's
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom World Tour on the Oceania leg during April 2018. In March 2018, Kehlani was featured on American singer
Charlie Puth
Charles Otto Puth Jr. (; born December 2, 1991) is an American singer and songwriter. His initial exposure came through the viral success of his song videos uploaded to YouTube. Puth initially signed with the record label eleveneleven after p ...
's single "
Done for Me
"Done for Me" is a song by American singer Charlie Puth, featuring guest vocals from American singer Kehlani. It was written by Puth, Kehlani, Jacob Kasher, John Ryan and produced by Puth, it was released by Atlantic Records on March 15, 2018, ...
", from his second studio album, ''
Voicenotes
''Voicenotes'' is the second studio album by American singer Charlie Puth. Almost entirely produced by Puth himself, the album was released by Artist Partner Group and Atlantic Records on May 11, 2018. Five singles have been released from the alb ...
''. In April 2018, they were featured on American rapper
Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
's single "
Ring
Ring may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
:(hence) to initiate a telephone connection
Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
", from Cardi B's debut studio album, ''
Invasion of Privacy
The right to privacy is an element of various legal traditions that intends to restrain governmental and private actions that threaten the privacy of individuals. Over 150 national constitutions mention the right to privacy. On 10 December 194 ...
''. The song entered at number 28 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Kehlani's first top 40 entry on the chart.
On February 22, 2019, their third commercial mixtape ''
While We Wait
''While We Wait'' is the second commercial and third mixtape by American singer Kehlani. The album was released on February 22, 2019, by Atlantic Records. ''While We Wait'' features guest appearances from Musiq Soulchild, Dom Kennedy, Ty Dolla $ig ...
'' was released by
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
and debuted at number nine on the
US Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
. The mixtape had 34,000
album-equivalent units
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditi ...
in its first week. It is supported by singles, "
Nights Like This" featuring
Ty Dolla Sign
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...
, "Nunya" featuring
Dom Kennedy
Dominic Ross Hunn (born August 22, 1984), better known by his stage name Dom Kennedy, is an American rapper from Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California. Since 2008, Kennedy has released 5 independent mixtapes, most notably his 2010 critically accl ...
, and "Butterfly".
On September 27, 2019, Kehlani and Russian-German DJ
Zedd
Anton Zaslavski (russian: Антон Заславский; born 2 September 1989), known professionally as Zedd (), is a Russian-born German DJ, record producer, and songwriter.
Zedd grew up and began his musical journey in Kaiserslautern, G ...
released a collaborative single titled "
Good Thing." Kehlani and American singer
Teyana Taylor
Teyana Me Shay Jacqueli Shumpert ( Taylor; born December 10, 1990) is an American singer, actress, dancer and choreographer. In 2005, she signed a record deal with Pharrell Williams' Star Trak Entertainment imprint. Afterwards, she choreographed ...
's then released a single titled "
Morning
Morning is the period from sunrise to noon. There are no exact times for when morning begins (also true of evening and night) because it can vary according to one's lifestyle and the hours of daylight at each time of year. However, morning s ...
" on November 1, 2019.
On January 28, 2020, Kehlani was featured on Canadian singer
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
's promotional single, "
Get Me", from his fifth studio album, ''
Changes
Changes may refer to:
Books
* ''Changes'', the 12th novel in Jim Butcher's ''The Dresden Files'' Series
* ''Changes'', a novel by Danielle Steel
* ''Changes'', a trilogy of novels on which the BBC TV series was based, written by Peter Dickinson ...
''. They were also set to be a supporting act alongside American rapper and singer
Jaden Smith
Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born July 8, 1998), also known mononymously as Jaden, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He has received various accolades, including a Teen Choice Award, an MTV Movie Award, a BET Award and a Young Artist ...
for Bieber's Changes Tour, which was pushed back due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The tour was pushed back to 2022 and renamed the
Justice World Tour to support both ''Changes'' and its successor, Bieber's sixth studio album, ''
Justice
Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...
'' (2021), but Kehlani was no longer an opening act. Kehlani released their second studio album, ''
It Was Good Until It Wasn't
''It Was Good Until It Wasn't'' is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. It was released on May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records. It features guest appearances from Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James ...
'' on May 8, 2020. It debuted at number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200, based on 83,000
album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditi ...
s earned (including 25,000 copies of pure album sales).
In September 2020, Kehlani recorded songs for the deluxe version of ''It Was Good Until It Wasn't''. However, after the session they decided that the songs would fit better on a separate project, and began working on their third studio album, ''
Blue Water Road
''Blue Water Road'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kehlani. It was released through Atlantic Records and TSNMI on April 29, 2022. The album features guest appearances from Blxst, Justin Bieber, Syd, Jessie Reyez, Ambré ...
''. On September 14, 2021, Kehlani revealed the teaser for ''Blue Water Road'', and announced that the album will be released late that year. The album's lead single "Altar" was released on September 15. The second single, "Little Story", was released on February 24, 2022. On March 24, Kehlani took to their Instagram that their album would be released April 29. The following week, the singer released "Up at Night", featuring Justin Bieber, as the third single from the album.
Personal life
In January 2016, it was confirmed that Kehlani was in a relationship with star NBA point guard
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Andrew Irving (; lkt, Ȟéla, italic=no, ; born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named the Rookie of the Year after being selected ...
. In March 2016, Canadian musician
PartyNextDoor
Jahron Anthony Brathwaite (born July 3, 1993), known professionally as PartyNextDoor (stylized as PARTYNEXTDOOR), is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer.
PartyNextDoor was the first artist signed to Drake's OVO Sound record label ...
posted a picture of Kehlani's hand on Instagram, insinuating that they were in bed together. This caused a media controversy across Twitter, in which abuse was tweeted against Kehlani in hundreds of thousands of posts. Kehlani soon after attempted
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
. Irving later stated on Twitter that they had broken up before the incident. Kehlani took to social media to explain that they did not cheat on Irving in a public statement to acknowledge their attempted suicide in the wake of the media attention. In 2018, Irving penned an apology to Kehlani via an Instagram post, expressing appreciation towards the singer, and they responded wishing him well.
On September 6, 2019, it was confirmed that Kehlani was dating American rapper
YG, but after three months of dating, Kehlani and YG broke up. However, the two released a collaborative single for
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
, "Konclusions", on February 14, 2020. In May 2020, during an interview with
''The Breakfast Club'', Kehlani said that they discovered that YG was cheating on them after seeing his phone. YG apologized by filling their lawn with roses. Kehlani added that they do not speak, but remain cordial.
Kehlani announced that they were pregnant with their first child, a girl, on Instagram on October 12, 2018, with the father being Javaughn Young-White, who plays guitar for Kehlani. They opened up in December 2018 about prenatal depression and how their pregnancy is harder than it might look. On March 23, 2019, Kehlani gave birth to a daughter at home. Kehlani is vegan. They have spoken about their past experiences being a survivor of sexual assault and rape. In the summer of 2020, Kehlani bought a small farm in
Simi Valley, California
Simi Valley (; Chumash: ''Shimiyi'') is a city in the valley of the same name in the southeast region of Ventura County, California, United States. Simi Valley is from Downtown Los Angeles, making it part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. The ...
, where they live with their daughter.They are in a relationship with the 070 collective member, Danielle Balbuena, better known as
070 Shake
Danielle Balbuena (born June 13, 1997), better known by her stage name 070 Shake, is an American hip hop recording artist. 070 Shake is a part of the musical collective 070, who have released a mixtape together titled ''The 070 Project: Chapter ...
.
Sexuality and gender identity
In April 2018, they said about their sexuality on Twitter, stating, "I'm queer. Not bi, not straight. I'm attracted to women, men, REALLY attracted to queer men, non-binary people, intersex people, trans people. lil poly pansexual".
After that, during a live stream in early 2021, Kehlani announced that they identify as a lesbian, after having publicly identified as
queer
''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...
and
pansexual
, meaning "all"
, definition = Sexual or romantic attraction to people regardless of gender
, classification = Sexual identity
, parent = Bisexuality
, synonyms =
, associated_terms = Polysexual, queer, heterofl ...
in the past. They prefer
polyamorous relationships. They have stated that it is important for them to include female pronouns in their music.
In an April 2019 interview with ''
Diva
Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is clo ...
'' magazine, Kehlani stated they are "definitely on the
non-binary
Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or femaleidentities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically ...
scale" although preferred "she" pronouns. In December 2020, Kehlani updated their pronouns on Twitter to "she/they".
In an interview with ''Byrdie'' Magazine in 2021, they stated their preference for "they" over "she", because "something feels really affirming when people say they", and that "it feels like you really see me".
Tattoos
Kehlani got their first tattoo when they were sixteen. Some of their tattoos include
Coraline
''Coraline'' () is a dark fantasy horror children's novella by British author Neil Gaiman. Gaiman started writing ''Coraline'' in 1990, and it was published in 2002 by Bloomsbury and HarperCollins. It was awarded the 2003 Hugo Award for Best ...
,
Regina "Reggie" Rocket,
Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega dancing,
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
,
Frida Kahlo
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...
, a sleeve of roses, a
sunflower
The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), as ...
, and face tattoos of a paper plane and four dots.
In an interview with Power 106, Kehlani discusses their attempted suicide was due to the negative media response as well as their first major heartbreak. They state that their album was therapeutic through their difficult time. During their recovery, they got a tattoo that says "perdida y encontrada" which in English translates to "lost and found".
On their travels to Australia during August 2017, Kehlani received a "Kirituhi", a Maori tattoo from a New Zealand artist, whom they flew from New Zealand to Sydney, Australia to complete. On Kehlani's Instagram post, they captioned the photo: "
e piece representing my whānau/family, 6 koru representing my 4 siblings here on earth and the 2 that have transferred into the next life. 2 mangopare/hammerhead sharks representing guidance and strength through adversity and tribulation."
On January 5, 2018, Kehlani posted a photo to Instagram showing that their "woke" hand tattoo had been now covered up with a lotus flower; they stated that they felt that their "hand would speak for
hem
A hem in sewing is a garment finishing method, where the edge of a piece of cloth is folded and sewn to prevent unravelling of the fabric and to adjust the length of the piece in garments, such as at the end of the sleeve or the bottom of the ga ...
before
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
even got a chance to open
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
mouth".
Discography
*''
SweetSexySavage
''SweetSexySavage'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. The album was released on January 27, 2017, by Atlantic Records. Kehlani started work on the album shortly after the release of their mixtape '' You Should Be ...
'' (2017)
*''
It Was Good Until It Wasn't
''It Was Good Until It Wasn't'' is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. It was released on May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records. It features guest appearances from Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James ...
'' (2020)
* ''
Blue Water Road
''Blue Water Road'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Kehlani. It was released through Atlantic Records and TSNMI on April 29, 2022. The album features guest appearances from Blxst, Justin Bieber, Syd, Jessie Reyez, Ambré ...
'' (2022)
Filmography
Tours
;Headlining
*
SweetSexySavage World Tour
The SweetSexySavage World Tour was the second official concert tour by American R&B singer Kehlani, in support of their debut studio album ''SweetSexySavage'' (2017). The tour began on February 21, 2017, in Montreal, Quebec, at Club Soda, and co ...
(2017)
* Blue Water Road Trip (2022)
;Supporting
*
Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
–
Tell Me You Love Me World Tour
The Tell Me You Love Me World Tour was the sixth headlining concert tour and third worldwide tour by American singer Demi Lovato, in support of her sixth studio album '' Tell Me You Love Me'' (2017). The tour began on February 26, 2018, in San Di ...
(2018)
*
Halsey –
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom World Tour (2018)
Awards and nominations
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, -
! scope="col" , Award
! scope="col" , Year
! scope="col" , Nominee(s)
! scope="col" , Category
! scope="col" , Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable",
, -
!scope="row",
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, rowspan=2, Themself
,
Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B
,
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan=5,
BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
,
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
,
,
, -
, rowspan=2,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
, "
Distraction
Distraction is the process of diverting the attention of an individual or group from a desired area of focus and thereby blocking or diminishing the reception of desired information. Distraction is caused by: the lack of ability to pay attentio ...
"
,
Centric Award
,
, rowspan=2,
, -
, rowspan=3, Themself
, rowspan=3,
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
,
, -
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
,
,
, -
,
2020
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,
,
, -
!scope="row",
Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...
,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, ''
It Was Good Until It Wasn't
''It Was Good Until It Wasn't'' is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. It was released on May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records. It features guest appearances from Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James ...
''
,
Top R&B Album
,
,
, -
!scope="row",
Billboard Women in Music
''Billboard'' Women in Music is an annual event held by ''Billboard''. Its main award is titled Woman of the Year, established to recognize "women in the music industry who have made significant contributions to the business and who, through thei ...
, 2017
, rowspan=4, Themself
, Rulebreaker Award
,
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan=2,
British LGBT Awards
The British LGBT Awards are a British award show that aim to recognise individuals and organizations that display "outstanding" commitment to the LGBT community.
The awards were founded in 2014 by Sarah Garrett MBE. LGBT celebrities and straight ...
, 2018
, rowspan=2, MTV Music Artist
,
,
, -
, 2022
,
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan=1 , Give Her FlowHERS Awards
, 2022
, The Alchemist Award
,
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan=2,
GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their live ...
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, ''
SweetSexySavage
''SweetSexySavage'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. The album was released on January 27, 2017, by Atlantic Records. Kehlani started work on the album shortly after the release of their mixtape '' You Should Be ...
''
, rowspan=2,
Outstanding Music Artist
,
,
, -
,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
, ''
It Was Good Until It Wasn't
''It Was Good Until It Wasn't'' is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani. It was released on May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records. It features guest appearances from Tory Lanez, Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye and James ...
''
,
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan=2,
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
,
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
, ''
You Should Be Here''
,
Best Urban Contemporary Album
,
, rowspan=2,
, -
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, "
Distraction
Distraction is the process of diverting the attention of an individual or group from a desired area of focus and thereby blocking or diminishing the reception of desired information. Distraction is caused by: the lack of ability to pay attentio ...
"
,
Best R&B Performance
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guide it is designed for s ...
,
, -
!scope="row",
iHeartRadio Music Awards
The iHeartRadio Music Awards is a music awards show that celebrates music heard throughout the year across iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia's digital music platform. Founded by iHeartRadio in 2014, the eve ...
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, rowspan=3, Themself
, Best New R&B Artist
,
,
, -
!scope="row",
Queerty Awards
, 2022
, Closet Door Bustdown
,
,
, -
!scope="row",
Soul Train Music Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...
,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
,
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist
,
,
Notes
References
External links
Official website*
*
{{Authority control
1995 births
21st-century American singers
African-American singers
American hip hop musicians
American hip hop singers
American contemporary R&B singers
American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent
American people of Filipino descent
American people of Mexican descent
Atlantic Records artists
LGBT people from California
LGBT singers from the United States
LGBT songwriters
Living people
Musicians from Oakland, California
Non-binary musicians
American neo soul singers
American lesbian musicians
Singer-songwriters from California
African-American songwriters
Hispanic and Latino American dancers
Hispanic and Latino American singers
20th-century LGBT people
21st-century LGBT people
Polyamorous people