Search Results for: kehlani

Mala Luna Music Festival Presents: Kehlani

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It’s only been two years since Kehlani released her first mixtape, Cloud 19, but it feels like much longer. Since then, we’ve watched Kehlani become a huge success story. Her smash, GRAMMY-NOMINATED mixtape You Should Be Here was ranked 16th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 20 Best Albums of 2015. YSBH really established the 21-year-old Oakland native as an artist who’s here to stay. Since its release, we’ve seen this girl everywhere. She signed to Atlantic Records and sold out every single date of her first North American tour. She’s had features on huge records from Zayn, Pusha T, G-Eazy and Marc E. Bassy. Kehlani could also be called a festival pro: she performed at SXSW 2015 and 2016, Austin City Limits Music Festival last year, JMBLYA, and Roots Picnic just to name a few. She’s also recently been given the opportunity to open for her Lauryn Hill, for whom Kehlani has so much admiration that she tattooed Ms. Hill’s face on her arm.

Since YSBH, Kehlani has released some new music, including her hit “Gangsta” from the Suicide Squad soundtrack. Right now, you probably can’t get “CRZY” out of your head, and neither can plenty of other music lovers; it’s currently sitting on the Billboard Top 100.

The line “If I gotta be a bitch, I’ma be a bad one” from “CRZY” is pretty indicative of Kehlani’s writing style. She’s confident, and she tells it like it is without any sugar coating. As for her singing style, Kehlani can mix half-rapping, half-singing like on “Did I” or “Runnin” or go full-on powerhouse. Her breathy, sultry R&B vocals can blend with trap beats and piano melodies alike and make anything she touches turn to gold.

If you’ve never seen Kehlani’s live performances or videos, you may be surprised to learn that she’s a talented dancer. She started out as a ballerina, but her hip-hop choreography on stage is extremely impressive and more complex than that of most other performers out right now. Besides the dancing, what really brings the energy to her live performances is her extremely loyal fan base, known as the Tsunami Mob. The commitment and passion of the Tsunami Mob really says a lot about Kehlani as an artist. They have a relatable artist whom they respect and admire, and they know they’re going to get a good show. Here’s the formula: Noodles, Kehlani’s DJ, hypes up the already anxious crowd and Kehlani and her dancers come out and bring their A-game; and they kill it every time.

Get your tickets to see Kehlani and the rest of the line up here.

Samaria ft. Kehlani – “Love Me Crazy” (audio)

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Samaria and Kehlani put all of their feelings into a emotionally charged anthem to get all of those nasty post-breakup thoughts out. They tell a story we all know and love/hate: hating your ex after a split, then the next minute thinking about all the good things you had together, and cycling back to the hurtful rage all over again. Given Kehlani’s recent brush with death, it’s reassuring to see her channeling all of the negative vibes into something that she actually loves. Listen below.

Kehlani – 24/7 [New Single]

The Bay-area R&B queen has made her return with her new track “24/7.’ Roughly a year ago Kehlani released her Grammy-nominated mixtape You Should Be Here followed by wild success & sold-out tours across the country & the release of many features & collaborations with some of the industry’s biggest names. Earlier this year, Kehlani … Continue reading Kehlani – 24/7 [New Single]

JMBLYA Presents: Kehlani

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To paraphrase the intro of Kehlani’s 2015 smash mixtape You Should Be Here, this Grammy-nominated artist has been through more than some will in their entire lives “all before the age of being able to buy a f**king drink at a bar.” When you hear the talented singer/songwriter’s lyrics and see her perform, you can easily forget that she’s only 20 years old. She’s been on the rise for the past couple of years, thanks to hits like “FWU,” “The Way,” and “Alive,” and her work with artists like KYLE, G-Eazy, and Pusha T. Her sultry R&B sound, take-nothing-from-no-one attitude, and even her energetic dance moves have been key to helping her take the music scene by storm.

Hailing from Oakland, California, Kehlani got her first taste of stardom when she appeared on America’s Got Talent with the band PopLyfe while she was still in high school. After leaving the band, she released her first mixtape Cloud 19 in 2014, which achieved critical success and even landed on Complex’s Best Albums of 2014 list, even though it only had 8 tracks. Cloud 19 set Kehlani up to be the next big thing to come out of the Bay — incorporating her Oakland style and even featuring fellow HBK Gang member Iamsu!

In April 2015, Kehlani dropped her highly anticipated second mixtape You Should Be Here, which peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums and included features from JMBLYA alum Chance the Rapper and BJ the Chicago Kid. YSBH scored Kehlani her first Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

There’s a reason Kehlani’s You Should Be Here tour sold out almost every show. Kehlani started out as a dancer and can still move circles around most other performers out right now. Her DJ Noodles wakes the crowd up and Kehlani and her squad, consisting of her best friends, put on a sexy and energetic performance. Kehlani’s loyal fans, dubbed the Tsunami Mob, pack the house when she comes to town because they know Kehlani will connect with them and inspire them. Don’t be fooled by her tough, tatted exterior; she’s been through struggle and pain and she’s not afraid to break it down and tell her audience what she’s been through and more importantly, that it gets better.

Get familiar with Kehlani’s music before you see her turn JMBLYA all the way up by listening below. Also follow her on Snapchat @kehlanitsunami. Trust us.

Follow her on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kehlanimusic/

Instagram: @kehlani

 

Kehlani – Did I

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Kehlani is officially done with her tour, and that means it’s back to creating and releasing fresh music. “Did I” has Kehlani showcasing a bit more of a hip-hop side as she did on her last project You Should Be Here with “Yet” and the very impressive “Runnin,” which she semi-references in this song. This is the second song release this month for Kehlani, so hopefully this can hold fans over until she releases her debut album. Listen to the track on iTunes here.

Kehlani- “Tore Up” [audio]

While killing her European tour, Kehlani took a minute to drop a bittersweet gem, “Tore Up.” The Bay Area sweetheart confesses a broken heart and some recreational therapy in this ballad, all behind an ex that she knows she shouldn’t miss. As to who could let a creature so delectable walk away is totally mystifying. Either way, … Continue reading Kehlani- “Tore Up” [audio]

Kehlani Covers The FADER

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The Fall Fashion issue of <em>The FADER</em> hits stores August 25th, and it's no surprise that rising R&B star <a href="http://scoremoreshows.com/?s=kehlani"target="_blank">Kehlani</a> made the cover. Why shouldn't she? She practically took over SXSW earlier this year, the songs on her mixtape <em>You Should Be Here</em> had 26 million streams on SoundCloud, and she sold out nearly all dates on her first ever national tour including three sold out dates with us in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Now <em>The FADER</em> is giving us an inside look at her life. Kehlani discusses her feelings on songwriting, growing up in Oakland, Nick Cannon's surprising role in her success, and her relationship with her fans. You can read the full story <a href="http://www.thefader.com/2015/08/04/kehlani-cover-story-interview"target="_blank">here</a>.