A Kehlani Crash Course

Kehlani, photographed by Thom Kerr for Paper Mag

by Scout Painter ‘25

Kehlani Ashley Parrish: Grammy nominated singer, songwriter, dancer, mother, overall talent to be reckoned with, and (not coincidentally) my top spotify artist of all time. 

Since their debut mixtape in 2014 titled Cloud 19, Kehlani has released 2 more mixtapes and 2 albums with a 3rd on the way. They have been featured in songs by Cardi B, Charlie Puth, Justin Bieber, ZAYN, Khalid, Eminem, and more, totalling to a discography of over 140 songs. 

Her musical style generally covers R&B pop, but she isn’t afraid to mold and flex genres and styles of music. At its core, Kehlani describes their work as “I make relationship music. Good, bad, either way, I’m probably talking about the person I'm with. It's just the truth”. 

Kehlani grew up in Oakland, California raised by their aunt. Their mother was incarcerated for much of their childhood and their father passed away soon after their birth, and Kehlani fought through extreme poverty during their teenage years. This turmoil and history is often reflected in Kehlani’s music, especially her first two major albums/mixtapes Cloud 19 and You Should be Here. Today, they live on a small farm in California’s Simi Valley with their daughter. 

So why is Kehlani my favorite artist of all time? The combination of excellent vocals, strong production and beats, honest and clever lyricism, and catchy and satisfying melodies makes all their songs consistent hits. None of her music ever gets old or boring for me; I will listen to songs like “Everybody Business” or “altar” on repeat for hours and hours without pause. I learned to play “Again” on the guitar and “Morning Glory” is my go to hype song. “Keep On” was my sophomore year anthem, “Yet” is my favorite driving song, and “Grieving feat. James Blake” is a top tier music collaboration to me. I absolutely adore all of Kehlani’s music and know I can find any song of theirs to fit my current mood. 

Along with my absolute love for Kehlani’s music, I also think they are an extremely inspiring, genuine, and kind human. Their love for their daughter Adeya is so clear and motherhood is extremely important to them. Lani recently came out as a lesbian and is non-binary, saying “I don’t mind when people say ‘she’ at all, but something feels really affirming when people say ‘they’”. Kehlani is a deeply spiritual person who has spent the last two years deeply focusing on self love and growth.

Interested in checking Kehlani’s music out for yourself? Here’s a breakdown of their music by genre, mood, and overall feeling. From pure energy and spirit to gut wrenching storytelling, there is something in their discography for everyone. 

If you want songs that absolutely fill you with pure serotonin, joy, and the urge to dance around, here are some of my favorite happy and upbeat Kehlani songs. Perfect for a bright spring morning, hype up walk to class, or dorm dance party; these songs truly make me smile for hours.

For soft, chill, acoustic, and dreamy songs, Kehlani has you covered. With gentle guitar, soothing vocals, graceful lyrics, and overall light energy, these songs will have something for all our acoustic genre fans.

Not as much of a fan of acoustic or soft music? Kehlani has the opposite for you, too. These songs show off strong beats with an energy that makes me want to run a mile, or hit the club, or both. For you, songs that scratch the r&b production itch in your brain. 

Hot. Need I say more?

Songs about heartbreak, finding yourself, grappling with your past, complicated relationships and more – these intense and lyrical songs are perfect for going through it. Kehlani’s rich and layered personal life comes through in their lyrics combined with well produced backgrounds and melodies that continue the eerie and deep feelings. 

Don’t care about genres? Made your way through all the other playlists? Feeling especially intrigued by any of these titles? My final playlist of Kehlani songs I love simply covers all the miscellaneous or extras that I didn’t fit into any of the other playlists:

Hope you enjoy, and happy listening!