“Kehlani” by Kehlani is the Grammy-winning artist’s self-titled album, released on her birthday, April 24. This is the fifth album she’s released since “SweetSexySavage” in 2017, but her ninth project overall. The album contains 17 songs, several of which feature other artists, including Brandy, Lil Wayne, Leon Thomas, Missy Elliott and Clipse. It also includes her longest running Billboard song, “Folded.”
After my initial listen, I would have given it three-and-a-half stars, but after four days, it has grown on me. Now, four-and-a-half stars feels more appropriate. It wasn’t the Kehlani I was used to, but that’s because she’s grown and so has her penmanship.
Kehlani’s previously released album “Crash,” (2024) didn’t land well with some fans. Despite the sold-out world tour, online controversy centered on the shift in sound from her earlier music. Some felt the album didn’t sound like her, while others, including myself, liked the change. The rock ‘n’ roll influence might have been too experimental for some listeners.
“Kehlani” brings back the R&B from the ’90s and 2000s where themes of yearning and emotion were central. It explores heartbreak, reconciliation, longing intimacy, reminding us of the R&B songs we’ve heard before: “On Bended Knee” by Boyz II Men, “Love” by Keyshia Cole, “Meeting in My Bedroom” by Silk.
The intro track titled, “Intro,” produced by Antonio Lamar Dixon (also known as Dixon) and Khris Riddick-Tynes, sets the tone for the album.
Kehlani opens with, “Growth doesn’t always sound pretty at first,” a line that highlights how much she has evolved since her early career. She is now 31 years old, a mother and an established Grammy winning artist hailing from the Bay Area. And that growth is reflected in the music.
She continues, “You’re about to hear a heart that’s been stretched, healed, and reborn. A voice stepping into its truth with no fear, no filter and no apologies,” emphasizing the shift from places of pain to creating from a place of healing and self-awareness.
Kehlani closes the intro with, “I am Kehlani,” reinforcing that this self-titled project is deeply personal, a reflection of who she is now, rather than who others expect her to be. The narrative she wants to write, and the information she wants to share.
The final track, “Unlearn,” was the perfect song to end the project. The song explores her growth beyond past habits and emotional patterns. She mentioned early last year, in April 2025, that she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and is now on medication. The soft symphony-like tune paired with the rawness of her vocals, flowed and meshed well together while describing her old habits of fighting just to win the fight, or throwing words like knives in the middle of the night that she exhibited prior to becoming medicated.
She continues with, “I got a lot to unlearn about me. But I’ll do the work if you still believe. I’ll keep tryna unlearn the hurt. Give me your love, I’ll show what it’s worth.”
That lyric made me really open my ears to what she was saying, and hearing that she sees the repeated behaviors and how they hurt people she loves and how she’s more than ready to correct that behavior.
I feel I can speak for anyone who’s been through the motions of finding someone you love and not wanting to continue hurting them with your old behavior. Instead you recognize what’s wrong and work on growing and being better not only for them but yourself. You still want to be loved because you know you’re capable of being loved, you just need someone who’s willing to stick beside you while you work out the bad habits. It’s a 10 out of 10 song if you ask me.
