In 2013, Kehlani Ashley Parrish was houseless. Itâd been a year since sheâd left her post as the lead singer of the girl group Poplyfe, citing managerial and contractual issues. Four years later, the 22-year-old is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer with an ongoing slew of collabs and singles soundtracking mega-movies like Suicide Squad (âGangstaâ) and The Fate of the Furious (âGood Lifeâ).
The first time I saw the Oakland-raised artist was at Bumbershoot 2015, and Iâll never forget it. When she took the stage with those sultry dance moves alongside her adorable DJ Noodles, the crowd went batshit. It was plain to see that Kehlani had already built herself a cult following of sneaker-loving, tattoo-sporting, badass young women who knew the words to every uplifting, confident song. I was shook by how beautifully she sang liveâher voice was strong and chillingly soulful. (Sheâd be a perfect choice to voice Nala in that live-action Lion King movie, in case BeyoncĂ© says no.)
Kehlaniâs come a long way in the past few years, but her wave is clearly still gaining momentum. Her studio debut SweetSexySavage came out earlier this year, and does not disappoint. If youâre planning to check out Kehlaniâs Portland show, youâll benefit from knowing the cult classics beforehand. You know, so you donât feel left out.
1. âThe Wayâ feat. Chance the Rapper
Okay, if you listen to Kehlani even a little bit, you probably already know this song. Even so, itâs always a good time to brush up! Watch the music video again to remind yourself that you totes âship Chance and Kehlani.
2. âNiggasâ
Dear white people: THIS SONG IS NOT FOR YOU. No one wants to hear a bunch of white girls scream-singing âNiggas gonâ always be niggas/Canât afford to give my heart to these niggas.â So just donât. That being said, âNiggasâ is definitely one of the best (and most real) songs on You Should Be Here, and anyone with African heritage should sing along.
3. âDid Iâ
On this sassy track she stunts on someone who was sleeping on her talent and now wants to be down with the Kehlani tsunami. Prove youâre not one of those people (even if you are) by knowing at least some of the words.
4. âCRZYâ
This is the type of song you cue up when you need to celebrate yourself and the boss youâre becoming. With lyrics like âEverything I do, I do it with a passion/If I gotta be a bitch, Imma be a bad one,â get ready to turn into Kâs cohesive hype machine. Itâs gonâ be lit.
5. âDistractionâ
Oh, how relatable this song is. And like many of Kehlaniâs releases, itâs got a â90s pop flavor. When that chorus comes in, be ready with the âDo ya do ya do ya do ya wanna be a distraction baby?â
6. âUnconditionalâ
With a snappy beat and more â90s pop production, Kehlani asserts her identity and asks her lover to accept her natural state. âSometimes I come home and Iâm sweaty from the day/My hairâs all in a messy bun âcause I had to get it out my face/And Iâd rather lace my sneakers up cause high heels ainât my thing/I donât see a flaw in that I never want to change.â Just make sure you get that catchy chorus down, yaâll!
7. âToo Muchâ
Kehlaniâs tone takes the cake as she declares her worth and owns all the ways she might be too much for some niggas: âIâm too much of a woman/Too much of a bad ass bitch/Too much of a boss, baby itâs your loss/Now you gotta live with it.â
8. â24/7â
This was the first song Kehlani released after that horrific Instagram photo including ex-boyfriend PartyNextDoor, which resulted in hundreds of abusive tweets aimed at Kehlani because of perceived infidelity toward then-boyfriend Kyrie Irving. She attempted suicide and was hospitalized. âItâs okay to not be okay, to dive in your pain,â she sings. âItâs all right to not be all right, to search for your light.â
9. âDoesnât Matterâ feat. Elhae
Iâll be honest, Iâm just praying she performs this song despite the fact Elhae wonât be here to do his verse. Maybe a backup singer can fill in? I donât know. But Kehlaniâs verse (âThink Imma keep to myself these days/Thinkinâ Imma focus on my health these daysâ) would be multiple flame emojis regardless.
10. âThank Youâ
I can just tell this is gonna be the one to make me cry (because I get emotional listening at home). In this triumphant track, Kehlani sings her heart out and expresses gratitude to all her supporters through her ups and downs. This isnât so much a sing-along as much as a clap-and-sob-silently.