The Bay Area native got her start as a dancer — both ballet and modern — and attended Oakland School for the Arts. After an unfortunate knee injury leaving her unable to dance she transferred into vocal training and the rest is history. She began her journey into the music business when she joined Poplyfe in the 8th grade and hasn’t looked back since — even appearing on America’s Got Talent with the band. Influenced by Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, India Arie, Stever Wonder and Musiq Soul Child — she has an old soul while adding her own youthful twist to classic sounds. The best way she can describe her music is “feel good music” with R&B/Soul undertones. At only 19 years old, she has shared stages with Tony! Toni! Toné!, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Sheila E, Lenny Williams at many historic venues including Caesars Palace, The Fox Theater, The Paramount and Yoshi’s.
Kehlani tells it like it is. Whether in conversation or on stage, the Oakland-born R&B singer and songwriter gives the straight truth about her life, pain, passion, love, triumph, and everything in between with collected calm and confidence. It’s that type of honesty that makes her music resonate with the depth of classic Motown and a vividly confessional lyricism reminiscent of Neo Soul. At the same time, her 2015 mixtape, You Should Be Here, tells a story that distinctly belongs to her. It all starts on the East Bay…
Kehlani: 24/7
Kehlani: 24/7 Lyrics:
It’s okay to not be okay
To dive in your pain
And it’s alright to not be alright
To search for your light
And it’s all good to not be all good
To feel like you shouldn’t feel any better
You gotta lose you just a little
Lose your cool just a little
I won’t judge you a little
Not even a little bit
I know you’re fuckin’ sick of it
I don’t know nobody
Who thinks that they’re somebody
24/7, 24/7
I don’t know nobody
Who smiles at everybody
24/7, 24/7
It’s the wave to not be the wave
To make all your mistakes
And it’s the play to not know the play
To go where the wind takes you
It’s all fine to not think you’re fine
Or have the wish to feel any better
You gotta lose you just a little
Lose your cool just a little
I won’t judge you a little
Not even a little bit
I know you’re fuckin’ sick of it
I don’t know nobody
Who thinks that they’re somebody
24/7, 24/7, 24/7
I don’t know nobody
Who smiles at everybody
24/7, 24/7.
I have my days when I am upside-down, topsy-turvy
I have my days when I am not myself, and I’m not worried
I have my nights when I’m not anxious
To wake up and feel any better
I don’t know nobody
Who thinks that they’re somebody
24/7, 24/7
I don’t know nobody
Who smiles at everybody
24/7, 24/7
I don’t know nobody
Who thinks that they’re somebody
24/7, 24/7, 24/7
I don’t know nobody
Who smiles at everybody
24/7, 24/7.
