Kehlani

Kehlani was raised by their aunt in Oakland, California, after their father passed away during their toddler years and their mother served prison time while struggling with drug addiction. Kehlani has spoken publicly about navigating mental health challenges, having received diagnoses of borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. In 2020, they purchased a small farm in Simi Valley, California, where they live, and began practicing the African diasporic religion La Regla de Ocha.

In October 2018, Kehlani announced their pregnancy, and in 2019 they gave birth to their daughter, Adeya Nomi, in a home birth. The child's father is guitarist Javaughn Young-White, with whom Kehlani co-parents. Kehlani has also been open about their identity and relationships, publicly identifying as queer, non-binary, and a lesbian, while using they/them pronouns.

Kehlani's romantic life has included high-profile relationships, such as dating NBA player Kyrie Irving in 2016, rapper YG between 2019 and 2020, and musician 070 Shake. In 2024, Kehlani entered a brief marriage with music executive Mariel Gomerez, which was annulled later that year. In October 2025, Kehlani confirmed their relationship with British recording artist Kwn.

Kehlani attended the Oakland School for the Arts, initially focusing on ballet and modern dance with aspirations of studying at the Juilliard School. After suffering a knee injury in junior high school that prevented a full-time dance career, they shifted their focus toward vocal performance. While living with their aunt, they were introduced to R&B and neo soul records from artists like Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Jill Scott, which shaped their vocal approach.

At age 14, Kehlani joined the Bay Area pop cover band PopLyfe as the lead vocalist, working under the guidance of producer D'Wayne Wiggins. In 2011, PopLyfe competed on the sixth season of America's Got Talent, advancing to the finals and finishing in fourth place. Following disputes with the group's management, Kehlani departed PopLyfe and faced a period of homelessness in Oakland and Los Angeles.

During this transitional period, Kehlani uploaded their debut solo song, "ANTISUMMERLUV", to SoundCloud. The release caught the attention of television personality Nick Cannon, who previously hosted America's Got Talent during PopLyfe's season. Cannon provided financial support by funding an apartment in Los Angeles and booking recording studio time, which allowed Kehlani to focus exclusively on launching a solo recording career.

In 2014, Kehlani released their debut mixtape, Cloud 19, which earned critical praise and was ranked among the top albums of the year by publications such as Complex and Pitchfork. They followed this momentum with their 2015 mixtape, You Should Be Here, featuring guest appearances from Chance the Rapper and BJ the Chicago Kid. The project debuted at number five on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, achieved gold certification, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Following the success of You Should Be Here, Kehlani signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records and embarked on a sold-out headlining tour across North America and Europe. In 2016, they contributed the single "Gangsta" to the official soundtrack of the film Suicide Squad, which reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and introduced their sound to a wider mainstream pop audience.

Kehlani released their debut studio album, SweetSexySavage, on January 27, 2017. The project debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart and featured hit singles such as "CRZY" and "Distraction", the latter earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance. They supported the record with the global SweetSexySavage World Tour throughout 2017.

In 2018, Kehlani joined major concert tours as an opening act for Demi Lovato and Halsey, while appearing as a featured artist on Charlie Puth's "Done for Me" and Cardi B's top-40 hit "Ring". In February 2019, they released the commercial mixtape While We Wait, which debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 and featured popular collaborations with Ty Dolla Sign and Dom Kennedy.

Their second studio album, It Was Good Until It Wasn't, arrived on May 8, 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, generating 83,000 album-equivalent units in its first week and earning praise for its intimate, mature songwriting. They followed this with their third studio album, Blue Water Road (2022), supported by the singles "Altar", "Little Story", and the Justin Bieber collaboration "Up at Night", followed by the international Blue Water Road Trip tour.

Kehlani released their fourth studio album, Crash, in June 2024, featuring appearances by Jill Scott, Young Miko, and Omah Lay. Later that year, they delivered the follow-up mixtape While We Wait 2. In 2025, Kehlani achieved major commercial and critical success with the single "Folded", which climbed to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song. The track served as the lead single for their self-titled fifth album, Kehlani (2026).

Kehlani has consistently engaged in public advocacy, notably expressing solidarity with Palestinian causes. In October 2023, they were a principal signatory of the Artists Against Apartheid open letter and later signed petitions calling for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza. Kehlani has openly called on other high-profile figures in the music industry to use their platforms to speak out on international human rights issues.

In 2024, Kehlani incorporated their political stances into their creative output. The official music video for their single "Next 2 U" opened with poetry by Palestinian-American writer Hala Alyan and displayed Palestinian imagery throughout. Alongside the release, Kehlani partnered with designer Yasmeen Mjalli of Nöl Collective to sell merchandise, directing all proceeds toward humanitarian relief efforts for families in Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan in partnership with Operation Olive Branch.

Their political stances also led to institutional pushback. In April 2025, a planned performance at Cornell University's annual Slope Day festival was canceled by university administration over their pro-Palestinian advocacy. In May 2025, a free headlining performance scheduled for New York City's SummerStage Pride programming was canceled by organizers following safety and security concerns raised by municipal officials.