On November 8th, two of my roommates and I journeyed (aka took an Uber) to Wellesley to attend their Fall Frenzy concert hosted by their SBOG (Schneider Board of Governors). This year their featured artist was R&B singer, Kehlani. I randomly found out about the concert a week before while scrolling on Facebook and it felt like the stars had aligned. My roommate and I are both huge fans and the tickets were only $10. There clearly wasn’t a better way for us to spend our Sunday night. We spent the whole week listening to Kehlani’s music on repeat but nothing could have prepared us for the amazing experience of seeing her perform live.
Kehlani is an R&B and Hip Hop singer from Oakland, California. She had a challenging upbringing after losing her father at an early age and not being able to live with her mother as a result of drug addiction. Kehlani grew up with her aunt who first introduced her to the great Neo-Soul artists and supported her passion for dance, specifically ballet. However after a career ending injury, she began singing and writing music that reflected her experiences. Kehlani released her first mixtape, Cloud 19, after being discovered by Nick Cannon through America’s Got Talent. In April 2015, she released her album You Should Be Here which was number 1 on the ITunes R&B charts.
All of Kehlani’s music is powerful and honest which is why so many people resonate with it. Seeing her perform live was nothing short of a blessing. She started her set by singing her album’s title song, “You Should Be Here”, and then went through a blend of music from her album and mixtape. In between songs, Kehlani often paused to talk to the majority female audience about their power as women and the importance of knowing their self-worth. As a crowd of less than 200 people in an intimate setting, we laughed, we screamed, and we danced with her and it was honestly one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had at a concert. Kehlani also spoke about the importance of her fan base, the Tsunami Mob, and told us that it was a family for any of her fans who felt alone.
One of my favorite songs off of her album (even though they’re all amazing) is “Bright.” She talks about how both women and men hold themselves to unachievable standards and are constantly comparing themselves to others but at the end of the day “can’t nobody love somebody that do not love themselves.” She’s a perfect embodiment of the power of self-love and acceptance and there are not that many figures like that in mainstream music today. If you’ve never heard of Kehlani, rest assured she will be well-known very soon. Make sure you check out her album You Should Be Here and keep a look out for her new music coming out at the beginning of next year!
Sources:
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http://www.kehlanimusic.com/bio/
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