Kehlani is deep in a reflective phase—musically, personally, and vocally—and during a recent BigBoyTV interview, she made it clear that one influence stands above all others: Brandy.
Discussing R&B lineage and the artists who molded her, Kehlani immediately placed Brandy at the top of the list.
“We’ll never call her a peer. We’ll always call her a mother,” she said, emphasizing that her respect for Brandy goes far deeper than simple fandom.
To Kehlani, Brandy isn’t just an icon—she’s foundational. “In my Mount Rushmore of R&B… I think every R&B singer that you ask, if you’re talking about vocal goats, they’re going to say Brandy,” she said firmly. There was no room for debate. “I will never be explaining Brandy Norwood to anybody.”
Kehlani recently shared the stage with Brandy and Monica during a performance of “The Boy Is Mine,” a moment she described as meaningful not for the spotlight, but for the chance to honor Brandy publicly.
“Even if they had only brought me out to give her her flowers and say what I got to say, that would have been just as good as being able to sing my song,” she said.
That same sense of purpose is woven into her newest music. Kehlani talked about “Folded,” calling it a perfect mix of her favorite “ingredients”—conversational lyrics, a sticky melody, and layered vocal production.
The hook came instantly. “The second the beat came in the room, I just kept singing, ‘come pick up your clothes’ over and over again,” she said. The track has since become her first Top 10 hit, something she still finds surreal: “It wasn’t even considered a single at first.”
She’s just as proud of “Out the Window,” which dropped shortly after “Folded.” Kehlani said she wasn’t worried about the releases stepping on each other. “Let me step on my own foot myself,” she joked.
As for her next album, Kehlani confirmed it’s coming in early 2026, perfectly aligned with spring—her favorite season. “I usually come in spring. I’m a spring baby,” she explained, adding that she pushed the release back because the music “needs the sun.”
