Kehlani opened up about the realities of dating as a celebrity, saying it’s nearly impossible to do without being judged at every turn.
The R&B singer — who is non-binary and uses she/they pronouns — talked about the struggles of dating in the public eye during the Thursday (December 11) episode of Angel Reese’s podcast Unapologetically Angel.
Around the 30-minute mark, Kehlani explained that conflicting schedules make dating tough, and on top of that, her most important priority is parenting her six-year-old daughter, Adeya.
“When I’m not doing my art, I’m also trying to spend as much time with my child as I can. So there’s that balance of where does a relationship sit and fit in between all of these?” the “Folded” singer said.
“I’m in the height of my career. I’m also trying to rock out with my kid who’s in first grade and is learning all these cool first-grade things and forming core memories and holiday memories,” she continued. “So I think it’s just it’s hard because of that. And also like it’s really weird to have dating experiences in front of the whole world.”
Kehlani added that going on a public date while people film her — and whoever she’s with — is “anxiety inducing.”
“And then you say something… And then you wake up the next day — ‘Story time. I met Kehlani at a restaurant and she was a bitch and she was rude and I hate her.’ And I’m like, the whole time you were just invading my [space]. It ruined the date, it ruined the vibes.”
She went on: “So you get to this point where, do you want to live in anxiety and fear where it feels like complete strangers run your life and have that much control, or do you just want to be a regular girl who wants to hold hands with somebody leaving the movie theater and who wants to go and eat sushi at a restaurant?”
Kehlani also said she’s not interested in shutting down restaurants or venues just to go out on a date.
“It’s just at some point, you decide what kind of life you want to live and you’re going to get scrutinized regardless,” she said.
The singer has had a complicated dating history with people like PARTYNEXTDOOR, Kyrie Irving, and YG, but she came out as a lesbian in 2021.
During a recent visit to The Breakfast Club, Kehlani revealed she is currently not in contact with Javaughn Young-White — the father of her daughter — months after he launched a custody battle. In his petition, Young-White claimed Kehlani was involved in a religious cult, though he later walked back some of those accusations.
