Following a major year fueled by her breakout hit “Folded,” Kehlani is already setting the stage for her next album — and she’s clearly aiming to raise the bar.
On Tuesday, December 30, the Grammy nominee hopped on Instagram to post a few studio shots, revealing she was working alongside legendary producer and songwriter Pharrell Williams. The post didn’t stay up for long, but fans were quick to grab screenshots and circulate the images across social media before it disappeared.
While Kehlani and Williams have never officially released a joint track, this isn’t their first creative overlap. Williams holds songwriting credit on Kehlani’s 2020 single “Everybody Business” from It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, which interpolates “Frontin’,” the 2003 hit by Williams and Chad Hugo.
Beyond his own legendary catalog, Williams boasts an impressive list of production credits with artists such as Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake.
Kehlani began sharing music in 2014 with her debut mixtape Cloud 19. Its follow-up, You Should Be Here (2015), earned a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. While she’s maintained steady output over the past decade, “Folded,” released this past June, marked a major career moment, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the months following the song’s success, Kehlani gave back by offering free laundry services to single mothers. She also saw “Folded” take on new life through remixes from artists including Tank, JoJo, and Brandy, later compiling them into an official remix EP.
Kehlani followed up with “Out the Window” in November. Much like “Folded,” the track highlights her vocal approach, leaning into layered harmonies and drawing inspiration from R&B greats like Brandy and Aaliyah. Taken together with her studio link-up with Williams, the signs point to her next album leaning into a classic R&B feel while honoring legends of the genre.
Needless to say, fans are eagerly waiting for what’s next.
