Musician Profiles

Basic Information:

Name: Kehlani Ashley Parrish
Date of Birth: April 24, 1995
Nationality: American
Profession: Singer, Songwriter, and Dancer
Social Media Links:
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Biography:

Kehlani Ashley Parrish, known professionally as Kehlani, is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born in Oakland, California, their early life was marked by significant challenges. Kehlani's father passed away when they were a toddler due to complications from drug addiction, and their mother struggled with substance abuse, leading to periods of incarceration. Consequently, Kehlani was raised by their aunt, who exposed them to R&B and neo-soul artists such as Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Jill Scott, which became major musical influences.

Initially, Kehlani pursued dance at the Oakland School for the Arts, training in ballet and modern dance. They aspired to attend the Juilliard School, but a knee injury in junior high redirected their focus to singing. At 14, Kehlani joined the local pop cover band, PopLyfe, as the lead vocalist. The band's music was produced by D'Wayne Wiggins, a former member of Tony! Toni! Tone!. PopLyfe gained prominence after performing throughout the Bay Area and other cities before auditioning for the sixth season of America's Got Talent in 2011, ultimately finishing in fourth place. Judge Piers Morgan suggested that Kehlani had the talent to be successful as a solo artist.

Following their stint on America's Got Talent, Kehlani left PopLyfe due to managerial and contractual issues. For a time, they experienced homelessness, moving between houses and often sleeping on couches. During this period, Kehlani also briefly resorted to stealing food and other necessities from grocery stores to survive. They released their first solo track, "ANTISUMMERLUV," on SoundCloud in 2013, which caught the attention of Nick Cannon, who provided them with an apartment and studio time in Los Angeles. This marked a turning point, and their solo career began to flourish.

Kehlani released their debut mixtape, Cloud 19, in 2014, which was listed as one of Complex's "50 Best Albums of 2014". This release established Kehlani as a solo artist, and they continued their journey with the release of their second mixtape You Should Be Here in 2015, which reached number 5 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album. They subsequently signed with Atlantic Records. Kehlani's debut album, SweetSexySavage released in 2017, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200 chart and their second album, It Was Good Until It Wasn't (2020) peaked at number two. In 2022 their third album Blue Water Road peaked at number 13 and their fourth album Crash (2024) peaked at number 25. Kehlani라이브 바카라 music often explores themes of love, heartbreak, resilience, and personal growth, solidifying their position as an influential voice in contemporary R&B and pop music.

Career Timeline:

2009-2013: Lead vocalist for PopLyfe, a Bay Area pop cover band.

2011: PopLyfe finishes fourth place on America's Got Talent.
2013: Released first solo track “ANTISUMMERLUV” on SoundCloud.

2014: Released debut mixtape Cloud 19.
2015: Released second mixtape You Should Be Here, which garnered a Grammy nomination.
2017: Signed with Atlantic Records and released debut album SweetSexySavage.

2017: Contributed to the platinum-certified Suicide Squad: The Album with "Gangsta", and The Fate of the Furious: The Album with "Good Life"
2018: Served as an opening act for Demi Lovato's "Tell Me You Love Me World Tour".
2020: Released second studio album, It Was Good Until It Wasn't.
2022: Released third studio album, Blue Water Road.

2024: Released fourth studio album, Crash and the mixtape, While We Wait 2.
2025: Nominated for three Grammy Awards for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

Achievements:

Kehlani's career is marked by critical acclaim and commercial success. They have received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Urban Contemporary Album for “You Should Be Here” (2016) and Best R&B Performance for "Distraction" (2018). In 2025 they received three Grammy nominations for Best Progressive R&B Album for "Crash", Best R&B Song for "After Hours", and Best Melodic Rap Performance for Jordan Adetunji's "Kehlani". Cloud 19 was named one of Complex's "50 Best Albums of 2014." You Should Be Here debuted at number five on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was also certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Kehlani's debut album, SweetSexySavage peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, and their second album, It Was Good Until It Wasn't, peaked at number two on the same chart. Furthermore, SweetSexySavage was recognized as one of the "50 Best Albums of 2017 So Far" by outlets like Rolling Stone, Complex, and Billboard. Kehlani has had several gold and platinum-certified singles, including “CRZY,” “Distraction,” “Gangsta,” and “Good Life." In addition to these achievements, Kehlani received the "Rule Breaker" award at the 2017 Billboard Women in Music annual dinner and ceremony. Their widespread recognition led to collaborations with prominent artists such as Zayn Malik, Charlie Puth, Cardi B, and Justin Bieber. Beyond their musical achievements, Kehlani is also a philanthropist, actively supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and has donated to multiple LGBTQ+ centers. They also advocate for mental health awareness and racial justice, using their platform to bring attention to these causes, including showing solidarity with Palestine.

Key Quotes / Catchphrases:

"Success to me is only two things: happiness and stability."
"Sex is biological, but gender is mental."
"I feel like I don't really care about impressing other people. I thoroughly enjoy impressing myself."
"Life라이브 바카라 too short to even care at all."

Multimedia:

Gallery:

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Fun Facts/Trivia:

Kehlani's name means "sea and sky" in Hawaiian.
They are of mixed ethnicity, including Black, White, Native American, Spanish, Filipino and Mexican heritage.
Kehlani is an animal lover.
Kehlani has multiple tattoos and believes face tattoos are the least painful.
They are a vegan.
Chick-fil-A is one of their favorite eateries.
Kehlani라이브 바카라 biggest fear is large aquatic animals.
They are a big fan of Elle Varner and Stevie Wonder.
Kehlani's cousin is rapper Clyde Carson.
They have a daughter, Adeya Nomi Young-White, born on March 23, 2019.
Kehlani라이브 바카라 health and wellness startup, Flora, received $50,000 in funding from Backstage Capital.

Impact/Legacy:

Kehlani uses music to advocate for social justice while building a prominent identity as an ally for marginalized groups particularly LGBTQ+ members where they position themselves as both queer and identify with she/he pronouns. An aspect of their musical work explores themes such as identity exploration alongside personal development while connecting with listeners worldwide. Since surviving sexual abuse the singer Kehlani dedicates themselves to mental health education while using their personal trauma to reach fans. Kehlani engages in philanthropy by funding queer LGBTQ+ community centers as well as packaging support for Black Lives Matter demonstrators. Through their musical career and social advocacy Kehlani establishes an inspirational example for generations to come about how art can unite with activism. Their musical storytelling of diverse roots combined with their declaration of social causes has produced major changes in dialogue regarding musical community inclusion and social duty across the industry and society at large.