Although R&B songstress Kehlani didn't provide a release date beyond "this winter" for her upcoming album Blue Water Road, the singer has made a steady run of appearances at multiple New York Fashion week events, the Met Gala and, most recently at The Breakfast Club, where she sat down with DJ Envy and Charlamagne tha God to talk about her new project, as well as a myriad of other topics.
Touching on subjects like finding peace in the pandemic and how she is able to co-parent with guitarist Javie Young-White, the conversation eventually moved onto music and Kehlani walked us through her musical journey from dropping her first project at 19, to where she is now.
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"Let's be honest, I write love songs. I really like writing about love. Love is how I think I learned about myself most in this life," the "I Like Dat" singer explained. "Now I'm 26. And I'm dropping songs that are just about ... I don't need anybody. And I think I was coming from such a place of like, need in the past. You can hear it. You can hear it in the lyrics."
Talking about why performing those old songs can be tough because it's like hopping back in time and space that no longer exists, Kehlani explained that Nick Cannon helped her transform into the artist she is today. The two met when Kehlani was on the Cannon-hosted America's Got Talent and years after her appearance on the show, Cannon reached out with multiple opportunities and helped propel her career.
"He changed my life forever. That's family to me," Kehlani said, noting that other artists have told her similar stories of Cannon's assistance. "So when there's all these conversations, and I've been waiting to say this somewhere, but while there's all these conversations that's picking him apart and like, people can call him corny and people can call him whatever ... he silently has changed the lives of so many people. He asked for nothing in return ... you would have no idea."
Finishing up her nearly-30 minute interview, Kehlani said her upcoming music is "so light." Explaining that this music won't be toxic or depressing, she asserted she is in a different place where "Everything is joyful and light and happy. There's really fun stuff and there's really pretty stuff. There's an orchestra on there ... it's in another world."
Blue Water Road is set to touch down within the next couple of months and, according to Kehlani, is going to sound different than what her fans are used to.
Check out Kehlani's full Breakfast Club interview below and let us know if you're excited for her new sound in the comments.