“My condolences to anyone who’s ever lost me and to anyone who got lost in me.”
These are the opening words spoken on the California-born musician Kehlanis’ long awaited first studio album, SweetSexySavage. The album is an intimate reflection on relationships and mental illness by the 21-year-old singer-songwriter.
Kehlani’s moving ability to transfer her life experience into her lyrics, combined with her fusion of modern pop and RNB, makes SweetSexySavage a striking album. The standout track of the album “Keep On” is a perfect example of her signature raspy vocals that allure the listener with its combination of sweetness and strength.
The album shows a positive outlook on the future, with personal strength, a strong theme throughout, as well as displaying a mature perspective on accepting and loving your past as a part of yourself.
The singer and songwriter has publicly struggled with depression. In 2016, her then boyfriend, PartyNextDoor, writer of the popular Rihanna hit “Work,” posted an image of them together on Instagram. A slew of abuse followed in the comment section, resulting in Kehlani being admitted to hospital after attempting suicide.
Since recovering, she has been a champion of self-love. At a concert in 2016 the singer reached out to fans to saying:
“From me to you, you are worth it, you are perfect, you need to be here every single day that you are meant to be here.”
With SweetSexySavage, Kehlani has proven she is one of the strongest forces in the modern RNB scene and will be a cited name in the future for inspiring many women in the industry.
Listen to her track “Keep On” below!
