After I first heard Kehlani’s debut mixtape, it was a consolation that jogged my memory of house. The proud Oakland, Calif., native was 19 years outdated when that challenge dropped, and so was I. The observe record was precisely what I wanted as a brand new Washington, D.C., transplant, 1000’s of miles away from all of my family members within the Bay Space. Over the previous decade, I’ve adopted Kehlani alongside their journey, rising with them as we each skilled younger maturity. Vulnerability is their superpower, and that energy was put to the check on the Tiny Desk, the place Kehlani succeeds with flying colours.
“It’s been a very long time coming. I undoubtedly know I’m overdue for doing this [Tiny Desk],” Kehlani says of their set. The journey begins with “Nights Like This,” the heartbreak single from their 2019 mixtape, Whereas We Wait. Then, Kehlani switches gears into “Distraction,” from their debut album, SweetSexySavage, adopted by an easy merge into “The Means,” from the 2015 challenge, You Ought to Be Right here.
After the sultry sounds of “Can I,” Kehlani parks their efficiency for a second. “I need to take a second to say: Free Palestine. Free Congo. Free Sudan. Free Yemen. Free Hawaii. Free Guam,” they are saying. “It’s deeper than this. I would like all people that’s right here proper now, all people that’s watching, to step up, to make use of their voices.” The set then accelerates into “After Hours,” the groovy, summertime anthem from their newest album, CRASH. Kehlani conquers the Desk with uncooked and actual expertise, setting them up for a future in music that is stuffed with prospects. I’m wanting to see their subsequent vacation spot.
SET LIST
- “Nights Like This”
- “Distraction”
- “The Means”
- “Can I”
- “After Hours”
MUSICIANS
- Kehlani: lead vocals
- Freaky Rob: guitar, musical course
- Physician O: keys
- Simba: bass
- Jermaine Poindexter: drums
- Karyn Porter: vocals
- Chelsea West: vocals
- Jasmine Patton: vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producers: Alanté Serene, Bobby Carter
- Director/Editor: Maia Stern
- Audio Technical Director: Hannah Gluvna
- Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Grace Raver
- Audio Engineer: Phil Edfors
- Manufacturing Assistant: Elle Mannion
- Photographer: Keren Carrión
- Tiny Desk Group: Kara Body, Ashley Pointer, Hazel Cills
- Government Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Sequence Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
