Kehlani

Kehlani Ashley Parrish ( kay-LAH-nee; born April 24, 1995) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. They initially started as a member of the teen pop group PopLyfe in 2011 as contestant on America's Got Talent. After leaving the group, Parrish self-released the mixtapes Cloud 19 (2014) and You Should Be Here (2015), both of which were critically acclaimed and received gold certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while the latter marked their first entry on the US Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Kehlani signed with Atlantic Records to release their debut studio album, SweetSexySavage (2017), which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, while their second, It Was Good Until It Wasn't (2020), peaked at number two. Their third album, Blue Water Road (2022), peaked at number 13 on the chart and was met with critical acclaim, while their fourth, Crash (2024), peaked at number 25. Their 2025 single, "Folded", peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

Early life

Kehlani Ashley Parrish was born on April 24, 1995, in Oakland, California, to Kehlani Sr. and Elon Parrish. They were adopted and raised by their aunt when their mother, who had a drug addiction, served time in jail. Kehlani's father, who also had a drug addiction, died when they were a toddler. During their teenage years, they attended the Oakland School for the Arts, where they initially practiced dance, particularly ballet and modern dance.