Artist Spotlight: Kehlani

It was pretty crazy to see 20-year old Kehlani all dolled up at this year’s Grammy’s in support of her mixtape “You Should Be Here, nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Kehlani at the 2016 Grammy Awards.The Bay-Area beauty has been hard at work in showbiz since she was just a young teen. She was part of a group called “PopLyfe” that made it to the America’s Got Talent Stage, but didn’t quite snag the grand prize. However, Kehlani’s involvement with the group proved to be fruitful. America’s Got Talent host Nick Cannon saw potential in her, and he turned out to be a major player in her career.

Kehlani with bandmates comprising PopLyfe.While PopLyfe’s fame was short-lived, Kehlani’s was just beginning. She learned to harness the power of her voice, pairing her silky smooth R&B vocals with original lyrics. Cannon introduced her to Juilliard graduate Jahaan Sweet, who she calls her musical soulmate. He produced most of the tracks on her mixtape “You Should Be Here” and also became a good friend of her’s.

Along with being hard at work in the studio, Kehlani also took to the stage as the opening act for G-Eazy’s “From the Bay to the Universe” Tour. Add to that performances at huge summer music festival performances, as well as features by The Fader, Complex, and Noisey, it wasn’t long before Atlantic Records made Kehlani an offer.

Kehlani dressed in tattoos.What can we expect from Kehlani this year? She and Sweet are hard at work on her debut album, which may include a feature from rapper Future. She’s also set to perform at Wireless Festival in the UK this summer. Keep an eye on her Facebook page for new performance announcements, and make sure you get your Kehlani tickets right here on TickPick.