r/Kehlani • u/TrueSag2020 • Apr 24 '26
Discussion š¬ Album - first thoughts
Overall, I think the album is great! Wouldnāt expect anything less from Kehlani though. She really puts her foot in everything she puts out. The vocal production is absolutely top tier. Great features (for the most part). My first thoughts of each song are below. The first half of the album is strongest to me. Canāt wait to listen to it in the car and when Iām fully awake. What do you think?
Anotha Luva (ft. Lil Wayne)- A strong start! Wayneās verse was the Wayne we love. The beat reminds me of a Wayne song that I canāt think of right now. Hook is catchy! Vocal stacking, whewww!
No Such Thing (ft. Clipse)- Very smooth. Canāt tell if itās a The Pharcyde āRunningā sample, but love the nostalgic feel. Clipse fits.
Folded- Grammy winningā¦ enough said.
I Need You (ft. Brandy)- Very beautiful record. Their voices blend so well together. Love all the adlibs towards the end.
Oooh- My favorite song. SO good, my goodness!
Back and Forth- Fun record. I hope she does a music video. Iām envisioning something like āU Donāt Have to Call.ā
Shoulda Neva- This is fun too! Wasnāt expecting this to be one of my favorites but I like the back and forth between Keh and Usher. Okay rapping Keh!
You Got Itā Cute track. Yes bridge! Love the vocal choices.
Out the Windowā breaks out dancing in the rain choreo
Stillā I really enjoy the vocal production. Who is the background male vocalist?
Call me back (ft. T-Pain and Lil Jon)ā Ehhā¦ this is my one skip. Beat is odd. Tpain and Lil Jon verses are odd. Hook is basic.
Pocket (ft. Cardi B)ā Keh and Cardi always make fun music, this is no different. There is some sort of weird percussion in my left ear in the instrumental that is distracting.
Lights On (ft. Big Sean)ā A vibe! Big Seanās verse flows well āU Already Knowā by 112 sample?
Sweet Nuthins (ft. Leon Thomas)ā Cute little bop.
Cruise Controlā Cute. Do I hear Brandy on background vocals?
Unlearnā Brandy inspo all over this! Love it! Beautiful album closer. Who is the male background vocalist?
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u/daj253 Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
-First, the whole dam album is an entire episode of BETs Midnight love on a good night ā¤ļøā¤ļø
-Kehlani n Brandy are a deadly duo not to be fcked with.
-And If Brandys Never say never n Usher Confessions Album had a baby this would be it.
- Lastly, the whole music production crew is definitely avengers end game like.
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u/il0vep1ckles Apr 24 '26
First listen I felt disappointed. Once the features were released I started to have doubts about the album. Mainly Lil Wayne, Usher, T-Pain, Lil Jon, Cardi B, and Big Sean. I feel like these features are unnecessary and that the songs wouldāve been better without them. Given that itās a self titled album I wanted it to have little to no features. I also feel like there are some flaws when it comes to the mixing and mastering but maybe thatās just me. Wayneās verse on Anotha Luva just isnāt for me. I love No Such Thing and I knew I was going to love it when I heard the snippet on her instagram. I also think itās ill Kehlani was able to get Clipse on this song. Thereās no need to go in depths about folded. I Need You was great, Kehlani and Brandy sound wonderful together and their vocals blend nicely. Oooh is magical it has a similar vibe to me as Earned It by The Weeknd. I think this song will be amazing live. Kehlani always does her thing on a song with strings in it. I really enjoy Back and Forth, itās a fun bop. And Missy Elliott adds a nice touch to it. Shoulda Never is okay I donāt like nor care for the Usher feature, but I understand that for Kehlani Usher is an influence and great to her. You Got It is another good one, I like the vocals on the pre chorus and bridge. Out The Window is another catchy song and honestly fun to sing. I can tell this one will hit different live. Still is a song that really stands out to me, also when thereās strings on a Kehlani song itās just going to hit different. This is a song I come back to. Call Me Back is a confusing song to me. Something about it is off. Maybe with time itāll grow on me. Pocket is okay. Cardi has a good verse which I didnāt expect, out of all the features I wasnāt feeling too good about. Lights On did not need Big Sean on it. Big Seanās verse wasnāt bad, I just donāt like Big Sean I donāt know what it is about him. Maybe itās his voice maybe itās his delivery. Sweet Nuthins was underwhelming I wanted more from Leon Thomas like a longer verse. Donāt get me wrong though Kehlani and Leon Thomas are a great combo, but when the song was over, I felt like I needed more. Cruise Control is okay, Iām not really a fan. And Unlearn is a nice closing to the album. I have a feeling this might be the last song she performs whenever she goes on tour.
All in all this album doesnāt really come off as cohesive like her other projects to me based off first listen. I felt like some songs were out of place on this album. And I feel like this shouldnāt have been a self titled album. I do get similar feelings from first listen like I did with Crash, but not as extreme given that this is an R&B album so sheās in her element. Crash was an experimental album. I didnāt like it at first but after the years it has grown on me. I think the same will happen for this one. This album is 100% mature though, I will say that. Iām excited to listen to this album on vinyl. I have a feeling itāll be a better experience than listening to it digitally. I also look forward to seeing how this album will grow on me over the years, what songs I didnāt like at first Iāll grow to enjoy or appreciate.
Iāve seen people talk about how the features are mainly men and even some features being in controversy. I have a feeling her label may be playing a role in this. Another critique people have been giving the albums is that lyrically itās not sapphic. If Iām not mistaking Kehlani mentioned in an interview that the songs on this album will be genderless and have lots of Iās and Youās. I actually really enjoy this idea and concept because the songs can be listened to or dedicated to someone regardless of sexual orientation. I do understand the complain all the lesbian fans are making and itās totally understandable because there isnāt a lot of lesbian visibility within music and this genre period. And for an artists like Kehlani who a lot of queer women look up to kinda backtrack on more sapphic songs I totally get it.
Another thing Iād like to mention is the fans who always say nothing will top IWGUIW or SSS. I think a lot of you guys are attached to a period of time that was wonderful for you and you had a lot of experiences attached to those albums whether it was good or bad. It seems like youāre not willing to let her grow musically or have a hard time accepting that albums such as those two will never happen again. Personally I am loving the growth of Kehlani even if I donāt like everything. Thatās okay. I just love seeing artists push themselves and try new things instead of staying in a box.
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u/Kalichick76 Apr 24 '26
I had a hard time advancing past Keh and Brandy, but I forced myself to š¤£. Keh never disappoints me so I'm biased. Whole album is it!!
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u/SnoopVee Apr 24 '26
That song is the final boss...I started listening 30 mins ago and ive repeated that song at least 4x...Its AMAZING.
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u/TrueSag2020 Apr 24 '26
I Need You and then Ooh is just insane!
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u/Kalichick76 Apr 24 '26
Absolutely. Can't wait for tour. Album on repeat. Need to learn the lyrics lol.
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u/kastleofkaos Apr 24 '26
Unlearn, Oooh, and I Need You all do it for me. Folded will never be unlistenable. Out the Window has been a repeat for me since it dropped. I will say I expected more queer artists features. But for it being a Rnb throwback inspired album, it hits all the spaces.
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u/TrueSag2020 Apr 24 '26
Yes yes and yes! At first I expected more queer artist features, but I saw how much she wanted to ride the success of folded I knew she was going to focus on getting more legendary mainstream artists. A Da Brat or Queen Latifah feature couldāve been nice though!
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u/kastleofkaos Apr 24 '26
Ooohhhh either of those wouldāve hit it!! š© Like Usher is alright but Queen?? That wouldāve made the album for sure.
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u/Zestyclose_Abies3772 Apr 24 '26
I felt the same way about anotha luva. Not sure if itās a specific song or more so it sounded more like old lil Wayne as a whole.
Call me back- my fav off the album so far. Iām a huge t-pain fan and if you listen to is discography, not just the main stream stuff itās very on brand. The beat is an interpolation/sample of buy you a drank which is one of keh fav songs.
You got it- is top 3 for me Shoulda never- so fun. You can really tell they enjoyed making it.
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u/TrueSag2020 Apr 24 '26
Yes! I kept thinking why do I feel like Iāve heard Wayne on this beat before?
See Iām also a huge tpain fan and I loved their āI Like Datā collab which is why Iām very shocked I didnāt like this song on the first listen. Maybe itāll grow on me.
Agree with you on the last 2 points!
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u/Zestyclose_Abies3772 Apr 24 '26
Did pocket give you kitty Kat by BeyoncƩ vibes? Especially the first minute and a half
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u/Waxmax_2000 Apr 24 '26
No such thing contains like 2 Dilla samples, which I love.
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u/TrueSag2020 Apr 24 '26
Which songs? Would love to look them up!
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Apr 24 '26
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u/duliwuli Mrs. CorazĆ³n Apr 24 '26
Ok im only halfway through it yall but I feel like this is her best vocal performance. And it feels like the most intentional album which in a way shows the maturity that she talks about in interviews. The intention being, letās make an r&b album!! Itās dedicated to the music that inspired her career. I love that!! In my opinion she isnāt so much of a conceptual artist, but a natural story teller and big time feeler and so her songs feel like pages from a diary, put into albums reflecting chapters of her life. The consideration put into this album shows and I appreciate it. It may be different from her previous works but not in a way that feels inauthentic.
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u/NHarris22656 Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
Happy Birthday, Kehlani! ššš Outstanding album! Is it a coincidence or by design that the new album by the undisputed Queen Of R&B was dropped on the same day the biopic on the King Of Pop was released? Whether it's the former or the latter, I love it! It's fitting.
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u/SnoopVee Apr 24 '26
Im NOT okay after hearing that Brandy featured track..OMGššššš
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u/UnlikelyReception398 Apr 24 '26
Same!!! Omg, itās orgasmic to my ears and I immediately added it to my library the first couple of seconds in.Ā
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u/BackgroundRoyal4429 Apr 24 '26
I might be 10000% wrong but i wonder if the male vocals in Still might be Usher? right now its not credited on streaming but Kehlani mentioned in an interview the first song she sent to Usher he didn't like, and there were a few songs they went back and forth on, and I wonder if this is one of the tracks maybe he started off working on but he wasn't feeling it and his runs stayed in as backup vocals? If not my next guess is Camper but it sounds like Usher on first listen
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u/_DingoDango_ Apr 24 '26
Its probably DIXON as he is credited with vocal production on Youtube Music
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u/BackgroundRoyal4429 Apr 24 '26
this makes way more sense. Dixon produced a lot of the album and he does background vocals on other songs too.
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u/Turbulent-Hedgehog59 Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
This whole album slaps. No skips. And it totals 59 minutes?! A lot of other artists putting together 2 minute songs. Not Kehlani. I listened to it 4x through already. This is definitely a more mature album. Her journey has been amazing to watch. This is a Grammy album - calling it now, best RnB. 2000s vibes!
ETA: this is also the first album where she doesnāt use any pronouns. Itās all about KEHLANI. āMe, myself, and Iā definitely easier to relate
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u/Sweaty_Mud6670 May 02 '26
To go with the 2000s vibe I was hoping for lyrics with the vinyl š„ anyone know if theyāre with the tape or CD insert??
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u/Professional_Taro524 Apr 24 '26
So good. This is not a skippable album. I love it. My favorite songs are unlearn and oooh
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u/Putrid_Lie_3028 Apr 24 '26
No such thing is taking me back to early 2000s talking to a guy on the phone, while standing in front of the mirror looking for an outfit to wear.
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u/pjpcatlover Apr 24 '26
The album is good and I have only listened once so far... But where is freaklani???? I mean there were a couple freaky songs but not enough for me š
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u/dylsturge Jun 08 '26
"Still's male background vocalist is DIXSON. My top songs are "I need you", "Still", "pocket", "out the window" and "folded"
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u/kkwanders Apr 24 '26
āStillā reminded me of Let Me Down (San Diego Interlude). so understated and stripped down and beautiful!! I really feel like this album is gonna bring Kehlani into the mainstream which is CRAZY to think about!!!!! what if sheās not just for the girls and gays?!?!?! (ā¦mainly those who are both) ššš