Kehlani shares how taking risks earned Grammy noms while balancing mental health during activism

LOS ANGELES :While recording “Crash,” Kehlani faced a career-defining decision: Stick with the familiar R&B sound that helped build the singer’s name, or risk it all to showcase their full artistic range.

For Kehlani, who uses she/they pronouns, choosing the latter was a gamble, but trusting their instincts paid off in the long run. Their fourth studio album became a catalyst to earning Grammy nods, a massive world tour and proving that their versatility should never be in question.

“I was taking a risk, because I’m one of those artists that have been around long enough for people to pigeonhole me into a sound,” said Kehlani, who first realized she was being cornered musically after releasing the single “ Butterfly ” from their 2019 mixtape “While We Wait.” Though she loved the track, calling it a “really pretty song,” she felt a growing need to break out of the box and evolve their sound.

Kehlani pushed genre boundaries on “Crash,” blending elements of R&B, rock, dance floor, rap and country. Their bold experimentation earned three Grammy nominations: best R&B progressive album for “Crash,” R&B song through the viral sensation track “ After Hours ” and best melodic rap performance for “Kehlani.”

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Kehlani discussed crediting the dance community for “After Hours” going viral, how their pro-Palestinian stance impacted them personally, their Christmas song with GloRilla, and how embracing a rock star persona for “Crash” challenged their health but unlocked a creative breakthrough for the album.