Kehlani: Tiny Desk Concert

When I first heard Kehlani’s debut mixtape, it was a comfort that reminded me of home. The proud Oakland, Calif., native was 19 years old when that project dropped, and so was I. The track list was exactly what I needed as a new Washington, D.C., transplant, thousands of miles away from all of my loved ones in the Bay Area. Over the past decade, I’ve followed Kehlani along their journey, growing with them as we both experienced young adulthood. Vulnerability is their superpower, and that power was put to the test at the Tiny Desk, where Kehlani succeeds with flying colors.

“It’s been a long time coming. I definitely know I’m overdue for doing this [Tiny Desk],” Kehlani says in their set. The journey starts with “Nights Like This,” the heartbreak single from their 2019 mixtape, While We Wait. Then, Kehlani switches gears into “Distraction,” from their debut album, SweetSexySavage, followed by an effortless merge into “The Way,” from the 2015 project, You Should Be Here.

After the sultry sounds of “Can I,” Kehlani parks their performance for a moment. “I want to take a second to say: Free Palestine. Free Congo. Free Sudan. Free Yemen. Free Hawaii. Free Guam,” they say. “It’s deeper than this. I need everybody that’s here right now, everybody that’s watching, to step up, to use their voices.” The set then accelerates into “After Hours,” the groovy, summertime anthem from their latest album, CRASH. Kehlani conquers the Desk with raw and real talent, setting them up for a future in music that is full of possibilities. I’m eager to see their next destination.

SET LIST

• “Nights Like This”
• “Distraction”
• “The Way”
• “Can I”
• “After Hours”

MUSICIANS

• Kehlani: lead vocals
• Freaky Rob: guitar, musical direction
• Doctor 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
• Production Assistant: Elle Mannion
• Photographer: Keren Carrión
• Tiny Desk Team: Kara Frame, Ashley Pointer, Hazel Cills
• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
• Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
• VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins