Desi LaPoole
Contributing Writer
If you’ve been anywhere in the past couple weeks, you’ve probably seen soft pink and bright red paper hearts stapled to various walls and boards, and the clichéd “Be Mine!” phrase printed in cursive somewhere nearby.
Yes, it’s Valentine’s season, the time for couples to show how much they love each other with store bought chocolates and teddy bears. However, if you’re anything like me, you’ll likely spend this Feb. 14 single and/or heartbroken. Rather than turning to your favorite Taylor Swift or Drake album to dive into your feelings, step into the world of Kehlani and give yourself a little more this coming holiday.
Kehlani’s debut album, SweetSexySavage, applies a refreshing alt-R&B sound to the passion, guilt and heartbreak of modern fleeting relationships. In the first five seconds of her album, you immediately feel Kehlani’s maturity and self-awareness of the conditions of her love life. Speaking to past lovers in her soft inviting voice, she boldly says, “My condolences to anyone who’s ever lost me, and anyone who got lost in me,” setting the stage for the rest of her album.
She is not like Taylor Swift, pushing the fault of a relationship ended prematurely on her partners, nor Drake, begging them to come back. Throughout the album, she moves from mulling over her own frustrations and shortcomings as a young woman in love in the song “Advice,” to citing the harsh realities of rushing into and out of emotionally intense relationships in “Keep On.”
Korri Palmer ’20, adamant Kehlani fan, says, “Even if she was going through life issues, her music portrays her as a strong person who’s able to overcome and rise above it.” Her lyrics show her as a strong, confident, bold woman who is more self-aware and wise about her situations than many artists who create music about love and heartbreak.
Specifically in her genre, Kehlani stands out amongst her counterparts. Palmer states that, “With older R&B female artists, after a heartbreak, they stay in this mourning place and write their music about that.” Kehlani offers something more. Not only do her lyrics explore the realities of relationships, her producers have owned the kind of music so many are trying to produce.
Many of today’s artists tend to attempt the music of the 90’s to invoke a sense of nostalgia for the fan base. However, Kehlani and her producers not only own a new form of R&B, but also aren’t afraid to acknowledge their inspiration. The album name itself is a direct nod to TLC’s CrazySexyCool, and the songs which sample older R&B tracks avoid costuming it with electric beats or autotune.
Everything about this album, from her lyrics and heartfelt vocalizations, to the music that blends it all together effortlessly, sends a clear message: Get up. Pick yourself up, and move on. There’s more out there for you.
So, this Valentine’s Day, give yourself a little more. Whether you’re going through the throes of a relationship that ended before its time, or simply want some refreshing music on your playlist, Kehlani is your girl. I guarantee it.
