We Asked Kehlani To Speak Her Mind

Kehlani isn't the type to hold back. Instead, she confronts all the major wins and losses of her life with confidence, energy, and perspective — and it's no surprise, either. The singer has been through a lot. This year alone, she's released a major album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, which went No.1 on the Billboard R&B charts and became her bestselling project to date. She also had to mourn some major personal losses: the deaths of rappers Lexii Alijai and Chynna Rogers from accidental overdoses, and Ryan Bowers, who died by suicide.

“I just lost my third friend this year, and it's only been half the year,” Kehlani tells Bustle in a recent interview. “So, that's been strange, just processing that, but also just trying not to feel guilty, has been the hardest thing.”

In a lot of ways, the ups and downs of her year have been reflective of the trials and tribulations everyone in the country have been experiencing, and the singer isn't blind to the shared struggle. It's why she throws herself completely into everything she does.

“When I do feel it, which I do, acknowledging that I have a way to assist others is the biggest balance for me,” she said. “There's literally nothing that feels better than being of some type of service. So when I hit the point of ‘I’m feeling all of this,’ I find it helpful to acknowledge that I can do sh*t about it in other ways.”

In the interview above, we asked Kehlani to speak her mind about what's important to her this year. Her answers are inspiring. Get to know what makes her tick above.

Executive Creative Director: Lauren Sofair

Executive Producer: Whitney Buxton

Producer: Lauren Tegtmeyer

Director of Photography: Miciah Carter

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Editor: Jenny Kim

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