by Bora ⠀
August 22, 2022
It’s been a couple of years since Kehlani has been in the Twin Cities. The last time they performed in Minneapolis was in 2020 for less than happy reasons.
They had participated in a benefit show in remembrance of St. Paul rapper Lexii Alijai, for which proceeds went to a recording arts scholarship fund. They remembered the venue, First Avenue, as a small box. (First Avenue can only hold just over 1,500 people in contrast to The Armory’s 8,400-person capacity.)
Kehlani’s openers Destin Conrad and Rico Nasty set the mood for the night. The two artists couldn’t be more opposite. Both brought the dual sides of Kehlani’s music and fanbase. Conrad, whom Kehlani endearingly referred to as their “baby,” belted soulful R&B, and Rico brought uptempo tracks suitable for jumping around and choreography. During Conrad’s set, a fight between concertgoers erupted, and he hilariously tried to sing through it. He continued with the lyrics, “We at the day party!” before asking the two brawlers to stop (again.) Rico Nasty performed hit after hit while the audience kept up with every step and lyric. From her features on songs like Doja Cat’s “Tia Tamera,” to her tracks such as “Money,” “Sugar Trap,” and “Smack a B*tch” Rico was hyped for 30 minutes straight.
Before Kehlani made thier long-awaited entrance “Lexii’s Outro,” the fifteenth and final track from Kehlani’s 2020 album, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, filled the venue. The track features the voice of Lexii Alijai, whom Kehlani considered a dear friend. They worked with Alijai’s family to properly honor the late rapper. After performing their first two songs of the night, “Little Story” and “Shooter Interlude,” their first few words to the crowd were, “I’m not going to say much, but you already know what tonight means for every single person in this room and who tonight is for.” They asked everyone to hold their hands up and form the letter “L” in remembrance of Lexii.
As an artist, Kehlani comes off as real and authentic, and you could see their true temperament during the evening. After singing “Open (Passionate)” with Conrad, they cautioned those in the front to “scooch back” and “make space.” In multiple instances, they didn’t hesitate to pause the show to let distressed fans exit the crowd easily. There are a lot of musicians out there that would leave it up to security to get people who fainted out safely. Seeing this compassionate side of Kehlani was not surprising, but still refreshing.
Later, during “Hate the Club” Kehlani stepped into the crowd and serenaded a few fans. Due to the lack of jumbotrons, it was hard to make out what was happening, however the ecstatic screams were a good indicator of how fans were taking it. One lucky fan had a whole conversation with Kehlani where they asked “How old are you?” and when the fan said “16,” Kehlani warmly responded, “Hello baby. I was singing that to you very sisterly. Nice to meet you, thank you for coming tonight.”
Kehlani’s mellifluous voice had everyone, including themself, so immersed in the music they had gone through half of their set list without stopping to speak to the audience for some time. They said, “I realize I’ve been going from song to song and not talking and that’s very me.” To take it all in, without slowing the pace, they sat on a stool next to their guitarist, Lexii Lynn, to sing “Honey.” For the sake of better hearing the guitar, the background music was lowered and the crowd could finally be heard singing along. They carried on with some of their older work, including remixes of “1st Position,” “You Should Be Here,” and “Distraction.” Hearing these new renditions felt like a celebration of how far they have come.
At 27 years old with a 3-year-old daughter, Kehlani is very appreciative of the space they have created as an artist, but they know they couldn’t do it alone. Throughout the night they repeatedly shared the spotlight with their band and dancers. They even called out the fact they wouldn’t be able to do anything without their fans. They candidly shared, “I need you guys to understand how much of a blessing it is to exist in my industry, my world as long as I have and it's all thanks to you … You guys gave me a life far beyond what I imagined for myself [or] imagined possible.” Although the only response the crowd was able to muster was “AHHHH,” it was obvious Kehlani’s sincere appreciation for everyone in the room was received.
One of the most memorable moments of the night was made when four or five lucky kids varying from ages of 5 to 16 years old were brought up on stage for their final song, “CRZY.” Kehlani admits, “You know I’m a mommy!” Their admiration for children and young concertgoers was charming. For the song, they appropriately instructed the youngsters to go crazy. Everyone on stage – Kehlani, the band, dancers, and the children – went berserk. The audience happily joined in on the last hurrah of the night.
Photo Gallery:
Setlist:
Lexii’s Outro
little story
shooter interlude
more than i should
tangerine
Open (Passionate) (with Destin Conrad)
Love Language
Piece of Mind
Can I
Water
Hate the Club
wish i never
up at night
Serial Lover
Honey
1st Position
You Should Be Here
Distraction
Nunya
Grieving
melt
any given sunday
Toxic
Nights Like This
Altar
CRZY