Maps of Music

It Was Good Until It Wasn't (2020)

Where the lyrics of It Was Good Until It Wasn't take you, and where it was really made.

Kehlani says Drake helped name this album, and several of its music videos were shot at the singer's home during the pandemic.

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It Was Good Until It Wasn't: second studio album by American singer and songwriter Kehlani
Released May 8, 2020, by Atlantic Records
Guest appearances from Jhené Aiko, Masego, Lucky Daye, James Blake and Megan Thee Stallion
Uncredited vocals by Ty Dolla Sign
Three promotional singles preceded the release: Toxic, Everybody Business and F&MU
Debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200

Kehlani announced the title and release date on their 25th birthday
Shortly before, signed a worldwide publishing deal with Pulse Music Group
Early 2020: guest appearance on Justin Bieber's fifth studio album Changes
Also featured on Megan Thee Stallion's third extended play, Suga
Kehlani was set to join Justin Bieber on the Changes Tour, which was to begin May 14
The tour was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic
Tory Lanez appeared on the original release but was removed from later versions

Kehlani Ashley Parrish, born April 24, 1995, in Oakland, California, an American singer, songwriter and dancer.
Started as a member and lead vocalist of the teen pop group PopLyfe in 2011, after appearing on America's Got Talent.
Left PopLyfe after management and contractual disputes and began releasing solo mixtapes.

Self-released the mixtapes Cloud 19 (2014) and You Should Be Here (2015), both critically acclaimed.
Signed with Atlantic Records; debut studio album SweetSexySavage (2017) peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.
It Was Good Until It Wasn't (2020) peaked at number two; Blue Water Road (2022) peaked at number 13.
Crash (2024) peaked at number 25; the single "Folded" (2025) peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
Self-titled fifth studio album Kehlani released April 24, 2026.

Met with generally positive reviews
Metacritic gave an average score of 77 out of 100, based on 13 reviews
Clash: Shakeena Johnson praised the serenading beats and jazzy undertones, and called it Kehlani's best project to date
The Guardian: Alexis Petridis noted songs running just over two minutes, and praised the variety of the record
The Independent: Roisin O'Connor praised the crystalline vocals, the jazz piano motifs and the features
Pitchfork: Stephen Kearse found the production moodier than SweetSexySavage and the record a bit diffuse, but praised Kehlani's growth as a performer
NME: Hannah Mylrea called it a fine but frustrating release that loses sight of previous brilliance
musicOMH: Ben Devlin noted some filler songs and picked Can I and Lexii's Outro as highlights
Exclaim!: Veracia Ankrah cited weak cohesiveness in the storytelling, and picked Bad News, Everybody Business and Open (Passionate) as highlights
Robert Christgau praised the way the album treats sex as pleasure and eros rather than power

Debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 83,000 album-equivalent units, including 25,000 pure album sales
Second Kehlani album to reach the US top five
Accumulated 74.68 million on-demand streams in its tracking week
Debuted at number 10 on the UK Official Albums Chart with 3,549 copies in its first week, Kehlani's best UK chart debut

Kehlani revealed that Drake helped with the album title.
Several tracks received music videos shot at the singer's home during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tory Lanez's verse on Can I is absent from later digital versions, while physical versions keep it.
The album features guest appearances from Tory Lanez (removed later), so the credits changed after release.
The album became Kehlani's second to reach the US top five, after its debut at number two.