Maps of Music

Kehlani (2026)

Where the lyrics of Kehlani take you, and where it was really made.

Kehlani's self-titled fifth album came out on the singer's 31st birthday, 24 April 2026.

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Kehlani: fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kehlani, self-titled
Released 24 April 2026 through Atlantic Records, timed to Kehlani's 31st birthday
Guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Clipse, Brandy, Missy Elliott, Usher, Lil Jon, T-Pain, Cardi B, Big Sean and Leon Thomas
Follow-up to Crash (2024) and While We Wait 2 (2024)
Three singles before release: Folded, Out the Window and Back and Forth
Track listing has 17 tracks

Follows Crash (2024), the fourth studio album
After Crash, Kehlani confirmed a follow-up record project
11 June 2025: solo single Folded released; it won the first two Grammy Awards, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song
At the award ceremony, the singer said they were working in a recording studio on new material and closing the fifth record project
Kehlani said the two years spent recording and producing the project included a difficult personal period, including being diagnosed with and treated for mental health issues
The album is supported by the Kehlani World Tour, which began in August 2026

Credits adapted from Tidal list Jenna Felsenthal and Ronald RD Dominic on engineering
Neal Pogue handled mixing on all tracks and vocal mixing on track 7
Brad Puette credited for immersive mixing
Mike Bozzi credited for mastering
Vocal engineering credits spread across several tracks, including Manny Galvez, Rob Ulsh, Dixson, Todd Bergman, Ben Chang, Evan LaRay and Milan Becker

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.

Metacritic: universal acclaim, weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from seven critic scores
Billboard critic Kyle Denis wrote that the tracks mine 1990s and 2000s R&B for inspiration and guidance while still feeling totally singular
Denis noticed there are too many features but said Kehlani uses the collaborations to show an expert grasp of different R&B song types
Denis concluded the album examines the creator's relationship to R&B more than it reflects where the singer currently is in her personal life
Variety's Steven J. Horowitz gave a positive review, saying the singer fully takes on the aesthetic and conventions of her influences
Horowitz described the album as one of Kehlani's most powerful mission statements to date and found the singer at the peak of her artistic powers

Debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 with 69,000 album-equivalent units
First week included 24,000 pure album sales
Second No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart
Seventh consecutive top 10 album on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart
45.37 million on-demand audio streams in the United States

Back and Forth, featuring Missy Elliott, was the third single and came out on 10 April 2026
Shoulda Never, featuring Usher, was the fourth single and was serviced to Italian radio on 24 April
The Discogs release listing describes a standard jewel case with a sixteen-page booklet
The album, cover art and release date were announced together on 17 March 2026
The track listing includes many guest features, among them Lil Wayne, Clipse, Brandy, Missy Elliott, Usher and Cardi B