On Friday, Oct. 25, at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena, Kehlani stunned the audience with her vision and showed her versatility and mastery as an artist.
Known for her soulful R&B style and honest lyrics, Kehlani used her fourth studio album “Crash” as the foundation for a performance that showcased both her range and artistic versatility.
This is the artist’s most varied and experimental project, playing with afro-beat, country and more alternative sounds.
In an interview with Apple Music, this summer, Kehlani stated, “I was just experimenting… I just knew that I wanted to have a lot of fun on tour with this album. I knew I wanted to make it specifically for the rooms that I was going to be playing in because it’ll be my biggest tour so far.”
With her fans’ expectations of another R&B album, Kehlani explained after being seven projects in, “I have given so much R&B. I have just consistently put out R&B projects, mixtapes, albums, and if at some point, I don’t allow myself to do just something solely for me, and experiment and flip (it) on its head, then as an artist, who am I?”
The response from the artist’s fans have been mixed. Kehlani stated, “It’s kind of this cool polarizing thing that’s happening, and honestly, I’m not mad about.”
Outside of the Viejas Arena, excitement for Kehlani’s performance filled the air. Groups of friends, dressed in a stylish mix of leather jackets, boots and skirts, laughed and posed for photos, capturing the energy of the night before the music even began. Many fans were fully embracing the edgy, expressive style inspired by Kehlani’s music.
First-year finance major Daniel Ventura shared his anticipation alongside a friend, both visibly eager for the show to start.
“I’m looking forward to hearing ‘Border’ and ‘Everything’ by Kehlani and just vibing out to the R&B jams. I love Kehlani so much,” Ventura said with a grin. “We were listening to her set list before this. It was so much fun just jamming out.”
Second-year molecular biology major Kaitlyn Tran reflected on her long-time love for Kehlani’s music: “I’ve been listening to Kehlani since high school, so I’d say three or four years,” she said.
When thinking about her favorite songs by the artist, Tran said, “I know it’s so basic, but I love her songs ‘Crash’ and ‘After Hours.’ They’re the most popular on her current album, but they’re just so good—I listen to them all the time.”
With fans chatting, laughing and snapping pictures, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement, setting the perfect tone for an unforgettable night.
Starting with the openers, Anycia, a rapper from Atlanta, and FLO, a British girl group, the night began on an energetic note with fans completely engaged with the performers.
As dark navy blue lights illuminated the curtain, the audience heard the lyrics, “How you love me, love me so deep, can’t believe. Feel it all, feel it all, feel it all over me.” Fans buzzed with excitement, and after a suspenseful guitar solo, silence fell as the curtain dropped. The crowd held its breath, quickly erupting into screams when Kehlani emerged, her presence commanding the dimly lit stage.
The artist kicked off the night with her powerful and chilling “Next 2 U” —setting the tone for her performance at the very beginning with a mid-tempo song carried by a punchy beat, matching the music with her steady, smooth, yet strong movements with effortlessly sounding vocals that put the audience in a trance.
Maintaining the dark undertone, Kehlani sang “Groove Theory” slowly dancing in silhouette form, center stage. The tempo picked up with her “What I Want” track —a flipped version of Christina Aguilara’s “What a Girl Wants” with her six backup dancers. After three tracks from “Crash,” Kehlani transitioned into earlier mixtapes, drawing out long-time fans.
As the lights shifted to a deeper red and blue, Kehlani delivered her sultry single “Toxic,” moving closer to the audience and igniting their enthusiasm. The performance took a captivating turn during “Sucia,” where she reclined on the stairs while her dancers moved intimately together, enhancing the electric atmosphere and eliciting excited cheers from the crowd.
Kehlani also performed tracks from her recent mixtape “While We Wait II,” a follow-up to her 2019 mixtape.
Before performing her song “Border,” Kehlani took a moment to share a heartfelt message about her mental health journey.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this tour, I wouldn’t be able to be on this stage, I would not be able to be the person I am if throughout so many years, I didn’t go get the help that I needed when I needed it,” Kehlani said, encouraging her fans not to let stigma prevent them from seeking professional support if they need it.
She dedicated the song to anyone facing similar struggles, highlighting its personal significance.
Switching gears, Kehlani slowed things down with “Everything” from her previous album, “Blue Water Road”—a love ballad that highlighted her lyrical vulnerability and vocal range. She followed this with “Honey,” one of her most beloved tracks, inviting the “pretty girls” in the audience to sing along with her. The arena filled with voices as fans sang the iconic lyrics: “I like my girls just like I like my honey, sweet a little selfish.”
With a background change to stained glass, her song “Chapel” followed, a track about the bittersweet acknowledgment of loving someone who may not be right for you— and still wanting to make it work with lyrics like, “I’ll be waiting for you somewhere at the chapel taking forever and a day just to waste time,” the song created a beautifully vulnerable moment.
Quickly shifting to a happier feel, Kehlani performed a cover of Bruno Mars’s “Marry You,” moving across the stage with energy that kept the audience on their feet.
A heartwarming highlight of the night came when Kehlani invited eight young fans up to the stage, continuing a new tradition she started the previous week. As the kids introduced themselves to the crowd, their excitement elicited “awws” from the audience, who found the moment undeniably sweet. Kehlani then asked them to dance to the popular TikTok song,“Kehlani” by Jordan Adetunji featuring the singer.
The young fans were both overjoyed and stunned at the same time. Kehlani invited the young fans to take a bow before embracing them in a group hug, showcasing the genuine love and connection shared between her and her fans.
Kehlani wrapped up the night with an electrifying performance of her new fan-favorite, “After Hours,” showcasing an exciting dance routine with her dancers.
“The concert was so lit!” second-year business management major Kayla Phan said, at the end of the night.“She brought the energy- I definitely felt all the vibes. The kids were a really fun part. It was so cute. I’d love to see her again someday.”
Kehlani’s “Crash” World Tour performance highlighted the seamless coexistence of her beloved R&B classics with her newly evolved, genre-bending sound. By blending the familiar with the experimental, she created a performance that kept fans engaged, entertained and craving more.
