7 Times Kehlani Proved She Was the Queen of Features
Despite a critically successful, stunningly versatile debut album —2017's SweetSexySavage — Kehlani has yet to fully ascend from R&B standout to mainstream star. She has, however, flaunted plenty of promise, both on her own record and on collaborations with a steady stream of high-profile acts, including everyone from 1D dropout Zayn to in-demand beatsmith Calvin Harris.
On the heels of a particularly buzzy few weeks — featuring a headline-kindling kiss with tourmate Demi Lovato and an appearance on Cardi B's hotly anticipated Invasion of Privacy — look back at the singer's best features to date.
- 1
Zayn, "wRoNg"
As the sole feature on Zayn's debut solo effort, Mind of Mine, Kehlani proved her mettle on this 2016 slow jam, a sultry, sinuous kiss-off to a relationship gone sour.
- 2
Charlie Puth, "Done for Me"
Kehlani, quite frankly, outshines Charlie Puth on his latest entry, breezing over its bouncy, funk-infused production with a pitch-perfect verse as an unapologetic lover.
- 3
Calvin Harris, "Faking It"
One of Kehlani's most commanding features, "Faking It" finds her confronting an on-again, off-again romance alongside Lil Yachty. "I've been wanting to call you, tell you that I'm sorry," she croons over '80s-inflected production, then stops herself: "Same old f--king story."
- 4
Eminem, "Nowhere Fast"
Kehlani's haunting, ethereal coo acts as the perfect complement to Eminem's abrasive flow on this 2018 effort, a hard-soft eulogy to the many tragedies plaguing America as of late. “Ashes blowin' in the air / Our world's on fire, but we don't care," she sings between his poignant rhymes.
- 5
Cardi B, "Ring"
Though one of her smaller contributions on this list, Kehlani lends a beautiful, billowing hook to Cardi B's forlorn ode to an absentee s.o.
- 6
Post Malone, "Feel"
Kehlani slides seamlessly into this swirling, sound-saturated gem from Post Malone's Stoney, doling out a head-over-heels serenade to a new love.
- 7
G-Eazy, "Crash & Burn"
G-Eazy has called upon now-frequent collaborator Kehlani for four tracks over the last four years: "Crash & Burn," "Get Away," "Everything Will Be OK," and "Good Life," for the The Fate of the Furious soundtrack.
"Crash & Burn," for G-Eazy's third album, The Beautiful & Damned, is one of the stronger of the four, with Kehlani offering a scene-stealing vocal for its spellbinding but ominous chorus. "Slow down before you crash & burn," she warns of reckless living.
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