During the dark days of 2010s R&B, Kehlani was one of the emerging artists that pundits claimed would revive the genre and save us all!

Well, it’s 2026 … we’re still waiting.

Aight, I know that’s unfair. The R&B Savior trope has always been a losing battle – expecting ONE ARTIST to undo nearly two decades of autotuned, faux hip-hop, vibey, afrobeat sins is near impossible. And while she had a pretty uneven start, Kehlani did evolve into a solid artist – it just took awhile to find her voice.

And then, in 2025, we got “Folded.” It won Grammys, it became a viral sensation, and it became one of my favorite R&B songs in YEARS, all thanks to a woman who decided to lean into her love of 90s R&B.

I won’t say that THE SAVIOR IS HERE, but I’m greatly looking forward to her next album, which is (allegedly)set to drop in the coming weeks. But before it lands, let’s continue our Women’s History Month journey by looking back at Kehlani’s albums AND her mixtape run.

She’s still evolving, and hopefully she can help evolve R&B too.

8. Crash (2024)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: Look, y’all, I don’t hate experimentation. In fact, I’m usually the guy defending your faves when they try something new. But this album is where good intentions go awry. Crash certainly lives up to its name – it’s a collision of different musical stylings (dancehall, country, R&B, rap) and sometimes leaves a mess in its wake. Some of it is imaginative – a trap version of Christina Aguilera’s “What a Girl Wants” sounds so weird that you want it to work … but it just winds up OK. And that’s the problem with Crash. At it’s best, it’s just OK.

Forgotten favorites: “8,” “Better Not,” “Vegas”

7. Cloud 19 (2014)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: Kehlani’s debut mixtape dropped quietly in 2014 and it’s clear she was still trying to find her voice. Go with me on this comparison: At its best, it reminds me of 702’s debut album. There’s a wide-eyed enthusiasm and naiveté that gives it a lot of charm. But unlike that album, is sorely lacking in hits and memorable moments. There’s potential here, but not much else.

Forgotten favorites: “1^st Position”

6. You Should Be Here (2015)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Now this was a needed step in the right direction. Mixtape No. 2 drifts Kehlani into a more mature, confident sound. She claps back at haters and ex-lovers (which would become her favorite pasttime) over improved production and structurally tighter songs. Plus, features by big names like Chance the Rapper and BJ the Chicago Kid help raise her profile. Still, there’s little here that sets her apart from her peers at the time. That makes You Should Be Here perfectly acceptable mid-2010s R&B, but far from a game changer.

Forgotten favorites: “Wanted,” “Alive,” “Down for You”

5. While We Wait (2019)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: It’s funny to realize that While We Wait is just a mixtape when it’s home to her biggest hit (“Nights Like This”) and is one of the projects that elevated her to her current stardom. It’s a decent mix of midtempo and melancholy, but many of the songs just aren’t distinct. I don’t often say this in this current era of bloated stream-farming albums, but While We Wait feels too abbreviated. It needs a few more strong tracks to help it reach its potential.

Forgotten favorites: “Feels,” “Love Language”

4. SweetSexySavage (2017)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Kehlani’s official studio debut landed with high expectations. The result, quite frankly, is a little mixed. SweetSexySavage is inspired by TLC’s CraxySexyCool, and like that project, this album is strongest when her cocky persona shines. Her confidence elevates several of these tracks. But when the album hits the more formulaic love songs the momentum drags way down. Also, some of the hip-hop-influenced songwriting comes off clunky – a big problem in this era of mainstream R&B. SweetSexySavage is far from a failure but a slight disappointment, considering the hype.

Forgotten favorites: “Undercover,” “Personal,” “Too Much”

3. While We Wait 2 (2024)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: With the one exception we already mentioned, the 2020s is when things started to click for Kehlani. Her most recent mixtape feels like a make-good after her last album Crash’d and burned. Whereas Crash was sonic smorgasbord – often to its detriment – this mixtape is rooted in 90s grooves and 2000s samples. That focus gives this project way more consistency. As usual, we get some plodding moments but overall this is quite solid. In hindsight, it may have been the gateway to Kehlani’s current “Folded” success.

Forgotten favorites: “When He’s Not There,” “Clothes Off,” “Around”

2. Blue Water Road (2022)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Blue Water Road gives us a softer side of Kehlani. As you’d expect by the title, this is a serene experience – focusing more on healing and self-reflection than revenge and fury. And I must say, the breezy production is a much better fit for Kehlani’s vocals than the harsher beats of her previous projects. While Kehlani generally takes a more gentle approach, the album never feels sleepy – tracks like the Slick Rick-sampling “Wish I Never” pick up the pace at key moments. Like most all her albums, it does meander a bit in spots (particularly on the back half) but it’s much more tightly structured than her usual efforts. I think I slept on this one a bit in 2022, it’s a lot better than I remembered.

Forgotten favorites: “Get Me Started,” “Wish I Never”

1. It Was Good Until It Wasn’t (2020)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: After a half-decade of hype, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t was the first project that finally made me stand up and pay attention. This album leans into darker, more introspective R&B themes centered on relationship drama and the ensuing fallout. While that’s par the course for 2020s-era R&B, it’s done much better than most, thanks to production that is moody without feeling outright miserable. This is also the project that finally established her sound, combining the cocky defiance of her debut with the vulnerability of her early mixtapes. Plus “Change Your Life” went platinum in Bowser’s Castle in the pandemic era, so props where it’s due. Blue Water Road gives it a run for its money, but It Was Good Until It Wasn’t is easily the quintessential Kehlani experience.

Forgotten favorites: “Change Your Life,” “Serial Lover,” “Open (Passionate)”

Your turn – what are your favorite Kehlani projects? Shout them out below.