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Photos By: Josue Cambara | October 25, 2024
Kehlani brought the CRASH Tour to San Diego’s Viejas Arena on Saturday, October 25, and I had the pleasure of attending. This tour marks Kehlani’s first arena-headlining tour, a career milestone following four successful studio albums and various mixtapes since her debut in the early 2010s. For over a decade, Kehlani has had a major impact on the status of modern R&B and an advocate for LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, a commitment reflected in her dedicated fan base.
The show’s set design featured a staircase from which Kehlani made her grand entrance, slowly moving closer to her fans. The choreography was a standout element of the night, with Kehlani and her dancers displaying dance routines which showcased her versatility beyond her vocal talents.. The setlist combined tracks from her latest album, Crash, and her most recent mixtape, While We Wait 2, with plenty of older hits for all of the day one fans. Some of those deep cuts included “The Way (feat. Chance the Rapper),” “Get Away,” “1st Position,” and “You Should Be Here.”
Kehlani’s charm and banter made with the crowd made her seem more relatable and comfortable with her fan base. She teased the crowd with lines like, “This song’s gonna make you wanna take your clothes off,” and joked about her song “Hate the Club,” saying, “I know I made a song about hating the club, but that was four years ago!” A particularly special moment for me was during her performance of “Honey” , an acoustic R&B track and one of the first songs I heard from her. Hearing it live, with the crowd singing the opening lines, was a special moment for me.
One of the most heartfelt parts of the evening was when Kehlani invited several young fans on stage. About eight young girls joined her to dance during “KEHLANI (REMIX),” with some of them sharing that this was their first concert. Kehlani explained that being a mother herself inspired her to dedicate a portion of her show to younger fans. She wished she’d thought of the idea earlier in the tour, making it a rare and cherished moment for those lucky fans who came to see her.
Kehlani’s ability to blend genres and put on a performance full of energy, that included choreography and showcased her wide vocal range, makes her one of today’s must see R&B artists. With only a few shows left in North America before the CRASH Tour wraps up, now is the perfect time for R&B fans to experience an unforgettable live performance put on by Kehlani.
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