Photo Credit: Emma McIntyre / Getty
West side’s, Oakland, California princess, Kehlani gave birth to her first baby girl named Adeya, and dropped her fourth project. Making this her third mixtape and first EP since SweetSexySavage. The singer-songwriter, record producer, and dancer titled this EP While We Wait. While We Wait, gives its listeners great soulful vibe and continues to pay great respect to 90’s R&B with a duet feature from Musiq Soulchild, along with other features from R&B artists like 6lack, Ty Dolla Sign, and rapper Dom Kennedy. While We Wait also features original smooth beats from producers SuperDuperBrickJ, Young White, Sir Nolan, DannyBoyStyles, Hit-Boy, G-Dav, and more, making this EP a complete mood and the perfect relationship therapy for whatever stage you may be going through. While We Wait debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200, earning 34,000 album-equivalent units, including 6,000 pure album sales in its first week; making this Kehlani’s second US top 10 album.
The nine-tracked EP opens up its first track titled “Footsteps” featuring Musiq Soulchild. The lyrics perfectly describe the miscommunication and vulnerability that arises in a dysfunctional relationship. On the mellow melancholy beat produced by SuperDuperBrickJ and Young White, Kehlani sings about the end of a back and forth relationship with an significant other that’s rooted in turmoil. She explains that they may both be the blame for their agruments and where their tempers resulted into fights. She expresses how she is no longer invested in the relationship, however, doesn’t want to leave, but has to. She also sings that if they can get it together she will be willing to start over.
In the chorus, Kelani sings, “But here’s to being honest // Neither of us knew what we wanted // But all we knew is that we cared // Still all we painted was a moment // And when I walked away // I left footsteps in the mud so you could follow me // And when I walked away // I left footsteps in the mud so you could follow me // You’re so bad at holding water, slips right through your fingers // We’d both end up drowning, it would hit the ground // And then the path would wash away, wash away”. Musiq Soulchild sings from the male perspective acknowledging it may be him to blame for where the relationship ended, for that he’s sorry and still thinks of her. “I treated you like medicine, but I guess I wasn’t listening // And you tried to explain that you had hurt and pain, too // But as long as I felt better, then it was all good.”
The EP continues with the love and relationship theme with its first single titled “Nights Like This” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The single reached top 50 in the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs, but unfortunately did not get any higher ranked accolades. Kehlani shorty released her second single titled “Butterfly”, followed by her third single titled “Nunya” featuring Dom Kennedy, which is a favorite of fans and gives off a remembrance to the 1994 hit “None of your business” by Salt-n-Pepa crossed with the 1999 hit “Bug A Boo” by Destiny’s child. While the majority of the songs on the EP are in a more pensive mood, Kehlani ends it on an up-beat tempo with the track titled “Love Language”, where her and her lover may have some trouble communicating and finding a common ground within their relationship. However, she is still willing to find and learn his love language to get on the same page and to communicate with each other with the best of their ability.
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