Kehlani performing at the Novo in DTLA. Photo by Genesia Ting.
Sweet, Sexy, Savage. Not just the tour name and album name, those three words embodied the spirit of the show as well. Kehlani, along with her openers, put on a show that led fans through a flurry of emotions – from pure joy, to a sense of empowerment, to heartfelt relatability.
Her first opener, a young Bay area kid named Marteen, started off the show with a bang. At just 16 years old, Marteen has more style, charisma, and stage presence than most. In his short set, he was able to get the crowd on its feet, dancing along to hits like “Draymond” and even his new spicy single “Sriracha,” set to release publicly soon. Her next opener, Toronto native Jahkoy performed several hits, including “California Heaven” featuring Schoolboy Q. Ella Mai, a sultry R&B singer performed shortly afterward, starting with hit “Boo’d Up” and brought out Ty Dolla $ign for “She Don’t.”
DJ Noodles, close friend and tour-mate of Kehlani’s, helped introduce Kehlani to the stage. Kehlani opened with “Keep On,” and performed nearly the rest of the tracklist from her SweetSexySavage album sprinkled with “The Way” from her Cloud 19 mixtape and “Gangsta” from the Suicide Squad soundtrack. She sprinkled in some inspirational and profound thoughts between songs to share with the audience.
Kehlani’s stage presence is something else – she commands attention from the start. From breaking down to first few verses of certain songs to dramatize its opening, to adding in impressive riffs accompanied by rigorous choreography, it’s hard not to be amazed by Kehlani’s ability to perform.
