Kehlani recently opened up about her sexuality in a series of tweets, where she told her followers that she’s queer and attracted to people of many different gender identities. The open-hearted singer, who recently performed at the iHeartRadio Music Awards with Eminem and is currently on tour with Halsey, took the time during a tour stop in Auckland to speak with Radio New Zealand about colorism and success in the music industry—and how big of an inspiration SZA is. Only a few days later, SZA called Kehlani “a living Goddess” on Twitter and complimented her even further.
Kehlani’s interview with Radio New Zealand was essentially one of those regular sit-downs with a local broadcaster, which serves to either promote the concert you're in town for or to promote yourself to the regional fans who rarely get to hear from you directly. Kehlani is certainly growing as an artist, collaborating with established legends and not showing any signs of slowing down. It’s great to see someone support and value their peers instead of tearing them down—which is why Kehlani’s praise of SZA probably touched the CTRL singer so deeply.
“I think what’s so important to me about SZA right now is she is a beautiful, chocolate brown woman, who is like, taking over the planet right,” said Kehlani. “As much as like, people don’t wanna say and admit that colorism is a thing—it’s extremely a thing. And to see someone of her color and her stature, and looking how she looks, as extremely beautiful and talented as she is, winning, a hundred percent in first, I don’t think anyone can wish for anything more. That’s beautiful and it’s empowering to every single little girl in America who is of color, and I think that’s just my favorite part. She’s very honest and vulnerable and is not afraid to be that, and stand in all of her truths in every single moment.”
Fortunately for Kehlani, SZA not only heard her say these beautiful things but also responded in kind via Twitter.
"Disseminating all information with love and grace. Everytime. Everywhere. A living Goddess...she true," wrote SZA, with heart, rainbow, star, crown, and prayer emojis following behind. As big of an SZA fan as Kehlani seems to be, this short little tweet must mean the world her. Being called a “living Goddess” by SZA is probably at the top of the list for millions of aspiring singers. Hopefully, we’ll hear see a lot more exchanges—and more collaborations on wax—between the two, as 2018 rolls on.
