Kehlani Gives Old School R&B a Comeback with New Single 'Folded'

The R&B singer with five Grammys to her name has dropped Folded. The most recent single to be released among her many collaborations, including a new track with Leon Thomas.

The song opens with a beautiful string section and repetitive high octave piano keys that feel unusually different to Kehlani’s percussion beats that begin on her tracks. It has an old-school break-up track flow, and what the artist knows best is transporting fans to the early days of R&B with riffs and melodic runs. The instrumental is kept minimalistic but catchy, with repetitive patterns and light percussion, and it hints at slight minor notes in a quick key change in the chorus. 

The outro is a repeated chorus that fades out, again reminiscent of early 2000s anthems. In her velvety tone, the lyrics carry a sombre finality alluding to the ending of a relationship. Although the track hears her subtle, restrained vocals, there is a level of calmness despite the song’s theme as she commands listeners so effortlessly. 

Kehlani is known for her sweet, gentle sound that we know can be switched up into higher tempo dance tracks from her recent album 'CRASH' in 2024. ‘Folded’ is delivered in a tranquil way but contrasts with the dark cover for the song, portraying something more daring within the song. Dressed in black leather in the back of a car, Kehlani knows how to get the attention of her fans with cover art, and subsequently, it portrays a dark but sweet sound on ‘Folded’. 

The single is out now and available to listen to here: https://kehlani.lnk.to/Folded