Travel Down Blue Water Road with Kehlani’s Third Studio Album

Earlier today, R&B songstress Kehlani released her third studio album, Blue Water Road. The album has thirteen tracks and features Jessie Reyes, Justin Bieber, Syd, and Blxst.

Upon first listen, it won’t take you long to fall in love with the album’s overall sound, although it isn’t what was necessarily expected from the Oakland native. The sound is very mellow yet upbeat at times. There’s songs like “melt”, “get me started”, and “tangerine” that almost put you in a trance. And then tracks like “wish i never” and “more than i should” give off a nostalgic vibe and make you want to dance. The transitions from one song to the next are seamless. And of course, KehlanI’s vocals are nothing less than beautiful. There’s a lot of moments with heavy harmonies and soothing background vocals (“everything”), which add to the storytelling aspect of the album.

The messages (aside from dealing with love and romantic heartbreak) Kehlani chose to highlight on this project are what stand out the most. The third track, “shooter interlude”, seems to be about all the things people ask of Kehlani or push on them because of the status they’ve reached. And the lead single, “altar”, is about staying connected with ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. Through these different topics, Kehlani shows their versatility and lyricism.

According to Metacritic, this was Kehlani’s highest-rated project on the platform and biggest debut since their last release It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, debuting with a score of 85. This was a long-awaited release since Kehlani’s sophomore album dropped almost two years ago in 2020, so it’s understandable that fans are currently raving.

This album definitely showcases a different side of Kehlani and an evolved sound, as she is now the mother of a toddler and in a different era of her life than she was before. As a long time fan, it’s beautiful to see how she’s transforming throughout her career. Stream Blue Water Road now & follow @Kehlani on Instagram & Twitter to stay tuned.