Kehlani is currently making their way around the country on the CRASH WORLD TOUR, their first-ever headlining arena tour, and fans can’t get enough of the Oakland native’s performances. The artist graced the DMV with their presence on Wednesday, September 18th at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia and gave an unforgettable performance with slick choreography, captivating visual effects and, of course, incredible live vocals and music.
Before Kehlani took the stage, fans were entertained by upcoming rapper Anycia, best known for her viral song “BACK OUTSIDE” featuring Latto, and London-based girl group FLO, who is bubbling to stardom in the U.S. Anycia performed for about 15 minutes, hyping up the crowd with each song. FLO followed and showcased their crisp three-part harmonies and cute coordinated dance moves as they warmed up the audience even more.
Finally, it was time for the headliner, and they did not disappoint. The setlist was a mixture of fan favorites, old and new. Kehlani opened the set with an electrifying rendition of “Next 2 U” from CRASH, which was released in June. Then the singer went straight into “GrooveTheory” and “What I Want,” also from CRASH, as the guitar player shredded the melodic riffs from the songs. The energy from Kehlani, the band and the dancers whipped concertgoers into a frenzy and set the tone for the rest of the night.
Kehlani then addressed the crowd, thanking them for being there. “You guys have one rule tonight–it’s to just have the most f*****g fun possible. Can y’all do that for me?” they shouted out before continuing the show.
They hit the audience with a blast from the past and performed older songs from their discography like “Nunya,” “The Way” and “You Should Be Here.” The lighting changes were perfect for each number, especially the green lighting as Kehlani sang the popular song “Toxic.” For the next song, the lights turned red as they began “Sucia,” another track from CRASH. At this point in the show, Kehlani came off the stage and chose a fan in the front row to sing the sensual song’s naughty lyrics to, which naturally caused fans to go crazy.
Another highlight of the show was Kehlani’s vocals and the twists they would add to each song to make the live versions just a bit more special. Whether it be a vocal run or ad-lib that wasn’t in the original or live instrumentation from her amazing band, every song had a little surprise for the audience.
During “Can I,” which samples Aaliyah’s “Come Over,” the singer interpolated the 2000s classic into the performance as they sang the original song. While performing “Water,” Kehlani incorporated a Swag Surf into her choreography and while the DJ mixed in Fast Life Yungstaz’s “Swag Surfin’.” One of the crowd’s favorite surprises was the mashup of Janet Jackson’s “Any Time, Any Place” with Kehlani’s joint “Hate The Club.” The saxophone arrangement along with the live band made this blend satisfying on the ears, and attendees sang along to the lyrics over Janet’s classic track.
The stage setup was also very interesting as it included stairs and a large circle screen so that fans could always see the singer whether close or far back. Most songs had choreography, and Kehlani made sure to utilize the entire stage with the dancers. The screen also featured visual effects for most songs, whether it was a black-and-white filter or glitch effect.
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The show also had a strong rock and roll influence with loud percussion and heavy guitar shreds. One of the standout performances of the night was a mashup of “Distraction” and ”Gangsta” that almost felt straight out of a rock concert. Kehlani sang near the guitar player and laid down on the floor to belt out note after note, making the crowd go wild.
The first half of the show seemed to be more catered toward those who were fans of Kehlani’s older material. In the concert’s second half, they mostly performed songs from CRASH but still found ways to engage those who didn’t know the songs through covers, singalongs and slick choreography. There were still some of her fan favorites sprinkled throughout the rest of the setlist like “Honey” and “Ring.” During the latter, Kehlani brought up the cutest seven-year-old girl from the front row named Aliyah to dance and hype up the crowd with her.
- Advertisement -Before closing out the night, Kehlani brought out two special guests to represent for the DMV, their good friends GoldLink and Wale. The audience went bananas, screaming and chanting their songs almost louder than the speakers in the arena. The concert ended with a trio of jams – Jordan Adetunji’s “KEHLANI (REMIX),” “Nights Like This” and “After Hours.”
On the CRASH WORLD TOUR, Kehlani delivered a never-before-seen experience for fans. Their evolution from playing smaller venues to packing arenas is as impressive as the show’s production and overall quality. Kehlani showcased their true talent and ability as a live performer. If you’re planning to attend the CRASH WORLD TOUR, you won’t be disappointed.
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