Written by Ari Chambers
Less than 24 hours before they take the stage at Michelob Ultra Arena, I’m sitting across from Grammy®-nominated artist Kehlani in their dressing room. The musician (who is probably your favorite’s favorite) is about to begin rehearsal for his WNBA halftime performance presented by AT&T.
The singer shared that he was HERE for women’s basketball, showed up to NCAA games this season, became another BG fan, and called others to show their support. First stop: taking the stage for his on-field debut. Next step, property? I am here for this. The game loves you as much as you love it, Kehlani.
Ari Chambers: You’ve been traveling all over the world lately, but you stay very close to women’s basketball. Why did you decide to perform at the WNBA All-Star Halftime Presented by AT&T?
Kehlani: I think it’s important for people to support the WNBA. And I think if you’re, just like a… I hate to say the word “female artist,” but we just have a responsibility to recognize the areas in which women are disadvantaged, and the only way things are going to change, that’s if we support it properly. So I just hope I do a little part of it. Hopefully.
Ari Chambers: Your world tour around the NCAA games has been special, so when can we expect you to attend a WNBA game?
Kehlani: Every time I’m invited! We’ll stop, we’ll be there!
Ari Chambers: So if you played – for real, for real – what position would you play?
Kehlani: I would probably never play basketball.
Ari Chambers: Hilarious. At least you know your place.
Kehlani: I feel like I would just watch it. Or maybe I would be a coach.
Ari Chambers: Period. Give us the advice.
Kehlani: Yeah, you never want to see my stupid ass there.
Ari Chambers: But you mentioned how excited you were about women’s basketball. What are you most passionate about?
Kehlani: I just think I see the heart in this. That’s not to say that men’s basketball lacks heart, but I just feel like there’s a different type of heart there. It’s a different story when women succeed. I feel like women’s college basketball has gotten really, really crazy this year, so watching people make that transition has been really cool too. So I feel like it’s changing in a really cool way, so that’s what I’m excited about.
Ari Chambers: One thing about you, your music is timeless. So we need to know: do we have new music on the way?
Kehlani: Absolutely. I’ve just started making stuff that I love again, which is awesome. And I’m going to take my time just to make sure that I really, really love it. And yeah, just make sure I stay in a space of contentment with my art, so I can actually be happy going through the rest of it – promoting it, getting it out there, and everything else. So I take my time, but I do things that I really like.
Ari Chambers: Great. I can not wait. Here are the fun questions… If you could have any player to be featured on a song, who would you choose?
Kehlani: Oh my god, I’m not going to hold you back, I might choose Sydney Colson because I feel like she could give me a really funny verse. I don’t think she would take it seriously and I think that’s the best part of it all. If I wanted to do something that I thought was purely hilarious, I think she would kill it.
Ari Chambers: Well done, Syd. She would kill with improvised things. If you could be on a W team, what number would you choose?
Kehlani: 24! This is my jam. It’s my lucky number. I’m going with 24.
Ari Chambers: What do you bring to your game? I know you’re not going to play, but…
Kehlani: Ooh, I would really suck. I think it would probably be fun to watch.
Ari Chambers: They said, “I’m going to be on the bench!” All right?”
Kehlani: There’s a reason why I make music. I have never done sports.
Ari Chambers: And that’s great! Expansion is a huge topic looming on the horizon. If you could bring a team to the WNBA, any city…
Kehlani: Oh my god, my hometown! Why don’t we have a WNBA team in the Bay?! Why don’t we have one? I just feel like the basketball culture is so important where I come from. We have the Warriors. I feel like we would love to have a women’s team, but we just don’t have one. I will be part of the petition. I would be part of it.
Ari Chambers: The ownership group is what you would be a part of.
Kehlani: Directly. For real.
Ari Chambers: Period. Which women’s basketball player did you like growing up, and if not, who do you like now?
Kehlani: I didn’t grow up loving sports, I was very late to the game. But I have to say, Brittney Griner, I think there’s something truly spectacular about having gone through something so major and still having the drive to come back to give. Going through all of that, I guess it would have taken so long to fill your cup, but she came back with just the willingness to give again and just participate, and I think that’s really inspiring.
Ari Chambers: I always say the WNBA is so important, so I have to know: What’s important to Kehlani?
Kehlani: My kid, man. That’s it. Making sure my child has a good life and good times, that she relaxes and thinks what I’m doing is really cool. As long as she thinks what I’m doing is really cool, then what I’m doing must be really cool.
Ari Chambers: You’re pretty cool.
Kehlani: Thank you. She thinks I’m great.
Tune in to the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC and watch Kehlani at the WNBA Halftime Performance presented by AT&T.
