Kehlani wins first Grammy

    by Bouncy Clement: Kehlani

    Kehlani won her first Grammy and discussed the milestone with Leon Thomas for Billboard. She told him it felt like confirmation for everyone else after years of people saying she deserved more. To survive in the industry, she had to stay grounded in her purpose and God's plan. Kehlani noted that being recognized by an institution upholding musical excellence was cool. Rob Markman commented on the moment being significant for R&B.

    Transcript (en)

    What did winning a Grammy actually mean to you? Winning a Grammy, it meant a lot in a way of like, and I really want to make sure I sound the right way when I say this. That's alright, take your time. It felt like it was confirmation for everyone else. Yeah. You know? I've been so grounded, and not because I've been so grounded, but I had to. For as long as I've been working and as long as things have been going left and people have been telling me, you deserve more, you deserve more, you deserve more. In order to survive in this industry, I've had to ground in the idea that my purpose is my purpose and what God has for me is for me. And every time I step on stage and those lives that I change when I step on stage, that is what I'm focused on. It wasn't this Grammy is going to confirm that what I'm doing has purpose or that what I'm doing is valid or real or is what God's plan for me is, this was like, oh, okay. Now we all taking it a little bit more serious. Like, okay. It was cool to be recognized by an institution that has always upheld the excellence of music and that was really cool. Rob Markman- Absolutely. Rob Markman- And then to win it with people that we all have the same story, to have that moment backstage with you and Durand, who I've also known for years. Rob Markman- Absolutely. Oh, like this couldn't have been cooler, not only for us, but for R&B.