Kehlani Takes Us Through An Emotional Journey On While We Wait 2

Calling all Tsunami Mob and Honey Bees: if there’s one thing we love around here, it’s new music releases from our favorite artists. It’s been an incredible year for several artists, and Kehlani is one of them. It’s been two months since they released their fourth studio album, CRASH! Since releasing it, they’ve announced their CRASH WORLD TOUR and appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series. They’ve even appeared on Jordan Adetunji’s ‘Kehlani (Remix)!’ If you thought they were stopping there, they didn’t, because Kehlani recently released a brand new mixtape.

On August 28th, 2024, Kehlani released their latest mixtape, While We Wait 2, five years after the release of While We Wait. They took us on an emotional journey with the first installment of the mixtape and decided to feed fans and listeners with yet another. We’re here to give you the rundown on their new mixtape!

‘Love Like’

I want a love like first and last
Feel my feet up in a slip of glass
Give it to you, I'ma get it right back
That's the kinda love I want to have

The first song on Kehlani’s While We Wait 2 mixtape is ‘Love Like,’ which explores themes of longing and desire. In the song, they express the type of love they would like to have with someone. They want a long-lasting relationship, not a short-term one. They talk about falling in love fast with someone, which could indicate that they’re a hopeless romantic.

In the first verse’s opening, Kehlani sings, “I feel my feet in a slip of glass; I’ll give it to you; I’ll get it back.” We think it’s a nod to Cinderella – if you know the movie, you know what we’re talking about! We love a good pop culture reference, but who doesn’t? The song gives us all the feels. It notes not only the highs that come with love but the imperfect parts of it as well. Kehlani set the tone for While We Wait 2, and we’re here for it!

A playlist about love, relationships, or new beginnings would suit this song well.

‘When He’s Not There’ (Feat. Lucky Daye)

I tell you three times a year that you gotta be solo
Not even for me, but for you because I'm out here dolo
Don't tell none of your homegirls 'cause nobody needs to know, no
That I come over when he's not there (Come over)

A few weeks before the mixtape’s release, Kehlani teased a snippet of ‘When He’s Not There’ on their Instagram. It also served as the lead single for the mixtape, released two days before it dropped. The ballad features R&B singer Lucky Daye and explores the themes of the complexities of a relationship and longing for someone. Kehlani plays the part of the “side piece” in a love triangle as the person they’re into is already in a relationship with another person.

They’re not worried about being in a love triangle or being the side piece. Their mind is on becoming the person’s main and wondering if their significant other knows their partner is yearning for them. Lucky Daye and Kehlani did an amazing job telling the story of someone who is part of an affair. Whether you agree with the song’s overall theme or not, the song has a vibe and the lyrics are catchy!

A playlist about longing, relationships, or emotional distance would be the perfect home for this song.

‘Clothes Off’ (Feat. KWN)

I don't share, I ain't sharin'
No offense, she ain't better than me

If you’re looking for an intimate song on While We Wait 2, look no further than ‘Clothes Off’ featuring KWN. The song explores the themes of intimacy, seduction, and passion. Kehlani and KWN sing about the spiritual and intimate aspects of relationships from the physical to emotional. The vocals, beat, and lyrics flow together perfectly! The song is best for listening in the car, at home, or using headphones. The song is much more on the freaky side and features the sounds of moaning throughout the song, including a little after the beat starts, hence our suggestion to use headphones! ‘Sucia’ walked so ‘Clothes Off’ could run. 

A playlist centered around intimacy, passion, and late-night vibes would be suited for this song.

‘S.I.N.G.L.E.’

Didn't work on the first try
Promised I would never do this again
You just lost a good friend, I'm
So I'm never gonna love ever

Do you want a song that gives you all the 90s vibes? If yes, the fourth track, ‘S.I.N.G.L.E.,’ is the song for you! It interpolates the 1995 Brandy song ‘Sittin’ Up In My Bedroom,’ and explores themes of heartbreak, independence, and disappointment. The song is a self-love and empowerment track about Kehlani walking away from a relationship that’s no longer right for them. 

Kehlani sings to their partner, asking and calling them out for no longer putting effort into their relationship. While they hope and wish there will be a change, they’re thinking about themselves and putting themselves first. They’re ready to move on both romantically and friendship-wise. Kehlani’s also making a vow to themselves to never love again, which is understandable and relatable when it comes to someone you love hurting you. The song is a vibe and we can’t help but have it on repeat!

A playlist about growth, heartbreak, or being single would be perfect for this song.

‘Know Better’ (Feat. Lil’ Mo & Vince Staples)

We should make it official
But we both young and crazy, babe
We don't want none of those issues
But tonight we might act like we don't know better

The transition from ‘S.I.N.G.L.E.’ to ‘Know It Better’ is smooth and flawless! ‘Know It Better’ features Lil’ Mo and Vince Staples, and explores the themes of casual romance, impulsiveness, and temptation. Lil’ Mo starts the song by saying, “Kehlani, you crazy for this one.” From the jump, we know this track is bold and could be a smash hit! The song finds Kehlani expressing the desire to have something casual with someone. While wanting something casual, they’re not ruling out the possibility of doing something wild and making it official with the person. They’re trying to avoid it because they don’t want what could transpire from it!

Vince Staples’s verse is from the perspective of someone who wants to be more. Some risks come with taking it further, but Vince doesn’t care – he would rather focus on the connection the other person and himself share. Sometimes people find themselves on either side of a casual relationship and might not think of the other person’s standpoint. Did we mention that Kehlani and Lil’ Mo’s voices sound amazing together? Well, they do!

A playlist about late-night vibes, flirtation, or hookups would be suited for this song.

‘Border’

Content Warning: Mentions of mental health

Let's leave California
Maybe I need to cross the border
Away from my demons and disorders

Kehlani’s mixtape is one of their most personal projects, and she gets very personal on track 6, ‘Border.’ The song explores themes of mental health, escapism, and resilience, and Kehlani gets candid in the song about how they feel and what they go through. It’s such a beautiful track!

When they sing about wanting to escape California, it could mean they want to escape from the pressures and emotional turmoil they have to deal with. Kehlani chose to include details like people calling them crazy, feeling disconnected, struggling with emotions, feeling lost, and struggling with faith, which are things that many people who are battling with their mental health tend to go through. As Kehlani sings about these things, they express their gratitude to those who have supported her and hope they will continue to do so. Kehlani, we’ll always be there for you!

Kehlani has always been vocal about their mental health, including in their earlier track ’24/7,’ so ‘Border’ is definitely a standout song on the mixtape. It’s one of the most personal and relatable songs Kehlani has released to date, reminding us that nobody is alone when it comes to struggling with mental health. While a song won’t help heal certain things, we hope it helps heal, in some way.

A playlist about mental health, moving forward, or tough times would be suited for this song.

‘Form of You’ (Feat. DESTIN CONRAD)

Because I see the best version of me through your sight
Movin' through the world with your eyes

‘Form of You’ is a soulful song featuring a poem spoken by CHILDOFNINES in the intro, as well as vocals from DESTIN CONRAD. The song explores the themes of appreciation, spiritual connection, and love, speaking about someone Kehlani has a strong spiritual and emotional connection with. Kehlani feels as if their partner has helped her grow as a person and provided protection, so they express their gratitude for having that person in their life!

Kehlani uses nature imagery and compares her partner to a transformative force, showing how much of an impact the person has made on their life. DESTIN CONRAD ends the song by singing the outro, wondering where this mysterious person came from, but feeling blessed to have them in his life just as Kehlani is. The music and lyrics smoothly and atmospherically convey the right vibes.

A playlist about love, growth, or destiny would be suited for this song.

‘Let Me Down (San Diego Interlude)’

Favorite's what I feel
Ghost one another, a bit too real
How dare you ask me to be just friends

‘Let Me Down (San Deigo Interlude)’ is the eighth track on the album, but it’s more than just an interlude. The interlude explores themes of disappointment, heartbreak, and letting go. Kehlani sings to their on-and-off partner, who continuously disappoints them every chance they get. In the end, Kehlani feels frustrated and is ready to leave. While the song doesn’t feature a strong beat, it features light instruments, allowing Kehlani to share their raw vocals with background singers joining in. It creates a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere. We feel all the feels with this one, and while heartbreaking, it’s a mood!

A playlist about breakups, reflections, or being vulnerable would be a great fit for this song.

‘Around’

Ain't no pressure, I'm not pressin' on you
I won't mention us

‘Around’ is another song about being in a casual relationship that explores the themes of presence and emotional availability. Unlike ‘Know Better,’ this track finds Kehlani embracing a casual relationship for what it is. Kehlani wants to be present for the girl they’re talking to and is okay with being considered just a friend if they have to be.

Kehlani wanting to show the different perspectives of a casual relationship with ‘Know Better’ and ‘Around’ lets listeners know there’s no wrong side to be on when approaching something casually, as long as both parties know what’s going on and what it is. We can’t choose which one we like more, both are amazing songs!

A playlist about chill vibes, relationships without any pressure, and late-night drives would be suited for this song.

‘Ballin”

So I put a point on the board just to even the score back
Every time you be on what I'm on when you get into my bag

Not every relationship needs to be public, and Kehlani knows that. ‘Ballin’ explores the themes of secrecy, playfulness, and flirtation as Kehlani finds themselves in an exclusive, yet secret, relationship. They want their partner to know that while keeping their relationship a secret, they’re in it together no matter what. Kehlani expresses in different ways how strong their connection is with one another.

Throughout the song, Kehlani compares the connection they have to basketball. They let it be known they’re winning when it comes to one another as they sing, “We’re ending up balling, balling.” If you listen to the beat closely, you can hear the sound of a basketball at different moments, from the sounds of one dribbling to the swooshing sound a basketball makes when going into a hoop. Kehlani knew what they were doing with the song and executed it perfectly!

A playlist about relationships, secrets, or playful love would be suited for this song.

‘First Life’

Girl, I ain't on my first life
It'll be alright
Don't change your mind about me

We love a good self-reflection song and ‘First Life’ is a song where Kehlani reflects on things about themself. The song explores themes of unconditional love, past experiences, and growth as Kehlani reflects on who they are and what they’ve learned. They’re aware they fall quickly – but instead of continuing to allow it to happen, they’re deciding it might be time to take a break from love, so they can get to know themselves better.

Kehlani wants to be able to give their all to the woman they’re singing to. If they enter a relationship, they want to do things differently. They think the person is worth a lot and deserves a lot, and the main thing Kehlani is asking for in return is for the person to be patient with them. We love that they’re trying to work on themselves in certain aspects. It’s a beautiful thing!

A playlist about self-discovery, healing, or emotional journeys would be suited for this song.

‘Slow Dance’ (Feat. DIXSON)

Let's take a chance
Could be romance
Just let me dance the night away with you, my love

Kehlani slows it down on the twelfth track of the mixtape! ‘Slow Dance’ featuring DIXSON explores the themes of intimacy, connection, and desire. The sensual song finds Kehlani wanting to slow-dance with someone they’re with. They have a lot of chemistry between them and would like to express it in different ways, not just physically. DIXSON gets on the track and it gets more intimate. It’s giving sultry vibes, and we’re here for it!

A playlist about date nights, late-night vibes, or intimate moments would be suited for this song.

‘8’ (Remix) (Feat. FLO)

One, yeah, he booked the restaurant
But he want a dessert for dinner

We wouldn’t want to toot our own horns, but we called it, Honey Bees! If you missed our article about our dream setlist for Kehlani’s upcoming tour, we mentioned how we’d love to hear Kehlani and FLO sharing vocals on a song together. Our wish came true on this song that explores the themes of intimacy, desire, and boldness.

While it’s not a new song, we still got what we wanted. FLO members Joja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer hopped on the remix to Kehlani’s sensual song ‘8,’ which appeared on their CRASH album. FLO kept the vibe going with their verse. Kehlani and FLO‘s voices blend and flow extremely well – they truly ‘8’ this remix up just as Kehlani did with the original. Special thanks to Kehlani for adding this remix to the mixtape!

A playlist about flirting, bedroom vibes, or date nights would be the perfect home for this song.

‘After Hours’ (Remix) (Feat. LUDMILLA )

Um por cento anjo pra noventa e nove por cento tapada
Você sabe quem é tua dona, né?

‘The remix to ‘8’ isn’t the only remix we got on Kehlani’s While We Wait 2 mixtape – it also includes the remix to ‘After Hours’ featuring Ludmilla, which serves as the final track on the mixtape. The song is the second remix to the song, following behind ‘After Hours (Cater 2 U Mix),’ and explores themes of partying, temptation, and physical connection. Ludmilla sings the second verse of the song in Portuguese, and totally did what she needed to do!

A playlist about afterparties, spontaneous nights, or seduction would be suited for this song.

Kehlani’s mixtape is something special. We love how they named it While We Wait 2 and that it serves as the second installment to While We Wait! Overall, the mixtape has songs for different people’s music tastes, which is only one of the many things that make it an amazing project. It’s a vibe from the lyrics to their sultry voice, and everything in between. The delivery and execution of albums matter, which is why we mean it when we say they ‘8’ on this mixtape. Everyone might have different opinions, but if we had to choose between this and CRASH, this mixtape is higher in rankings than the album! We’ll always love the CRASH album, but we think this mixtape is a level up for Kehlani and their artistry.

If you’ve listened to Kehlani’s mixtape, what do you think? Do you have a favorite song or lyric? Will you be catching Kehlani on tour this fall? If you want to see them, FLO, and Anycia on tour but don’t have tickets yet, visit Kehlani’s tour page for more information.

Let us know your favorite tracks and what you think about everything Kehlani in the comments below or by contacting us via @thehoneypop, Facebook, or Instagram. We’d love to hear from you!

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