In her debut Tiny Desk performance, Oakland-born singer Kehlani took a moment to address several ongoing global crises, delivering a powerful message about the need for action and solidarity. During the concert, which premiered on July 31, Kehlani performed a selection of hits spanning her decade-long career, including "Nights Like This" featuring Ty Dolla $ign, "Distraction," "The Way," "Can I," and her latest single "After Hours" from her new album, CRASH. At around the 8:52 mark, Kehlani paused her set to make a heartfelt plea for global awareness and action.
"I want to take a second to say free Palestine, free Congo, free Sudan, free Yemen, free Hawaii, free Guam," Kehlani stated. "Beyond a ceasefire, we need an end to the occupation. It's deeper than this. I need everybody that's here right now, everybody that's watching, to step up and use their voices." She concluded her message with a call to action: "Any difference you can make, it's appreciated. Hire people from those countries, and send your money where it matters. We all we got." Kehlani's activism is not new. In late May, she reaffirmed her stance on Palestine in the music video for "Next 2 U" and released merchandise for the song produced in a family-owned sewing workshop in Bethlehem.
According to her website, all proceeds from these sales are distributed among Palestinian, Congolese, and Sudanese families through Operation Olive Branch. The merchandise sold out within two weeks, raising over $555,000. "Next 2 U tees capped out with over $555K raised," Kehlani wrote on Instagram. "This song is about protection, something that institutions have failed to do for the people of Palestine, Congo, and Sudan. No one got us the way we got each other. I & my team feel overwhelmed with gratitude for y'all showing out for this fundraiser."
Kehlani expressed her appreciation for the overwhelming support: "We're blessed to say we supported artists in the West Bank while raising money for families in Gaza, Sudan, and Congo. We're blessed to say that we are supported by a community that is standing on business together. We're blessed to play a small part in a growing tide towards the truth about Palestine." Her message resonated deeply with her fans, many of whom have taken to social media to express their support and commitment to the causes she highlighted. "We're invincible together, and I feel ever so inspired by y'all," she continued. "THANK you for showing out on the streets of DC, with your dollars, with your labor and organizing, with your bodies blocking business as usual. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. I believe that we will win." Kehlani's advocacy efforts continue to inspire and mobilize her audience, demonstrating the powerful impact of using one's platform for social justice.
