Blxst’s growing popularity comes with many perks, but in the new “Never Was Wrong” video, he shows that sometimes things aren’t always peachy when it comes to matters of the heart. The visual shows the California rapper-singer hosting a party and commanding the attention of many of its attendees. His lady approaches his section and tries to start a conversation, only to be signaled “one second” but ignored for longer than that.
Blxst mingles throughout the party and pours shots for other women, all while his partner stands by angrily. When the Before You Go artist finally notices she is crying, he attempts a grand gesture to regain her favor by performing the chorus on “Never Was Wrong,” where he takes accountability for the moments he is wrong to her. Just when it seems everything may be okay as he walks toward her, a crowd of people appears between them, and the anticipated romantic reconciliation is spoiled. Blxst returns home to find her leaving him for good with the help of her friends who have no issue expressing their disdain for him.
This video supports the April release of Blxst’s debut album Before You Go, anchored by singles “About You” and the Zacari-assisted “Sometimes.” Before You Go peaked at No. 90 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Kehlani’s sophomore album, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, focused on absorbing the destruction that failures in love and life caused against her while disallowing it from throwing her off her journey. This theme of navigating through the presence of an unwanted being was fitting at the time as the world was forced under the glass dome of a global pandemic. For Kehlani, everything else was good until it wasn’t, and for the rest of us, by that same token, the once-normal world that we previously took for granted was good until it was deemed otherwise. With that, it leaves us with two options: wait for things to work themselves out or acknowledge the circumstances as a sign to make changes in your life. With her third album Blue Water Road, Kehlani opts for the latter.
Recreating happiness is what Kehlani strives for on Blue Water Road. In its best form, it’s as pure and euphoric as the ocean waters that sat across from the Malibu stretch of road that her third album is named after. Luckily for Kehlani, happiness is not uncharted territory for her. The singer’s 2015 debut album SweetSexySavage is probably the giddiest and most spirited we’ve heard her be so far. But it came with a heavy dose of naivety and overflowing charisma that, together, asked “what could go wrong?” Well, a lot did and that’s what brought us to It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. However, time heals and it did for Kehlani as it placed her on an upward trek that returned her to her better days. Kehlani succeeds at recreating happiness on Blue Water Road while her old naivety is replaced with the gratitude to be here again. It also comes with the understanding that she’s not only experienced the worst, but a permanent residency at the top of the world goes unguaranteed.
By the end of Blue Water Road, Kehlani’s lifelong search for serenity is complete, and it’s quite fulfilling. In an Apple Music interview, she revealed that her initial intention on Blue Water Road was to make music for a deluxe release of It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. What Kehlani didn’t know at first is that the growth she needed was already in progress, and thus the music that came out of those sessions was no longer connected to her sophomore album. We waste no time learning about these changes as Kehlani yearns to “throw a paper tantrum” at a strip club for a dancer she’s grown very fond of. Just two years ago, she forced herself to be in the middle of loud music and erratically flashing lights while noting, “Damn, you know I hate the club.” Where It Was Good Until It Wasn’t begins with a chilling anecdote about a “Toxic” love, Blue Water Road sets off with accountability and the recognition of her faults in love through “Little Story.”
Kehlani progress on this journey comes with its missteps and unsuccessful moments. It’d be wrong to assume that the ever-growing 27-year-old singer suddenly figured out how to perfectly and flawlessly approach life. She enters a new relationship only to leave with regrets on the Slick Rick-sampling “Wish I Never,” she’s gaslit on “Get Me Started” with Syd, and she attempts in a very Issa Rae way to justify her infidelity on “More Than I Should” with Jessie Reyez. It’s all honest and relatable and it’s what makes Kehlani’s music so indulgent. She never approaches it from a holier than thou perspective, and she never throws stones from her glasshouse. We understand Kehlani cause we’ve been there before and we all aim to fit life’s complicated puzzle pieces together to solve some problem that we have.
With that, Kehlani successfully achieves serenity through her ability to establish it within her. You can’t fall in love without knowing and accepting what you love, and you will never find peace without dealing with the chaos that lies within. A perfect example of that comes on “Altar,” where Kehlani grapples with grief and achieves the initially impossible feat of accepting that a loved one is no longer physically present. “Soon, I’ll see your face,” she sings with undeterred optimism. “Don’t know why I ever thought you were far away / I shoulda known better.”
So what does serenity look like for Kehlani? It could be finding a love so perfect and united that she confuses her hair, reflection, and her skin for her lover’s on “Melt.” It could also be enjoying the fruits of her labor towards a healthy love on the nearly-NSFW “Tangerine” where she sings, “So don’t tell nobody what’s done in the garden / The fruits you can harvest, they grow where you water.” However, it’s best captured on “Everything” as the arrival of a new lover who checks off her physical, verbal, and compatibility boxes leaves her to praise the heavens for this gift she’s waited so long for. As a result, her excitement for it can’t be bottled. “That was before me, it’s childish, you done with your wildin,’” she sings. “Now you can be wild with me, run that mile with me / Catch some flights out with me.”
Simply put: Kehlani won. She found new love and accepted her natural identity – both sexual and physical – all while managing to keep the thunderous clouds and unsettling fires that shook her world on It Was Good Until It Wasn’t out of her present-day life. Nowadays, things are better than good, they’re great, and it’s all thanks to Blue Water Road.
Blue Water Road is out now via TSNMI/Atlantic. You can stream it here.
Kehlani is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After returning from a 3-year hiatus, Sol Blume has grown into one of the largest annual R&B events in the country while also playing host to an all-female headlining lineup that included Jhené Aiko, Jazmine Sullivan, Summer Walker, and Jorja Smith. The 2 day Sacramento festival saw 40,000+ total guests this year.
Headlining acts on Saturday night featured Jorja Smith and Jazmine Sullivan, followed by Jhené Aiko and Summer Walker who helped close out the festival on Sunday night.
Additional performers included Thundercat, Alina Baraz, Syd, SiR, Lucky Daye, Smino, Blxst, Tinashe, Majid Jordan, and DVSN, among many others. This year’s lineup also feature several acts with local Sacramento roots including Victoria Monét and Yelly.
The Black-owned, Sol Blume Music Festival will return in 2023 with dates to be announced. For more info visit here.
Still hot off the release of his debut album Before You Go, singer Blxst is going on a worldwide tour. During the 46-date global trek, the “Chosen” singer will perform several shows across North America, and some in the UK, Germany, and Australia.
Hailing from LA, Blxst has created an impressive resume for himself. His music has pulled in over one billion streams on Spotify, and he recently won Best New Artist Of The Year at the 2022 XXL Awards.
07/08 — Birmingham, UK @ Wireless Festival
07/09 — London, UK @ Wireless Festival
07/13 — San Diego, CA @ Casoma
07/14 — Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues
07/16 — Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spades
07/17 — San francisco, CA @ The Masonic
07/18 — Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
07/20 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
07/21 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
07/23 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox Sodo
07/27 — Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
07/30 — Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/01 — Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
08/02 — Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
08/04 — Toronto, ON @ History
08/05 — Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
08/06 — Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
08/08 — New York, NY @ The Rooftop @ Pier 17
08/09 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
08/10 — Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre Of Living Arts
08/12 — Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
08/13 — Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
08/14 — Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
08/16 — Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
08/17 — Fort lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
08/19 — New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues
08/20 — Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
08/22 — Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
08/23 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s
08/25 — Denver, CO @ Summit
08/26 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
08/28 — Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
08/30 — Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
08/31 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
09/27 — Auckland, New Zealand @ Studio The Venue
09/28 — Sydney, Australia @ Metro Theatre
09/30 — Melbourne, Australia @ 170 russell
10/02 — Gold Coast, Australia @ Promiseland Festival
11/02 — Copenhagen, Denmark Dr. Koncerthuset Studie 2
11/03 — Hamburg, Germany @ Mojo Club
11/05 — Cologne, Germany @ Die Kantine
11/06 — Frankfurt, Germany @ Gibson Club
11/07 — Berlin, Germany @ Metropol
11/09 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg
11/10 — Paris, France @ Fvtvr
11/15 — Dublin, Ireland @ The Academy Green Room
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
Blxst is approaching his career the right way. After earning attention for himself in his hometown of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas, the West Coast crooner stepped out on his own for the first time with his 2020 debut project No Love Lost. The eight-song effort, which was later extended to 13 thanks to a deluxe reissue, was the perfect curtain-opening moment he needed to make himself a name recognized across the country. Blxst secured that the following year when he was enlisted as a member of the 2021 XXL Freshman Class.
That same year, Blxst reconnected with his frequent collaborator Bino Rideaux for a sequel to their 2019 EP. Both Blxst and Bino had seen their careers grow exponentially since 2019’s Sixtape so it was only right that they used their brighter spotlight for Sixtape 2. A common theme in Blxst’s career is taking advantage of strong moments to boost his own stock, and after collaborations with Nas, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Buddy, YG, Mozzy, and more, he’s back with a new body of work now that a new set of eyes are on him.
Fresh off the release of his 13-track project Before You Go, we caught up with Blxst to discuss the project, his growth, and more.
After the success of No Love Lost, when did you realize it was time to go back to the drawing board for a new body of work?
I think it was slowly but surely. I was traveling a lot last year so I know it was that time, but I was trying to find that balance between being on the road and still being creative, which was a challenge but we knocked it out. We managed to make it happen.
What were some of the things that helped you find this balance and successfully work on this project as you were on the road?
Everything bro. Managing time away from the family, self-care, even all the way down to working with a personal trainer and making sure physical was right. It was finding a balance for me, that’s pretty much where I was at with it. I feel like that kind of bled into my music, my different experiences, that’s what Before You Go was compiled of.
You’re in a much different spot than you were before No Love Lost. You’ve worked with a lot of new names like Nas, Snoop Dogg, Kehlani, Rick Ross, and more. Has your established position made things easier for you? And how do you keep that initial hustle alive?
It’s crazy. I feel like I’ve built a crazy momentum and I’m just capitalizing on it right now especially following up with another body of work. No Love Lost was my first body of work and this one is my first full-length body of work, so I’m excited to see the responses from that, especially coming off a crazy feature run, like you said, with Nas, Snoop Dogg, Kehlani, Rick Ross, it’s been crazy.
Before You Go seems to have that “no hard feelings” attitude that No Love Lost has. In your opinion, in what ways are the projects similar, and what sets them apart?
Yeah, I think this one is an elevated version of No Love Lost. Like you said, it was no hard feelings, but for this one, it’s more unapologetic. This is me, love me or hate me, but before you go, this is the message I gotta tell you. Whether you want to come on this journey with me or not, that’s your choice. For my fans, to my relationships, to everything: before you go, this is what I gotta tell you.
Before we dive into the project, I like how you and Bino took a moment during the rises in your respective careers to lace another project with Sixtape 2. How has y’all relationship improved since the first Sixtape with all that’s happened in your careers?
Man, it’s crazy just to see the trajectory of where we both started to where we are now. Just off the collaborations from Sixtape alone, I feel like that was my door for people knowing who I am individually. I think I just made sure I was well-rounded. I didn’t want to be stuck as a producer as well, so I made it an intention to go hard as a solo artist. Respect to Bino as well for giving me that platform. I think it’s a mutual respect overall.
What was your muse or influences for Before You Go?
I think just my day-to-day experiences: traveling, managing family time, personal time, and self-care. That’s pretty much what I pulled my inspiration from, those challenges, those hurdles I was facing, and facing that transition of also becoming an executive outside of just being an artist. Looking at success from a different perspective. I think I had a mind shift over this past year from the success of No Love Lost. You’ll hear that in the music, you’ll hear the growth for sure.
I want to talk about the music on the project, starting with some of the features. How was it to work with Arin Ray on “Fake Love”? It’s been a while since I’ve heard from him and it’s great to see that y’all connected for one.
I’ve been listening to Arin Ray for a minute. That Platinum Fire album he dropped, that’s my go-to when I’m on the airplane. This was before I was even Blxst, so double back and be able to work with him, I think that was a full-circle moment for me.
A couple of songs later we have “Couldn’t Wait For It,” your second record with Rick Ross. How validating it is for you to have a star like Ross who wants to work with you more than once, in addition to the other big names you’ve collaborated with?
That’s legendary, I can’t make this sh*t up. It don’t get no more co-sign or stamp than that, that’s the biggest. That’s inspiration, especially as I’m aspiring to be an entrepreneur like he is as well, outside of being an artist, I think that was a dope realization for me that he f*ck with me in that light.
“Still Omw” is one of my favorite records because it’s the epitome of “the job’s not done yet” in terms of what you want for your career. With that, what is peak success for you and when would you feel like you’ve completed your job as an artist and creative overall?
Man, I think ultimately, I feel like I’m still fresh to everything. I got a foot in the door, but at this point, I gotta show my consistency. Also, I got to make it a point to make sure everybody else around me is equally or more successful than I am, whether that be putting other artists on from my city. It’s a lot more to do and I feel like it’s a long way to go, but I feel like I’m on the right track.
What song on this project do you feel speaks the most to where you’re at in your career?
I think you hit it right on the nail with “Still Omw.” It speaks on where I started, what I’m doing right now, and my aspirations for where I want to be. I want to be that executive in the next five years where I could sit back and not be so obligated to do things outside of just being a creative in general. That’s what I’m leaning towards, but that song is close to my heart for sure.
After listening to this album, it’s safe to say that Blxst has still not made one bad song yet, how often does that saying come into mind when you create?
I ain’t gonna lie, saying that was like a gift and a curse because now it’s like people are waiting for me f*ck up you know? I like to challenge myself and hold myself up to a standard where I can always be the best version of myself. So yeah, that line always comes to mind whenever I’m making something cause I’m like damn now I can’t f*ck up (laughs).
With this project, want do you want people to keep in mind as they listen?
I just want them to grow with me. This is the journey, I’m learning as I go, but I’m still not stopping the creative process as far as people knowing what’s going on in my day to day or what I’ve been experiencing. A lot of times, I be second-guessing myself still, but I want people to see that I’m human as well. It’s cool to second guess yourself as long as you face your fears. It’s cool to be scared, but you still gotta face your fears.
Before You Go is out now via Red Bull Records and Evgle. You can stream it here.
