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’s probably your fave’s fave) is about to start rehearsal for their WNBA Halftime Performance presented by AT&T.

The singer has made it known that they are HERE for women’s basketball, showing up at NCAA games this season, becoming a fellow BG fan, and calling on others to show their support. First stop: taking the stage in her on-court debut. Next step, ownership? I’m here for it. The game loves you just as much as you love it, Kehlani.

Ari Chambers: You’ve been all over the world lately, but you’re staying so 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 that people support the WNBA. And I think if you’re, just like a– I hate to say the word “a female artist,” but we just have a responsibility to recognize industries where women experience a disadvantage, and the only way things are going to change is if we properly support it. So I just hope I’m being a little part of that. Hopefully. 

Ari Chambers: Your world tour around the NCAA games has been special, so when can we expect you to pull up at a WNBA game? 

Kehlani: Whenever I’m invited! We’ll pull up, we’ll be there! 

Ari Chambers: So if you play — for real, for real — what position would you play? 

Kehlani: I probably would never play basketball. 

Ari Chambers: Hilarious. At least you know your place. 

Kehlani: I feel like I would just watch it. Or, I’d be a coach. 

Ari Chambers: Period. Give us the guidance.  

Kehlani: Yeah, you never wanna see my goofy ass out there. 

Ari Chambers: But you mentioned how you’re enthused about women’s basketball. What excites you most about it? 

Kehlani: I think just seeing the heart in all of it. Not to say that men’s basketball lacks any heart, but I just feel like there’s a different kind of heart that is experienced in it. There’s a different story when women make it. I feel like women’s college basketball went really, really crazy this year, so watching people make that transition was also really cool. So I just 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 have to know, do we have any new music on the way? 

Kehlani: Absolutely. I just started really making stuff that I love again, which is awesome. And I’m gonna take my time just to make sure that I really, really love it. And yeah, just make sure that I stay in a space of being happy with my art, so that I can actually be happy to walk through the rest of it — the promoting it, the putting it out, and all the things. So I’m taking my time, but I am making things that I really like. 

Ari Chambers: Dope. Can’t wait. Here are the fun questions… If you could have one player to be featured on a song, who would you pick? 

Kehlani: Oh my god, I’m not gonna hold you, I might pick Sydney Colson because I  feel like she might give me a really funny verse. Like, I don’t think she would take it serious and I think that’s the best part of it. If I wanted to do something that was purely hilarious to me, I think she would kill it. 

Ari Chambers: Shout out, Syd. She would kill on the ad-lib stuff. If you could be on a W team, which number are you picking? 

Kehlani: 24! That’s my jam. That’s my lucky number. I’m going with 24. 

Ari Chambers: What are you bringing to your game? I know you’re not gonna play, but– 

Kehlani: Ooh, I would suck real bad. I think I would just be fun to look at, probably. 

Ari Chambers: They said, “Imma be on the bench! Okay?” 

Kehlani: There’s a reason that I make music. I never did a sport ever. 

Ari Chambers: And that’s fine! Expansion is a huge topic, and it’s 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 basketball culture is so major where I’m from. We have the Warriors. I feel like we’d be stoked to get a women’s team, and we just don’t have one. I’d be a part of the petition. I’d be a part of that. 

Ari Chambers: Ownership group is what you’d be a part of. 

Kehlani: Straight up. For real. 

Ari Chambers: Period. What women’s basketball player did you grow up loving, and if you didn’t, who do you like now? 

Kehlani: I didn’t grow up loving any sports at all, I was very late to the game. But I have to say, Brittney Griner, I think there’s something really spectacular to have gone through something so major and still have the will to come back in order to give. Going through that much, I would assume there would’ve have been so much time taken to fill your cup back, but she came back with just a will to give still and to just participate, and I think that’s really inspirational. 

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 kid’s having a great life and great time, and she’s chilling, and she 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 are pretty cool. 

Kehlani: Thank you. She thinks I’m awesome. 

Tune into the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at 8:30 pm ET on ABC and watch Kehlani at the WNBA Halftime Performance presented by AT&T.