While We Wait 2 Album Review

I’ve noticed a recent trend where artists announce sequels to their most popular or beloved albums when they drop new music. In 2023, Nicki Minaj came out with Pink Friday 2, Victoria Monét dropped her album Jaguar II, and even though it's an EP Summer Walker released CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP. I was especially excited to hear Kehlani was coming out with a sequel to her 2019 album While We Wait. It includes some of her most popular songs like “Nights Like This” and “Feels.” The album has a very consistent soulful, RnB sound that Kehlani strived to create during the beginning of her career. Kehlani’s most recent album before While We Wait 2, titled Crash, was experimental for Kehlani. This is not necessarily a negative thing for an artist to branch out and create different styles of music – however, Kehlani’s not-so-successful attempt prompted her to return to her roots. Thus, she released While We Wait 2 a little over two months after the release of Crash. Although I am unsure of her exact motives, I infer that with her upcoming Crash World Tour, she wanted to increase ticket sales by delivering music that plays to her existing fanbase. Another theory is that with the recent Kehlani drama on the internet she may have used this album to divert people’s attention from her controversies. Therefore, this album could be a rushed cash-grab gimmick, or it could truly be a rebound for those who did not like Crash and want to hear some more of the old Kehlani.

The album opens with a short but sweet little love song called “Love Like” where Kehlani proclaims the type of love and intimacy she craves in a relationship. She has always had a soft and poetic aura intertwined with her music almost as if her lyrics were love letters. Thus, this sappy, endearing song was a solid opener and introduction to what the next thirteen songs had in store. It felt particularly similar to the song “Butterfly” which is the second to last track on While We Wait. “Ballin’” is another cutesy, chirpy love song with a memorable beat from producer Camper. Kehlani’s silky vocals are just the icing on the cake of this addictive track.

Two days before Kehlani released While We Wait 2, she dropped the lead-up single “When He’s Not There” with fellow artist Lucky Daye. This is not her first Lucky Daye feature, with him appearing on her album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t with their song “Can You Blame Me.” In my opinion, “Can You Blame Me” is more compelling and all-around better. “When He’s Not There” is good but not great. It definitely has a catchy component, the chorus has been stuck in my head a time or two, but then it becomes tiresome. However, I think this song is intentionally different from their prior collaboration since it sounds more similar to Lucky Daye’s album Algorithm. I understand what it's striving to accomplish, but I just wish there was more oomph that would really make this song stick out.

The song I’ve been adoring from the album is “Clothes Off.” It has the versatility I have been craving in this album while also including the quintessential elements of RnB. The song is sexy and seductive while also being unconventionally queer. A majority of sensual RnB music is written from a heterosexual standpoint, so this song’s outwardly LGBTQ+ lyrics are such a refreshing development. This song features kwn, a fairly new Queer artist. It’s amazing to see Queer artists support and uplift each other within the industry so, I am particularly favorable to this song. “Form of You” features another Queer artist featured and a friend of Kehlani’s, DESTIN CONRAD as well as Queer poet Childofnines. I was drawn to the jazz influences and spoken word intro of “Form of You” which I felt culminated in a coffee shop-esque jam. Kehlani’s lovely and melodic vocals along with the delicate beat work extremely well together. I’m a DESTIN CONRAD fan and I felt that he was not very prevalent but his verse before the ending is smooth and supplemental. Their voices mesh together really well on the beat. All three artists bring a distinct sound to the song that ends in a diverse set of voices but also sounds cohesive and complimentary. 

Concluding the album, Kehlani included two remixes to songs originally released on Crash. “8 - Remix” is a collaboration with British RnB girl group FLO. FLO is opening for Kehlani on her Crash World Tour, so it made sense she wanted to have a new song with them that they could perform on the tour. I was pleasantly surprised by this track: All four voices worked well together without anybody overpowering the others. I like FLO’s music but at times it can be a bit lackluster. This song was fun and had an allure that held me captive throughout the two minutes and fifty-one seconds run time. This song is the type of collaboration I would expect from Kehlani as I am a big fan of her other features on previous albums. The last track, “After Hours - Remix,” is a remix of arguably the best and most commercially successful song on Crash. It samples “Move Ya Body” by Nina Sky, providing the song with an infectious beat alongside Kehlani’s melodious chorus. The original song is amazing on its own but can feel repetitious after a bit. Therefore, this version with LUDMILLA, a Brazilian singer-songwriter, adds that piece of versatility to the song. LUDMILLA’s music style was the perfect addition to “After Hours - Remix” where she enhanced the song without modifying its initial strength.

While We Wait 2 is genuinely reminiscent of Kehlani’s past style, specifically While We Wait. The album has a consistent vibe and each song flows perfectly into the next. However, each song feels more and more predictable – it reaches a point where too many of the songs started to sound alike. The album needs a little more variety for more liking to penetrate my psyche and truly make the music memorable. The verses of many tracks, especially the choruses, were pretty simple, repetitive, or lacked nuance and clever wordplay. This left me to suspect that, combined with the circumstances of this release, that it was written on a whim and the production process was rushed. While We Wait 2 lacks the strength of Kehlani’s previous work,and I do not see it sticking for long in my playlist library.

Favorites: Know Better, Clothes Off, Ballin’, Form of You, and 8 - Remix