Alena Nicole

Kehlani has been in the game for a while now and, in my opinion, has deserved serious awards and recognition for ages. Her discography is packed with timeless work: the entire It Was Good Until It Wasn’t album (standouts like “Can I?”), “You Know Wassup”, “Everything”, and the entire While We Wait album (omg). Add in the R&B radio staples—“Nights Like This” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign), “The Way” (feat. Chance the Rapper), “When He’s Not There” (feat. Lucky Daye), “CRZY,” “After Hours”… I could literally go on forever. It’s like people finally went, “Oh, wait—this girl’s been here for a while and actually has hits!” Like, duh. She’s been in everyone’s ears for years. But with “Folded,” something clicked. Suddenly folks woke up and realized she’s a force. From high-profile appearances with legends like Janet Jackson to collaborations with the one and only Mariah Carey, she’s proving what longtime fans already knew. I’m just glad everyone finally joined us. It’s beautiful here in Kehlani-land.

FOLDED INTRO

The song opens with a gorgeous sweep of violins, and as the swell builds, a silky beat breaks through. The production alone, helmed by Dre Harris, could stand as its own track, given how seamless the arrangement feels—and technically it does. Kehlani first released “Folded” on June 11, then dropped the companion single “(un)Folded” on July 30, before wrapping everything together on August 15 with a full single package that included both the a cappella and instrumental versions.

It’s a rhythm with a clear nod to the early 2000s, built on an original instrumental of sweeping strings, gentle piano, and steady drums, with an official Don Mills guitar arrangement sliding in later to support the melody. Aside from those opening violins, the overall beat stays intentionally simple, letting the song’s other layers shine when they arrive. Kehlani knew exactly what she was doing: when she first teased the song on her Instagram, she shared only the first 30-ish seconds—the same atmospheric intro—paired with her stunning looks and a moody car video (I’m saying giving total main-character, video-vixen, dark-feminine vibes). Fans (me included) went wild, immediately flipping that 30-ish second instrumental into TikToks, Reels, and background audio for photos before the song was even officially released.

WHY FOLDED?

“It’s so silly of me to act like I don’t need you bad,” Kehlani begins after the initial string swell fades. “I think the vulnerability is in not playing tough,” Kehlani explains in her Genius interview. She adds that admitting that you care shows more vulnerability than pretending to not. She then goes on to sing about how she can’t stop thinking of her former partner and thinks back to how she walked away when she could have communicated instead. She regrets it, asking when they can “come pick up [their] clothes” because she already “has them folded.” The phrase works on multiple levels: literally—come get your stuff from my house; sexually—“folded” like a pretzel, hinting she’s not as over them as she claims; and emotionally—she’s folded for this partner, softening when they’re around in a way she wouldn’t with anyone else instead of “standing on business,” so to speak.

“It’s kind of this story that’s unfolding… and we’re discovering all of the layers in the relationship,” Kehlani explains

“I know it’s getting cold out, but it’s not frozen…” Kehlani continues. “I’ll let your body decide if this is good enough for you; already folding it for you, already folding up for you,” a hook she repeats throughout the song. She explains that there’s a quiet care in the act of physically folding clothes—she’s not throwing them out of the window, leaving them on your porch, or destroying them; she’s neatly folding them, a sign that she still cares and isn’t completely done. “There’s another double entendre in that in saying ‘I’ll let your body decide,” she adds. One, for if something physical will happen when they meet in person, but two for how their bodies feel discernemnt-wise…like “Does this feel right?” Let that feeling let you decide if this relationship is right for you. 

Before carrying us to the end of the song, she leans into a second verse where she admits that, no matter what story their partner tries to tell themselves—or anyone else—they will always think of her. Kehlani must take pride in this, singing, “And I would still choose you through it all, that’s the crazy part.” She would take her partner back, too. Kehlani keeps it simple: skip the empty promises and just show up. No need for superficial gestures!

She sings, “I don’t need roses, just need some flowers from my garden. Can’t you go back to how you loved me when you started?”

Kehlani wants someone that will not only give back to her own garden, but water her and watch her bloom. “If this is going to be killing me, this is going to be a terrible thing that poisons me, the flowers in my garden are not going to grow,” Kehlani concludes in her interview about the lyrics.

She closes the bridge by telling her lover directly that while she’s over here begging for them, they should be “giving [her] love all damn day ’til the day is done.” But until then, if they want to take their sweet time, she’ll still be waiting for them to “come pick up [their] clothes.” Get it?

(un)FOLDED + CELEB FOLDED REMIXES

The “(un)Folded” version of “Folded” takes the composition to an entirely new level. With a slower arrangement, Kehlani’s vocals glide right to the forefront. She already flexes strong vocals on Folded, but the more deliberate cadence of “(un)Folded” lets her fully stretch her runs—dragging notes, expanding phrases, and showing off her range.

The lyrics remain the same, but the ending introduces a fresh layer with Isaiah Huron’s gentle harmonies. His melodic presence adds a soft ache, leaving listeners with a lingering sense of quiet resolution that still keeps you longing for a “Folded” part five. 

Together, “Folded” and “(un)Folded” feel like two halves of the same heartbeat—one pulsing with movement, the other stretching time so every note lingers. That elasticity set the stage for what came next: a wave of celebrity remixes that gave the track a life of its own. R&B heavyweights like Mario, Brandy, and JoJo, along with a roster of rising vocalists, jumped in with their own takes, each flipping the second hook in a different style. As Kehlani put it, “People have taken that second hook and, like, turned it into a singing challenge on the internet. And I’m just nerding out as a musician, like about all the different tones and the different ways of singing it and the different ways people are approaching it. I’ve seen people turn it into a gospel song. It has its own life as far as singers go.” 

Kehlani has proven once again that her music isn’t just something you listen to—it’s something artists want to live inside, reinterpret, and keep unfolding long after the final note.

Download all versions of the “Folded” single here.

INFO BOX:
Title: Folded by Kehlani

Release date: June 11, 2025

Label: TSNMI/Atlantic

My Personal Rating: 5/5