Kehlani is not letting a recent sexual assault incident ruin their tour memories, but they’re setting the record straight about what is and isn’t OK.
In a TikTok video posted on Wednesday, the R&B singer, who uses they/them pronouns, explained why they decided to open up this week about a recent sexual assault experience on tour.
“I put it out there, what happened, so that I can set a proper boundary with my audience and my fanbase,” they said. “I set that boundary so that you guys can know how to, please, just respect me as a human—me as an individual. I hate that it’s become such a thing, but I also understand that it’s such a serious thing.”
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The Oakland-born entertainer—who was touring in support of her third album, Blue Water Road—added, “This situation did not sour an entire experience for me. There were so many beautiful moments on this tour.”
@kehlani wish i could live in a little bubble with only me & my fans, but i dont. thank you to those that love on me so hard! tour resumes mid january!
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Kehlani had just wrapped up their Blue Water Road Trip tour in the U.K. on Monday when they took to Instagram to address the alleged assault.
“I don’t care how sexual you deem my music, my performances, my fun with my friends dancing at clubs, or ME…,” Kehlani wrote on their Instagram Stories. “That does not give any of you the right to cross a boundary like sticking your hands up my skirt & pulling my underwear to TOUCH MY GENITALS as I am being escorted through a crowd after performing.”
“This shit made me sick to my stomach. As a victim of sexual assault, I am endlessly triggered and mindblown,” they continued in the online missive, which was screenshot and reported by several outlets.
Kehlani had previously revealed in a 2019 episode of the Sunday Gems podcast that they are a survivor of rape, but stopped short of divulging any details.
“There is nothing I can say that is new, that I feel like is providing a real take, that I feel isn’t gonna take away from the conversation,” they said, according to Complex. “I don’t want to add more hurt, I don’t want to add more pain. All I want to say is, ‘Sending love to everybody who’s on a healing path right now, and sending love to everybody who needs it. And if you’re apologizing for abuse, you’re disgusting, suck my dick.’ You know what I’m saying?”
