Happy Birthday, Kehlani!

One of the most exciting new acts that's coming out of the Bay Area is Kehlani. The HBK member is shining brighter than the others these days, including IAMSU! The rising R&B star reaches the young age of 20 years old today (April 24).

Kehlani had a harsh upbringing coming up in East Oakland; her father passed away when she was young and her mother was addicted to drugs. Fortunately, she got noticed for her natural talent pretty early. The singer was barely a teenager when she was competing with the girl group PopLyfe on America's Got Talent. The group barely missed winning that grand prize, but Piers Morgan told her the future was bright.

"You've got real talent, but I don't think you need the group," he said.

Morgan was right. Kehlani began writing her own songs and got down with the HBK gang. She's been on the uprise since, thanks to her sweet, indelible vocals.

After getting a solid amount of acclaim for her breezy Cloud 19 project, Kehlani is trying to improve with her next project, You Should Be Here. She explained the concept to Vice in an interview.

"When I made Cloud 19, I was getting to be in a situation where I was attempting to love somebody when I didn't love myself," Kehlani said. "It was me desperately trying to get you to understand my feelings, 'cause I can only say it in song."

You Should Be Here, set to drop on iTunes April 28, will also feature the efforts of Chance the Rapper and BJ the Chicago Kid. There's really not too many features, which is great as it gives Kehlani a bigger chance to shine.

Watch Kehlani's "First Position" Video

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