Kehlani Delivers Powerful Speech About Suicide and Depression

Kehlani is speaking out. During her first show since her attempted suicide, the R&B songstress opened up to the crowd about a cause that’s near to her heart, one that landed her in the hospital in March.

“I’m very honest with the people that support me,” she said, referring to her suicide attempt. “It wasn’t a first time thing and that’s not OK. That’s not OK for anyone, not the people around you, not the people who love you, not the people who care about you.”

Kehlani added that she will be working to raise awareness about suicide prevention, because she feels these issues are often overlooked.

“It’s something that so many young people are dealing with,” she said. “So many young people just slip under the rug to things like depression and severe anxiety and many disorders that people know nothing about.”

Before ending her speech, Lani also advised her fans to support others who may be suffering as well.

“If you have a friend and they’re scaring you a little, just love them,” she said. “Hug them and love them up and tell them that it’s good. And from me to you, you are worth it. You are perfect. You need to be here every single day that you are meant to be here. Get up every day and know that and tell yourself that.”

Kehlani’s suicide attempt immediately followed harsh criticism she received online. That same day, PARTYNEXTDOOR posted an image of the singer in his bed. Some who thought Lani was still in a relationship with NBA star Kyrie Irving blasted her for cheating on the Cleveland Cavalier. Irving has since wished her well, but noted that they had broken up prior to the photo’s release.

Earlier this month, Kehlani also unleashed a new single, “24/7,” that deals with the ups and downs of life. “It’s OK to not be OK,” she sings on the track. “To dive in your pain / And it’s alright to not be alright / To search for your light.”