The WNBA’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, announced its launch with an exciting video narrated by Kehlani. Shared on social media today (May 14), the clip debuted the team’s official name and logo.
“Born from the Bay, gilded in gold. This is where legends take flight, but our story has yet to be written,” they stated. Being an Oakland, CA native, Kehlani was a perfect choice for the voiceover, especially considering they performed at the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game.
The “Can I” singer quickly trended on Twitter as fans responded positively to the announcement. “Golden State’s rollout is already showing up some other WNBA franchises. And they got it narrated by Kehlani?” wrote one user on the app. “They understand their culture and are about to take off.”
Referencing Tessa Thompson’s role in Thor: Ragnarok, another said, “Sharing a name with a bisexual Tessa Thompson character and getting the announcement narrated by Kehlani?? That’s called REALLY knowing your audience, [Godd**n].”
The Valkyries, owned by Joe Lacob and led by Amanda Chin, will begin playing in the WNBA in 2025. Its home games will take place at the Chase Center, marking the return of a women’s basketball team to Northern California since the Sacramento Monarchs folded in 2009.
On the music side, Kehlani dropped “After Hours” in April. The Amber Park-directed visuals, which amassed over 1.4 million YouTube views at the time of reporting, were filmed at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. During the high-energy clip, the artist and their crew pull up for a round of drinks before breaking into choreography.
“After Hours,” which sampled Nina Sky’s “Move Ya Body,” reached No. 21 on the Billboard Rhythmic Airplay chart and No. 47 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs index this past week. The record also saw tremendous success on TikTok since its release.