Kehlani Has Divided Her Fan Base by Speaking out About Politics — See What She Said

Kehlani is best known for her singing, songwriting, and dancing, as the star has been dominating the charts since she was a member of the pop group PopLyfe. Now a solo artist, Kehlani has a bit more freedom to make music her own way and manage her own social image. That includes her personal beliefs and politics, which she's become increasingly vocal about.

As is the case when any celebrity steps outside the realm of their profession, Kehlani has faced a mix of praise and backlash for her stances. The latter includes fan criticism, professional consequences, and even threats to her life. None of that has stopped the singer, though, as she continues to share her views.

While Kehlani speaks about a variety of political issues, the two main stances that have caught the world's attention are regarding the Israel/Palestine conflict and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The singer has made it abundantly clear that she isn't a fan of either one.

Kehlani has been advocating for the Palestinian cause since 2023. The singer has referred to Israel as an apartheid state, spoken out against the country's attacks on Gaza, and called out celebrities who have stayed silent on the matter. As a result, Kehlani had a slew of scheduled performances cancelled, and was labelled "antisemitic." The backlash became so extreme that the star received threats to her life, and her concerts were labeled as "security concerns" and a "risk to public safety."

In response, Kehlani tried to educate those who seem to be under the impression that there is no difference between Jewish people and the Israeli government (ironically, that sentiment is antisemitic). The singer wrote on her Instagram, "I am not antisemitic, nor anti-Jew. I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women — that’s what I’m anti."

When it comes to issues back home, Kehlani has been just as outspoken. The celebrity has taken to Instagram to share her thoughts about ICE, and she didn't hold back. Kehlani wrote, "Public service announcement: Don’t ever fix your mouth to speak to me, or ask for a photo, or compliment me if you work for ICE. I’m dead to you. Don’t acknowledge me and delete all my music." While that's not really how fame works, and artists can't control who enjoys their music, we get the sentiment.

So far, none of Kehlani's performances have been cancelled due to her ICE-related politics. Of course, that can still change with time. For now, the singer only has to contend with fans' comments. While most seemed to agree with her general opinion, many criticized that she's all talk and no action. To quote one Reddit user, "We are long past the point of performative PR statements from celebrities mattering." That's fair.