Kehlani Says Brandy Should Be on Every Singer’s R&B Mount Rushmore: ‘Always Call Her a Mother’

Brandy earned the Vocal Bible nickname for a reason. Kehlani joined the latest episode of Big Boy’s Neighborhood where she sang the praises of Brandy, claiming that “The Boy Is Mine” singer should be on every artist’s R&B Mount Rushmore.

Even as Kehlani has enjoyed plenty of success in her own right, the Oakland native doesn’t see Brandy as a peer since she’s one of the R&B artists who inspired her and paved the way.

“I don’t think I would ever call my greats my peers,” she said. “Would never call her a peer. We’ll always call her a mother. Would always call her in my Mount Rushmore of R&B. I think every R&B singer that you ask if you’re talking about vocal GOATs, they’re gonna say Brandy. I would never, respectfully, get into an argument about Brandy Norwood. I would never be explaining Brandy Norwood to anyone.”

Kehlani joined Brandy on stage as a surprise guest at the Los Angeles show on The Boy Is Mine Tour, where she gave Brandy her flowers, hailing her as the “greatest of all-time” and then performed her top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Folded.”

“I’m just glad I got to give her her flowers,” she added. “Even if they had only brought me out to give her her flowers and say what I got to say, that would’ve been just as good as being able to sing my song. I also was really grateful to be there in Monica’s presence as well, and give her her flowers privately.”

Brandy and Monica reunited for the co-headlining The Boy Is Mine Tour, which kicked off in October and has North American dates left in Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Tampa Bay, Miami and Jacksonville.

As for Kehlani, she’s preparing to drop off her anticipated album next spring. “I usually come in spring,” she said. “I’m a spring baby.” The 30-year-old is riding high off the success of “Folded,” which reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 and “Out the Window” (No. 63 Hot 100 peak).

Watch the full interview below. Talk about Brandy begins just shy of 27 minutes in.