BOSTON — Kehlani delivered a music class unlike any other for a group of elementary students this week. The singer, fresh off two Grammy wins for ‘Folded,’ broke down the essentials of rhythm and blues, emphasizing how the genre supports emotional openness.

Students ditched math worksheets for discussions on love, heartbreak and healing. Kehlani told the class R&B matters because ‘it helps you express big feelings.’ The artist added that the music taught them vulnerability, especially for those rarely given space to show it. For kids learning to identify emotions, the lesson hit home.

Questions flew fast. Children asked about fame’s daily grind, celebrity life and whether Kehlani ever met Michael Jackson. One student probed the inspiration behind ‘Out the Window,’ Kehlani’s November single, but the singer kept that ex-partner’s name under wraps. The exchange stayed candid, revealing kids’ curiosity about both tunes and the talent behind them.

Kehlani zeroed in on R&B’s building blocks: groove and sound, soul and motion, plus the distinction between riffs and runs. A riff, they explained, repeats a short musical phrase. A run slides smoothly through notes, often fast and precise. These tools, Kehlani said, create the genre’s raw emotional punch.

The session peaked with action. Students donned neon outfits echoing 1990s R&B videos, then shot a classroom remix of the ‘Out the Window’ video with Kehlani directing. Energy surged as the kids danced and lip-synced. Drawing on parenting experience, Kehlani offered steady encouragement through the chaos.

This classroom stint arrives as Kehlani builds steam. The two Grammy nods for ‘Folded’ cap a strong run, with a new album slated for late March. The appearance highlights music’s reach beyond entertainment, into lessons on confidence and honest feelings, according to organizers of Celebrity Substitute.

Episodes like this one highlight artists bridging worlds. Kehlani’s approach mixed technical breakdowns with personal stories, leaving students buzzing about R&B’s power. The full video captures every beat and breakthrough.