Kehlani’s Mental Health Routine Is Non-Negotiable While Touring

Kehlani says protecting her mental health on tour means treating medication, movement, rest, nature and faith as daily non-negotiables.

Kehlani is opening up about the mental health routine she relies on while navigating one of the busiest stretches of her career. In a new Billboard cover conversation with longtime friend and collaborator Leon Thomas, the singer explained that her wellness cannot be treated as optional even when the demands of music pull her toward an irregular schedule.

The 31-year-old said her routine includes taking prescribed medication, going to the gym, practicing yoga, taking walks, spending time outside and making room for prayer. Those practices are not framed as occasional self-care, but as the structure she needs to stay steady while balancing studio sessions, performances and travel.

Kehlani also described how easily late-night recording can throw basic habits out of balance, with artists sometimes sleeping through daylight, missing meals and returning to the studio hours later. “I have to have a routine supporting my wellness so I can freaking survive,” she said, making clear that consistency is what helps counter the grind-heavy rhythm of the industry.

That perspective also shaped Kehlani’s broader message about the music business, where she argued that artist well-being deserves the same seriousness often given to marketing and career momentum. She called for greater wellness support across the industry, stressing that artists need to be cared for as people if they are expected to keep creating at a high level.

Kehlani publicly disclosed in April 2025 that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. A year later, she said medication, therapy and a growing awareness of her symptoms and triggers had helped her communicate more clearly with friends and professionals about when she needs additional support.

The comments arrive during a major career run for Kehlani, whose “Folded” became her first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit and earned her first two Grammy wins. Her self-titled fifth album followed with a No. 4 debut on the Billboard 200, and she is now carrying that momentum into the 44-date Kehlani World Tour, making the discipline behind her routine especially relevant as the schedule continues.