Kehlani Taps Missy Elliott for Collaborative Single ‘Back and Forth’

Kehlani dropped a new single, “Back and Forth,” which features Missy Elliott. The rousing track comes ahead of the singer’s new self-titled album, out April 24 via Atlantic Records.

The R&B-inspired track sees Kehlani trading vocals with Elliott before joining forces on the chorus as they declare independence: “I ain’t goin’ back and forth tonight/ I’m goin’ out.”

Kehlani announced Kehlani, her fifth studio LP, last month. The singer took to Instagram to reveal the self-titled project, noting that its release will coincide with her 31st birthday, marking a full-circle moment in her life and career. The upcoming LP also signals a new chapter following Kehlani’s 2024 album, Crash, which featured the Grammy-nominated single “After Hours.”

Speaking to Rolling Stone about Crash, Kehlani said, “Honestly, I just want people to have an experience. I want people to just love singing and dancing again. It is really that simple. It’s such a personal moment for me right now to be proving myself. I feel so personally just motivated to rewrite my story, and I hope that trickles into the experience that people have. I hope people feel empowered.”

She added, “I contributed a lot to R&B in the last 10 years, and I think it gets overlooked. I’m one of the few that are still remaining from my coming-out time [as an artist], and I think that’s important. To still be able to make splashes like this 10 years in, I think it’s a big deal.”

Kehlani will perform at the Roots Picnic 2026 in Philadelphia in May, joining Erykah Badu, Jay-Z, and Brandy. This year’s festival will take place at Belmont Plateau, marking a new chapter after years at its previous home at the Mann Center.