Kehlani discusses importance of her routine to manage bipolar disorder

“I have to have a routine supporting my wellness so I can freaking survive,” the singer said in a conversation with Leon Thomas for Billboard.

Kehlani says that her wellness practices are “not an option” when it comes to staying on top of her mental health.

In a conversation with Leon Thomas for this month’s Billboard cover story, the 31-year-old singer discussed the aspects of her routine that are essential to managing her bipolar disorder.

“I am clinically diagnosed as bipolar. I take medicine. I have to go to the gym; it’s not an option,” she told Thomas. “I have to do yoga, take walks. I have to spend time in nature: sit in the park or go wiggle my toes in somebody’s grass. I have to build a relationship with God. I have to pray.”

For the singer, whose 2025 breakout hit “Folded” won her her first Grammy after over 15 years of being a performer, prioritizing health is even more challenging as a working musician trying to break through.

“You get in this cycle where you wake up at 6 p.m. because you were at the studio until 7 a.m. You’ve missed a whole day of sunshine,” she said. “There’s no meal. You go back to the studio at 8 p.m. You grind or die. I have to have a routine supporting my wellness so I can freaking survive.”

Earlier in the interview, Kehlani also pointed out that support for mental health and wellness should come from the industry at large.

“We need a lot more support for our wellness,” she said. “It’s just as important as how we care for and market the music. How do we ensure this person is well and can survive, because art only comes when we can take care of ourselves.”

The Oakland-born artist first opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder in April 2025, when she celebrated her 30th birthday. She reflected on the moment, emphasizing that many other people in her position lose the battle with their mental health.

“i never saw myself making it to 30 growing up. 1 in 10 BPD diagnosed people die at their own hands. 7 in 10 make an attempt. i’ve had a crazy life.. but the last year changed my world,” she wrote in the Instagram caption.

“accountability, commitment, growth and change. finally having a diagnosis (BPD & Bipolar disorder), medication, routine, discipline, sobriety, solitude, GOD and commitment to wholeness alone.. changed my world.”

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