By: Caitlyn Reynolds
Kehlani pictured at Amoeba Music Hollywood record signing event meeting with fans,
photos via: Amoeba Hollywood's Instagram, 04/29/2022.
Besides Record Store Day's return entirely in person post-2020, one of the largest record stores in the country Amoeba Music is back hosting artist album signings and in-store meets with their fans. Musicians across genres have participated in the album signing event. From Omar Apollo’s signing the previous week for his latest release “Ivory” (April 13), to icons Stevie Nicks and Billy Idol’s album record store event signings.
Amoeba Music Hollywood was the first one out of the six record stores who welcomed R&B singer and songwriter, Kehlani, to celebrate the release day of their third studio album “blue water road” (BWR) for an in-store signing and meeting, April 29.
The 27-year-old Oakland-born artist met fans across the U.S. and signed CDs of BWR. During the first signing at Amoeba’s location in Hollywood, there was no word of a vinyl release for the BWR album. At the time, Kehlani hadn’t released BWR’s translucent blue and crystal web store vinyls, or Urban Outfitters’ exclusive turquoise pressing of the album.
The record stores: Amoeba Music Hollywood, Amoeba Music Berkley, Rough Trade NYC, Creep Records (Philadelphia), DBS Sounds (Georgia), and Reckless Records (Chicago) had fans purchase the BWR CD in store, which included a provided ticket or wristband of entry to the signing.
The event started at 1:00 p.m., yet the line began to shift towards the entrance of the store where fans began to purchase a copy of the album inside. The line at 10:15 a.m. on Hollywood Boulevard for the signing at Amoeba Music Hollywood stretched past The Fonda Theater. BWR CDs were quickly selling out, and when the store officially opened at 11:00 a.m., the CD’s were almost gone.
“Sorry guys, we’re not going to have enough tickets,” said an Amoeba crew member.
Another Amoeba crew member who was stationed at the entrance gave posters of the event to those who didn’t have the chance to purchase a copy of the CD. The crew member told fans who were able to receive a ticket to line up on Argyle Avenue or return when the event started with their ticket at 1:00 p.m. 329 people were able to receive a ticket to the signing before they sold out.
“I drove all the way from Arizona. I didn’t expect them to be out so quick. I thought they opened the store at eleven,” Au’Vious Borjuana had said under a post of the sold out event on Amoeba Music Hollywood's Instagram page.
image on the left was the line on Hollywood Blvd pictured before fans received the signing event ticket; center image was of Kehlani’s event poster from the signing at Amoeba Hollywood; the right image was where Kehlani signed copies of BWR
Over 500 people anticipated to meet Kehlani, but when it comes to events at record stores artists have little to no control how the record stores run an event, or what fans can/can’t do at given signings. The artist’s job is to arrive at the designated time. Nonetheless, Kehlani took pictures with their fans regardless of the written rules, “No outside items,” and “NO PHOTOS”.
The signing of BWR at Amoeba in Hollywood was Marissa Jauregui’s first time seeing Kehlani in person. She had been a fan of their music since Kehlani’s debut mixtape “Cloud 19”. The first song Jauregui was exposed to when she began following Kehlani’s music was “1st Position” off of the 8-track album released in 2014.
“I listened to “1st Position” and it just- I was like- that’s a vibe. We’re going to stick with it, and then it’s just been this long,” Jauregui said.
Jauregui is from Riverside, California, and wanted to make sure she secured a spot in line to receive a ticket to see Kehlani when she purchased her CD for the signing. While she was on the freeway that morning she said there wasn’t traffic because she left when it was still dark out. She arrived at Amoeba at 4:00 a.m. in the front of the line.
“This is my first time ever seeing her. I’m super excited, super nervous,” Jauregui said.
BWR had been out since 9:00 p.m. PST Thursday night, and fans had been streaming the artist’s music through speakers while they waited in line for the event to begin down Argyle Avenue, continuing on Selma Avenue. In addition to BWR, they played their songs “Hate The Club,” “Nights Like This,” “CRZY;” they wore “It Was Good Until It Wasn’t” shirts from Kehlani’s previous album released in 2020, and held their gifts to give Kehlani when they were going to see them.
“I got here yesterday, I went to the VIP listening party, and then the album release party, '' Lopez said. “At the listening party she asked us if we were going, and she talked to her manager, he came out, and got us”.
images left and right via @kehlanidiary instagram stories; 04/29 from the event of fans before the signing; the center image is Sofia Lopez on the right and Marrisa Jauregui on the left via @kehlanisource
From San Diego, Sophia Lopez who is behind the account @pieceuhvmind was also one of the first people in line to meet Kehlani. She stood with Jauregui and Julia Hope before they met them at the signing. Like Lopez, Hope attended the VIP listening party and album release party that night, where Kehlani’s friends and artists including Destin Conrad, Jessie Reyez, Mario, Kaytranada, to name a few who attended. Michael Arinze is one of the photographers who captured memories from the night.
“I flew out from Miami. I flew out yesterday for this event, but then we got invited to the radio listening party, so we went to that- then we got invited to the album release party,” Hope said.
Hope runs the account behind @kehlanisource and captured fans from the event at Amoeba Hollywood’s record store signing, and keeps up with all updates on the artist. Inside, Kehlani sat behind a black table where they signed BWR CD’s, smiled and laughed with fans, their team, and their daughter Adeya Nomi located at the back of the store.
“It’s amazing (the event signing), it's all been fun,” Kehlani said.
Kehlani- blue water road Limited UO LP pictured in the center image; blue water road crystal vinyl left image; blue water road store exclusive translucent blue vinyl right image; blue water road (Autographed Version CD) from Amoeba Music
BWR stretches thirteen songs including a 1988 sample of Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” on “wish i never,” Jessie Reyez on “more than i should,” Justin Bieber on “up at night” and consists a total of five features on the album.
The next album signing event following Kehlani at Amoeba Music Hollywood is Bob Moses (May 11), and Jack Harlow (May 12) for his album, “Come Home the Kids Miss You”.
video retrieved off of Kehlani's Instagram ; filmed by videographer from the event Gabe Phoenix; accompanied by photographer Brianna Alysse
Caitlyn Reynolds can be reached @cnreyno1@uci.edu
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