The 2026 BET Awards were already shaping up to be an unforgettable night of music, but R&B powerhouse Kehlani turned the Peacock Theater into a temple of pure, stripped-back vocal majesty. On Sunday, June 28, the Oakland-born singer delivered a jaw-dropping performance of her massive, Grammy-winning smash-hit single, “Folded.”
Before heading out, Kehlani stopped to chat with reporters on the red carpet and teased that she was planning to do something she’s never done before on a major awards stage. She is best known for her very active choreography and her dancing all around the stage, and she promised she would just “stand there and sing.”She did just that and more, giving the audience what she called her “final farewell performance” of the era-defining track.
Star-Studded Trio Takes Center Stage
When the lights came up on the BET stage, the audience didn’t see backing tracks, big visual effects, or a huge dance troupe. Instead, there was a total emphasis on live, raw instrumentation.
Onstage was Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx, sitting at a grand piano, laying down the soulful, elegant chord structures for the track. Foxx’s daughter, Annalise Bishop, joined in from the side of the piano, adding a perfect live guitar performance to keep the rhythm going and adding to the intimate family-and-friends feel.
Under a cinematic spotlight, Kehlani was center stage in a chic gown and heels. She poured all her emotional weight into the microphone, without the distraction of choreography. Her live vocals flowed effortlessly through the intricate runs and deeply vulnerable words of “Folded,” a stark, breathtaking contrast to the high-octane rap medleys that filled the rest of the broadcast.
Farewell to an Era That Defined a Career
For Kehlani, this particular performance was a huge layer of closure. “The performance was supposed to be a beautiful exclamation point on the single,” she said, discussing her creative path. Kehlani announced, “This is my last goodbye ‘Folded’ show. It’s not like I’m not going to sing the song anymore. But this is my last, like, hurrah, big ‘Folded’ moment. And then we have to sing a brand-new song.”
The track is the emotional center of her fifth studio album, Kehlani, and has spent the last year completely dominating the R&B space, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and taking home multiple Grammy Awards earlier in the year.
A Mind-Blowing Night of Wins
Minutes after the emotional high of her performance, it quickly became a competitive success. After her set with Foxx, Kehlani was announced as the winner of the coveted Best Female R&B/Pop Artist award, beating out a stacked field of contemporary titans.
Alan Jackson Nashville Farewell Concert Setlist Reveals Every Song From His Final Live Show The singer was clearly overwhelmed by the back-to-back milestones as she took the stage to accept her trophy. She kept it 100% real with her fans, later confessing on social media that night that she’s “too mind-blown for words” to properly process the pure love in the room.
Aman Rawat covers entertainment stories across movies, television, streaming platforms, music, celebrities, and pop culture. His reporting keeps readers updated on what’s trending, what’s releasing, and what’s making headlines in the entertainment world.