Janet Jackson’s “Folded” Transition Earns Praise From Kehlani

Key Takeaways:

• Janet Jackson surprised fans by blending Kehlani’s “Folded” with her classic “Any Time, Any Place” during a live performance.
• Kehlani responded on social media, calling Jackson “the one and only” and her “Taurus legend.”
• The moment adds momentum to Kehlani’s album rollout and highlights her growing influence in R&B.

Is it too late for another “Folded” remix? We think not! On Tuesday (Dec. 30), Kehlani (who uses she/they pronouns) reacted to Janet Jackson transitioning from her viral smash hit to “Any Time, Any Place” during a recent show.

In a video reposted on Instagram, Kehlani’s “I’ll let your body decide if this is good enough for you / Already folding it for you / Already folding up for you” chorus played before Jackson — dressed in a denim jumpsuit — launched into the janet. single. She sang, “In the thundering rain / You stare into my eyes.”

Kehlani wrote, “THE ONE AND ONLY @janetjackson… #Folded ‘My Taurus’ legend.” See footage from the performance below.

“I SMELL A GRAMMMMYYY,” someone wrote under Kehlani’s post, referring to “Folded” being nominated for both Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Another reply read, “Man, ‘Folded’ and ‘Any Time, Any Place’ would make a damn good mashup.”

Someone else added, “Imagine a Janet version of ‘Folded.’” Kehlani already recruited R&B icons Brandy, Toni Braxton, Mario, and Tank for her Folded Homage Pack in October. Expanding that remix EP might not be on her agenda, but who knows, fans could possibly get a collaboration with Jackson on her upcoming album.

While she hasn’t revealed the LP’s name yet, Kehlani confirmed it will feature Usher and may also include contributions from Ne-Yo, Jermaine Dupri, and Bryan-Michael Cox. Speaking with Rolling Stone about what she’s most excited to bring to life on the full-length effort — which is executive produced by Khris Riddick-Tynes — the “Out The Window” singer explained, “Honestly, I just want people to have an experience. I want people to just love singing and dancing again. It is really that simple.”

She continued, “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.”