BTS are turning London into a citywide celebration ahead of their 'ARIRANG' shows•
Steve Lacy has teamed up with SZA on new single 'is it cool?'•
My First Time explore the urge to escape on new single 'Paris, Texas'•
deBasement have announced their new EP 'HARDBODY' and shared teaser track 'CUT THE LINE'
•
Mura Masa and Ledbyher join forces on break-driven new single 'Needja'•
Beck and Sierra Ferrell have teamed up for a new version of 'Ride Lonesome'•
Baby Queen turns the spotlight on herself with new album 'I Hope You Don't Remember Me'•
Cara Delevingne has released new single 'Need It', co-written with Fiona Apple•
Empress Of has announced her new album 'Dream House', featuring Blood Orange and Cecile Believe•
Ravyn Lenae weighs up an old flame on new single 'Saturday Night'•
Cruz Beckham has announced his debut EP 'Wear & Tear'•
Brandon Flowers has 'Plans' ahead of his solo return 'Thrasher'•
Carly Rae Jepsen has dropped her new single 'On Wires' ahead of double album 'Day and Night'•
Charli xcx has shared ‘Wink Wink’ from her upcoming album, ‘Music, Fashion, Film’•
Phoebe Bridgers heads to the Renaissance fair in her new ‘Lost Boys’ video•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
BTS are turning London into a citywide celebration ahead of their 'ARIRANG' shows•
Steve Lacy has teamed up with SZA on new single 'is it cool?'•
My First Time explore the urge to escape on new single 'Paris, Texas'•
deBasement have announced their new EP 'HARDBODY' and shared teaser track 'CUT THE LINE'•
Mura Masa and Ledbyher join forces on break-driven new single 'Needja'•
Beck and Sierra Ferrell have teamed up for a new version of 'Ride Lonesome'•
Baby Queen turns the spotlight on herself with new album 'I Hope You Don't Remember Me'•
Cara Delevingne has released new single 'Need It', co-written with Fiona Apple•
Empress Of has announced her new album 'Dream House', featuring Blood Orange and Cecile Believe•
Ravyn Lenae weighs up an old flame on new single 'Saturday Night'•
Cruz Beckham has announced his debut EP 'Wear & Tear'•
Brandon Flowers has 'Plans' ahead of his solo return 'Thrasher'•
Carly Rae Jepsen has dropped her new single 'On Wires' ahead of double album 'Day and Night'•
Charli xcx has shared ‘Wink Wink’ from her upcoming album, ‘Music, Fashion, Film’•
Phoebe Bridgers heads to the Renaissance fair in her new ‘Lost Boys’ video•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
flowerovlove has released her first-ever first Christmas track, 'wishlist'•
Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
JADE has announced a deluxe edition of her debut album, 'THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY! THE ENCORE'•
Dork
News
Features
Reviews
Magazine
Shop
Listings
Directory
Festivals
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION
Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST
Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS
Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT
Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD
Playlist Covers
Playlist Directory
Recommender
Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS
Music Video Directory
Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST
Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED
Dork Live
Dork Radio
Live
Live 24/7
Dork Radio
  1. Tracks
  2. Kehlani
  3. While We Wait 2
  4. Border
Border by Kehlani

TRACK

Kehlani

Border

Release date: 27th August 2024

From While We Wait 2
Track 6
3:14
R&B/SoulMusic
Spotify Apple Music More on Kehlani

About This Track

'Border' finds Kehlani wrestling with mental health struggles and the weight of others' judgement. The track moves between vulnerability and defiance, as Kehlani describes fighting to stay present through difficult days, dragging through overwhelming circumstances, and ultimately deciding to leave California in search of distance from "demons and disorders". Throughout, there's a plea for understanding from someone close enough to see past the outbursts and attitude. The song's emotional core sits in the tension between self-preservation and the fear of being misunderstood or institutionalised. Kehlani addresses exes who've written them off, a public quick to label them unstable, and the exhaustion of constantly having to explain or defend their mental state. In the final stretch, the lyrics shift sharply: a firm rejection of anyone who might weaponise their struggles or rewrite their story. It's a moment of reclamation, drawing a hard line between those who genuinely support recovery and those who exploit vulnerability for their own purposes.

"Border" is a track by Kehlani, from the album While We Wait 2, released 27th August 2024. The track is 3:14 long. It's filed under R&B/Soul. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 9 articles about Kehlani.

About the Artist

Kehlani

Kehlani

Lyrics

Border

You could be an angel, babe
And I wouldn't know it, I wouldn't give a damn, no way
Life has been passin' by, passin' me up
And I'm holdin' on for what it's worth
'Cause all I got is me and my faith (my faith)
That I fall hard, fought to keep down
And it's takin' me far from grounded
But it means somethin' that you're proud
'Cause I fight to stay way too many days
And I drag my feet through too many waves
Bigger than I can swim
Then I start again
Let's leave California
Maybe I need to cross the border
Away from my demons and disorders
Nothin' can catch us if we're runnin' forward
And maybe everyone here would call me crazy
And then you'd tell 'em it's the borderline
No one can catch me if I'm runnin' forward
And my exes wanna see me in a padded room
But I think I need nature and a Valium
You saw past my outbursts and my attitude
So I ain't mad at you, I still ain't mad at you
If they lock me up would you come visit?
And if they make me stay would you consider stayin'?
And waitin' outside, have you made up your mind?
I'm medicated this time
'Cause I fight to stay way too many days
And I drag my feet through too many waves
Bigger than I can swim
And then I start again
Let's leave California
Maybe I need to cross a border
Away from my demons and disorders
Nothin' can catch us if we're runnin' forward
And maybe everyone here would call me crazy
And then you'd tell 'em it's the borderline
I left to take care of myself
And you do not get to lie (don't lie)
You do not get to turn the thing that saved my life (don't make it up)
(Don't say I did something that I did not do, I'm not crazy)
And my explanation for what's been wrong with me my entire life
(You do not get to turn that into something for you to use)

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From While We Wait 2

3:142024
Listen
Album
While We Wait 2
While We Wait 2
Kehlani
28th August 2024
Track number
6
Release year
2024
  1. 1Love Like
    2:09
  2. 2When He's Not There (feat. Lucky Daye)
    4:28
  3. 3Clothes Off (feat. kwn)
    3:50
  4. 4S.I.N.G.L.E.
Watch the music video

Kehlani — Border

Kehlani — Border
3:15

 

Border

More from Kehlani

Albums & EPs

Kehlani
Kehlani
2026
When He’s Not There (feat. Lucky Daye)
When He’s Not There (feat. Lucky Daye)
2024
CRASH
CRASH
2024
blue water road
blue water road
2022
It Was Good Until It Wasn’t
It Was Good Until It Wasn’t
2020
While We Wait
While We Wait
2019

Explore

More tracks by Kehlani

  1. Anotha Luva (feat. Lil Wayne)Kehlani
    4:02
  2. Anotha Luva (feat. Lil Wayne)
  3. Anotha Luva (feat. Lil Wayne)
    4:02
  4. Back and Forth (feat. Missy Elliott)Kehlani
    3:35
  5. Call Me Back (feat. T-Pain & Lil Jon)
  6. Call Me Back (feat. T-Pain & Lil Jon)Kehlani
    3:20
  7. Call Me Back (feat. T-Pain & Lil Jon)
    3:20
  8. Cruise Control
  9. Cruise ControlKehlani
    3:05
  10. FoldedKehlani
    3:58

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Kehlani

Kiana Ledé

Kiana Ledé

Summer Walker

Summer Walker

kwn

kwn

Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét

Coco Jones

Coco Jones

Ella Mai

Ella Mai

Dork
Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

June 2026

Latest issue variants

View archive
Dork, June 2026 (Bleachers cover)

Bleachers

Dork, June 2026 (Myles Smith cover)

Myles Smith

Dork, June 2026 (Towa Bird cover)

Towa Bird

Advertise
|
Support|
About Dork|
Privacy Policy|
Genres|
Years|
Sitemap|
RSS|
Cookie settings
© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
Powered by PlaywireAdvertise on this site.
3:56
  • 5Know Better (feat. Lil' Mo & Vince Staples)
    3:23
  • 6Border
    3:14
  • 7Form of You (feat. DESTIN CONRAD & CHILDOFNINES)
    4:22
  • 8Let Me Down (San Diego Interlude)
    3:31
  • 9Around
    3:36
  • 10Ballin'
    3:00
  • 11First Life
    4:14
  • 12Slow Dance (feat. DIXSON)
    5:43
  • 138 (feat. FLO) [Remix]
    2:51
  • 14After Hours (feat. LUDMILLA) [Remix]
    3:28
  • —Form of You
  • —Slow Dance
  • —After Hours (Remix)
  • —When He's Not There
  • —Clothes Off
  • —Know Better
  • —Clothes Off (feat. kwn)
    3:50
  • —Form of You (feat. DESTIN CONRAD & CHILDOFNINES)
    4:22
  • Credits

    Production & Engineering

    Writer
    Jack Rochon, Kehlani, kwn, Morgan Belanger
    Producer
    Jack Rochon
    Assistant Mixing Engineer
    Chris Bhikoo, Jacob Richards
    Mastering Engineer
    Jaycen Joshua
    Mixing Engineer
    Jaycen Joshua
    READ MORE ABOUT KEHLANIREAD MORE ABOUT KEHLANIREAD MORE ABOUT KEHLANIREAD MORE ABOUT KEHLANI
    READ MORE ABOUT KEHLANIREAD MORE ABOUT KEHLANIREAD MORE ABOUT KEHLANIREAD MORE ABOUT KEHLANI
    Zara Larsson has released her all-female remix album ‘Midnight Sun: Girls Trip’, feat. Shakira, Robyn and more
    News

    Zara Larsson has released her all-female remix album ‘Midnight Sun: Girls Trip’, feat. Shakira, Robyn and more

    PinkPantheress, Kehlani and JT also feature on the reimagined record.

    1 May 2026 • 8:38 am
    Kehlani has dropped her new self-titled record, featuring Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Usher, Missy Elliott and more
    News

    Kehlani has dropped her new self-titled record, featuring Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Usher, Missy Elliott and more

    Festival appearances at Essence Festival, Afronation Portugal, and Roots Picnic are among the live plans confirmed in support of the record.

    24 Apr 2026 • 3:14 pm
    Kehlani has announced her new self-titled album
    News

    Kehlani has announced her new self-titled album

    The personal new record arrives in April with signed editions available to pre-order now.

    17 Mar 2026 • 5:14 pm
    Radio 1’s Big Weekend has added Olivia Dean, Niall Horan and Kehlani to its Sunderland takeover
    News

    Radio 1’s Big Weekend has added Olivia Dean, Niall Horan and Kehlani to its Sunderland takeover

    Tickets go on sale 5pm, Wednesday 11th March.

    10 Mar 2026 • 11:08 am
    Kehlani has teamed up with Justin Bieber for a new track, 'up at night'
    News

    Kehlani has teamed up with Justin Bieber for a new track, 'up at night'

    It's taken from her third album 'blue water road' - set for release on 29th April.

    31 Mar 2022 • 10:02 am
    Kehlani has shared the release date for her new album 'Blue Water Road'
    News

    Kehlani has shared the release date for her new album 'Blue Water Road'

    Following up on the already revealed singles 'Little Story' and 'Altar', the record is set to arrive on 29th April.

    24 Mar 2022 • 7:23 pm