Predictions Are In [Billboard 200]: Kehlani’s ‘Kehlani’ on Pace for the Biggest Debut of 2026 for a Female R&B Album

Kehlani‘s eponymous new album is Billboard 200 bound with an apparent destination of the chart’s top 10!

Kehlani’s ‘Kehlani’

Predicted First-Week Sales (SPS): 67,000 units

Predicted First-Week Sales (Pure): 18,000 units

Predicted Billboard 200 Debut: #3-5

With forecasted total sales of 67,000, Kehlani’s ‘Kehlani‘ is expected to premiere at #4 on next week’s Billboard 200.

If the prediction rings true, it will mark the fourth time of her career she’s seen a project reach the chart territory following the #3, #2, and #9 peaks of 2017’s ‘SweetSexySavage,’ 2019’s ‘While We Wait,’ and 2020’s ‘It Was Good Until It Wasn’t.’

Home to singles ‘Out the Window,’ ‘Back and Forth,’ and the Hot 100 top t0 smash ‘Folded,’ ‘Kehlani’ has not only also been greeted with tremendous critical acclaim from music enthusiasts with many hailing the superstar-heavy LP the year’s top release for its genre.

On the commercial front, the effort is poised to mirror that success if the prediction above rings true as it will be the top Billboard 200 opening for any female-led R&B LP released this year.

Among K’s own discography, however, the new album’s debut will likely be her third biggest to date following the 83,000 sold by ‘Wait’ and 68,000 shifted by ‘SweetSexySavage’ at their respective chart premieres.

We’ll find out for sure where ‘Kehlani’ lands when Billboard updates its official album chart on Sunday (May 3).