Kehlani is having the kind of year that feels almost too good to be true and she is not letting it slow down. Fresh off two Grammy wins for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song, the singer arrived at the 2026 iHeartRadio Awards as one of the night’s most talked-about stars, not just for her accolades but for the three distinct looks she wore throughout the evening. With a self-titled album dropping next month and a headlining slot at the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture already locked in, Kehlani is clearly operating at a different level.
3 outfits, one unforgettable night
Stylist Alejandra LaPilusa dressed Kehlani in three carefully considered ensembles that each told a different story. Look 1 was a bold black and red corset dress that leaned into drama and edge. Look 2 shifted the mood entirely with a vibrant yellow two piece decorated with white appliqué, bringing an airy, artistic energy to the carpet. Look 3, a yellow halter dress studded with silver hardware, landed somewhere between glamour and rock, giving the night a dynamic finale.
Hair stylist Quran Smith rounded out the transformation, swapping out Kehlani’s recent close-cropped pixie cut for elegant waves that added softness and movement to each look.
The makeup vision from Troye Antonio
Celebrity makeup artist Troye Antonio was behind Kehlani’s glam for the evening, and his approach was rooted in balance: radiant but not overdone, defined but never heavy. His goal was a look that would read beautifully both under stage lighting and in close-up photography, with skin that appeared genuinely healthy and lit from within.
To achieve that, Antonio worked almost entirely with Beauty Creations products, layering and building rather than applying anything with a heavy hand.
How the look came together, product by product
Antonio started by constructing a luminous, well hydrated base, then used the Beauty Creations Liquid Blush in Pink Thing alongside the Blush Hush Powder Blush in My Favorite to sculpt and warm the face with dimension that still looked effortless.
For the eyes, he reached for the Riding Solo Single Shadow Vol. 2 in Shooting Stars, using it to gently define Kehlani’s lids without competing with the rest of the look. Take Me Somewhere Silk Lashes in Bahamas finished the eye, adding just enough flutter to make an impression.
The lips were styled for a glossy, modern finish using the Wooden Lip Pencil in La Vida Mocha to shape and define, followed by the Tinted Luxe Lip Oil in Headliner to deliver that high-shine, dewy effect that has become one of the season’s most sought-after beauty signatures.
The energy in the room
According to Antonio, the preparation for the night was as intentional as the final look itself. The atmosphere was calm and focused, with music playing and a general sense of grounded positivity guiding the process. For Antonio, being part of creating a meaningful moment for an artist is at the core of what makes the work feel worthwhile and with a performer as expressive and emotionally present as Kehlani, the collaboration carries extra weight.
What comes next for Kehlani
The iHeartRadio Awards appearance is only one stop on what is shaping up to be a landmark stretch for Kehlani. Her self-titled album arrives next month, and anticipation has been building steadily since her Grammy wins earlier this year. Later this summer, she is set to take the stage at the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture, one of the most celebrated events in R&B and Black culture on the annual calendar.
For fans who have followed her career through its many evolutions musically and aesthetically this moment feels like a full arrival. The three looks she wore at the iHeartRadio Awards were not just fashion choices. They were a statement.
