After Hours

Album

Single

Label

Atlantic Records

Genre

Dance-pop

Composer(s)

Kehlani Parrish;Khristopher Riddick-Tynes;Alex Goldblatt;Daniel Upchurch;Diovanna Frazier;Cordel Burrell

Entered Chart

Jun 8, 2024

Peak Date

Jul 6, 2024

Released

April 4, 2024

This bouncy, dance-inspired song is a departure from Kehlani's usual sound. Lyrically, it's all about getting down to business. The Californian singer gets straight to the point, letting her love interest know it's time to ditch the pleasantries and make things happen, you know, "after hours." The track samples the drums from Nina Sky's 2004 hit "Move Ya Body," which itself recycles Jamaican producer Cordel Burrell's "Coolie Dance Riddim." A day of surfing in San Diego sparked the creation of "After Hours." Kehlani reminisced about "Move Ya Body" and how perfectly its energy fit the vibe she was going for. She wanted to create music that would make people move, a sonic antidote to the negativity bombarding us all. "Those drums, when they drop, it's so recognizable and everybody just loses it. It's one of those things where it drops and everybody goes, 'Woo,' and bends their knees and puts their hands on their knees," Kehlani explained to Apple Music's Zane Lowe. "Coming out of this pandemic to global tragedy to global tragedy to global tragedy, I was like I'm not really in a space to make something that feels super jarring or super sad," she added. "I'm very outspoken about these things, but I want my art to provide some kind of life and fun. I wanna hear this outside and I wanna feel good." Kehlani wrote "After Hours" with Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, Alex Goldblatt, Daniel Upchurch and Diovanna Frazier. Riddick-Tynes and Alex Goldblatt also produced the track. Khristopher Riddick-Tynes is one half of the production duo The Rascals along with Leon Thomas III. His other co-writes include Ariana Grande's "Safety Net" and SZA's "Snooze." Indiana producer Alex Goldblatt's other credits include 6lack's "Decatur" and Leigh-Anne's "My Love." The music video was filmed at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas and includes a special appearance by Cordel Burrell. Amber Park, who has worked with artists like Solange and SZA, directed the visual.

We don't gotta take it slow
I'ma hit the gas if you ready to go
I wanna feel the sweat, breathin' through your clothes
The way you touch my neck got me ready to fold

I wanna make magic (magic)
I want you to feel me (feel me)
I want you to grab it (grab it)
I want you to steal me (steal me)
If you want it, you can have it (have it)
I want you to free me (free me)
I'm not tryna lock you down

You came here on your own (own), own (own), own (own)
Caught up in your zone (zone), zone (zone), zone (zone, zone)
In a room full of strangers, different faces (yeah)
It feels like we're alone ('lone), 'lone ('lone), alone

Why don't you stay?
Stay here after hours
I know you don't wanna leave
Stay here after hours
After hours, we can-

We ain't gotta check the time
Even when it ends, it's still you, and I
We ain't even know they turned on the lights
We missed the last call ridin' on a high (oh, oh, oh, oh)

It's more than a moment (moment)
This can't be a memory (memory)
The party is over (over)
You wanna come with me (with me)
My home never closes (closes)
Just want you to feel free (feel free)
I'm not tryna lock you down

You came here on your own (own), own (own), own (own)
Caught up in your zone (zone), zone (zone), zone (zone)
In a room full of strangers, different faces (yeah)
It feels like we're alone ('lone), 'lone ('lone), alone

Why don't you stay? (Why don't you stay?)
Stay here after hours (after hours)
I know you don't wanna leave (leave)
Stay here after hours (after hours)
After hours, we can

(Oh, whoa-whoa)
Ooh
(Oh, whoa-whoa)
Tell your friends to go, you can stay for a little while (oh, whoa-whoa)
(Oh, whoa-whoa)
Mm, mm (oh, whoa-whoa)
If you wanna stay, you can stay for a little while (oh whoa-whoa, oh whoa-whoa, oh whoa-whoa)

Why don't you stay? (Why don't you stay?)
Stay here after hours (stay here after hours, girl, why don't you stay?)
I know you don't wanna leave (you don't wanna leave)
Stay here after hours (after hours)
After hours, we can

(Oh, whoa-whoa, oh, whoa-whoa)
Tell your friends to go, you can stay for a little while (oh, whoa-whoa)
(Oh, whoa-whoa)
(Oh, whoa-whoa)
You ain't gotta go, you can stay for a little while (oh whoa-whoa, oh whoa-whoa, oh whoa-whoa)