Kehlani & Monaleo Speak on Balancing Music and Motherhood at Billboard House

Closing the Billboard House summit during Billboard ’s 2026 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players celebration was the “Like Minded” panel on Wednesday (Sept.

9) presented by BetterHelp.

Featuring Grammy-winning singer Kehlani and rising rapper Monaleo — also both mothers — the conversation focused on motherhood, identity and caring for yourself while caring for others.

Moderating on behalf of BetterHelp were Sonni Williams, a licensed professional counselor specializing in perinatal mental health, and Gail Mitchell, Billboard ’s Editor at Large, R&B/Hip-Hop.

Kehlani and Monaleo insightfully answered five questions about balancing their professional and family lives.

Here are some soundbites: What truth about motherhood do you wish women were given permission to admit — without having their love for their children questioned? Kehlani: Being able to admit that it’s hard … a nuanced hard in having to find the time and space to have your own identity, especially when you’re a young mom and like go out with your homegirls and wild out sometimes — and not make you question if you’re the kind of mom you should be.

Obviously, we’re working moms so we already deal with that battle internally.

We want to spend more time; want things to be ideal, but they just aren’t.

Monaleo: Also, it’s about just coming to the realization that you’re going to make mistakes.

Everybody wants to feel like they’re the perfect mother. [But] it’s okay to admit that you’re going to drop the ball sometimes.

That humanizes our experience because there’s a lot of pressure put on moms to be superwomen.

I try to live up to that as much as I can, and I find myself really stretched.

But I have the opportunity to do better moving forward and just continue showing up for my child the best way that I can.

How has motherhood impacted your craft? Monaleo: It’s made me way more intentional.