MAHALIA: LONDON, ENGLAND
Credit: Mahalia on Instagram
What’s something we’re leaving behind in 2023? Situationships, when Twitter was still officially called Twitter, and Riverdale.
And what are we taking into 2024? Defining the relationship, plenty of Twitter alternatives, and the lovergirl and vocal powerhouse that is Mahalia.
Returning to the Eventim Apollo stage for the first time since she was 13 and supporting Ed Sheeran, the Leicester-born beaut blew the sold-out venue away. Utilising the space typically designed for musicals and performances, she had a small multi-tier stage with a square for her and her three-piece band -- though she preferred getting closer to the crowd when she could.
Now that she’s a London-based musician, she pulled out all the stops for this headline show. The show contained a mixture of new songs off her latest album IRL and some classics like ‘Plastic Plants’ and ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’ because as she explains, she personally hates going to shows where artists just play the songs off their latest album.
Her well-refined ability to trap a crowd with a simple note or two-step was breathtakingly evident from the first second of her opening song ‘Ready’, which laid the groundwork for Mahalia to stake a claim on that stage.
Though she was open about her nerves, even leading the crowd through a quick breathing exercise before continuing on with the show, the nerves visibly tamed throughout her second song ‘Simmer’. The way her hips (and hair) flowed would put any ocean to shame and it was as if the whole audience was just dancing with her in a club to her songs.
Even though she has worldwide acclaim with Grammy and Brit Award nominations and Mobo wins, she’s a lover girl like the rest of us. The effortless empathy and wit Mahalia exuded as she weaved stories about the highs and lows of her love life in between her songs gave a deeper meaning to songs that we’ve all come to attach to our own romantic highs and lows.
She explained that she’s been on “her lover girl shit” since she was young, always taking her relationships seriously and feeling every emotion so intensely in those relationships. It shows in songs like the enthralling and eye-opening ‘Sober’ that came from a wine-drunk writing session in her mum’s basement at 18 or ‘Wassup’ (featuring surprise guest Kojey Radical), a reminder to ask whoever you’re having a thing with about their intentions and to speak your mind.
Halfway through the set, Mahalia brought out her close friend and Noughties pop icon, JoJo for ‘Cheat’, a performance that juxtaposed and called back to Brandy & Monica’s iconic ‘The Boy Is Mine’. Even with JoJo’s mic issues, you could hear her impressive belts and crisp lyrics from the back of the Apollo.
The crowd’s excitement steadily increased through the night and came to a climax with Stormzy’s surprise appearance during ‘November’ — a waltz-inspired love song that Mahalia intended for people to take their first dances to. Though you could hardly hear Stormzy’s part in the song, the glimpses of his vocals were well worth it.
As the night drew to a close with the encore, the tea-spilling and sipping icon came back on stage, with a tea mug to match her bodysuit, to sing some fan favourites like ‘Terms and Conditions’ and ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’. Though with ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’ it was more the crowd than Mahalia, but who can blame a crowd of twenty-somethings letting out their frustrations? Even lover girls have bad times, too.
So the next time Mahalia graces the stage of the Eventim Apollo (or any venue), it’ll be worth it to get a pit ticket and bring some earplugs (especially if she brings back Stormzy).
Alex Shukri
★★★★☆