Mahalia Ends Tour With Passion and Pride at The Sinclair
October 26, 2019 | By Liliana Piña, Photos by Patric Song
Alternative R&B singer, songwriter, and actress Mahalia enchanted the sold-out crowd at The Sinclair on Oct. 23, her smooth, soulful vocals alluring the audience at every turn. The 21-year-old artist, who was born and bred in Leicestershire, England, wrote her first song at just eight years old, and was signed to Asylum Records UK (a subsidiary of Atlantic Records) at 13. She released her first EP, Never Change, in 2015 and has dropped several projects since then, including her debut studio album Love and Compromise. Released in September of this year, the album showcases Mahalia’s unique sound and features lyrics that explore what it means to love yourself and others as a young woman in our modern world.
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Photos by Patric Song
When Mahalia emerged onstage, clad in a black open-backed crop top and matching joggers, the crowd welcomed her with an uproar of applause. Several fans screamed, “I love you!” as Mahalia beamed her dazzling smile at the audience. As her accompanying band emerged onstage, Mahalia greeted the crowd with excitement, before making a disclaimer about the show. This being her last stop on her U.S. tour, she was beginning to lose her voice and was scared that it would affect her music, so she asked the audience to shout the lyrics to her songs and help her sing them. The audience cheered at this revelation, and after Mahalia encouraged fans to just be in this room with her — without the distractions of cell phones or the worries of everyday life — she launched straight into her first song of the night, Do Not Disturb.
The crowd danced and swayed to the beat of the music as Mahalia effortlessly ran through the track, her body accentuating each and every lyric. Orange and red lights highlighted her feisty stage persona as she confidently strut in front of the audience, pausing to shake her hips every so often, much to the crowd’s delight. She ended the song with another show-stopping smile, before demurely telling the audience that she needed a moment. She disappeared backstage and reemerged with a cup of tea to soothe her sore throat. The audience was endeared by this act, several “aww’s” emanating from the crowd, and Mahalia returned to her calming hot beverage several times during the show.
As a preface to her next song, Mahalia talked about the strong women in her life, and expressed gratitude toward her mother, who played a pivotal role in both her music career and personal life. “This next song is one of my favorites of the minute,” Mahalia said as the tantalizing notes of Good Company trickled from the venue’s speakers. As the house illuminated with blue and green pulsing lights, Mahalia’s vocals turned sultry and sexy. She hugged herself as she sang the song’s meaningful lyrics, simultaneously demonstrating both her self-love and desire to be genuinely loved by another. The audience swayed gently to the beat, the small venue enveloping the intimacy of the song.
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