Photo: Wenn
Londoners hearts were stolen last night by the ethereal, soulful sounds of Izzy Bizu who was backed by an impressive live band.
Before this month’s release of her debut album, A Moment of Madness, Izzy Bizu had already graced the Park Stage at this years Glastonbury festival and prepped her audience with the likes of singles ‘Adam and Eve’ and ‘Mad Behaviour’. Having seeing Bizu three years ago at Boxpark’s Shoreditch Acoustic Afternoon progress to play a show to a diverse crowd of ecstatic fans as big as this is quite something.
The performance kicked off with ‘Lost Paradise’, followed by the narratively enchanting ‘Naïve Soul’ and ‘Give Me Love’. The delicateness of her voice carried the evening as she closed her eyes whilst magically hitting the high notes.
Bizu's speaking voice contrasted with her singing voice, being that she revealed a more introverted and timid side when she introduced herself. Yet she still had everyone bouncing on their spot and dancing to songs like ‘Skinny’. The band laced the night with perfect harmonies through soulful basslines and trumpet solos. As Bizu welcomed HONNE to the stage, everyone knew what was to come next. They sang ‘Someone That Loves You’ together in a serenading manner, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes. The ambiance of the room changed as she recited a reggae-infused take on Outkast’s ‘Ms Jackson’, creating a rhythm for dancers alike to enjoy.
It appeared that the critically acclaimed song, ‘White Tiger’, would end the show. Bizu sang her heart out and raised the audience’s energy as everyone sang along with her; but an encore was highly demanded. Bizu left the stage but came back moments later to perform her last song which she referred to as coming from her Crouch End rooftop sessions. Engaging the hearts and minds of fans, it’s no doubt that the 22-year old has laid a foundation to become one of the UK’s most adored and revered artists of modern times.
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