More about: Mahalia

Tonight, Mahalia is returning to the stage to perform her rescheduled Brixton headliner and it’s clear that the crowd have been waiting two years for this night to come. The stalls are packed up to the bars by 8pm—a whole hour before Mahalia is due on—and the crowd are enjoying the support act, Berwyn.

Mahalia's set is simple yet effective: white tulle curtains alongside the use of colourful lighting and pyrotechnics create atmosphere. It's a stage set-up that doesn’t distract from Mahalia’s naturally amazing voice. 

Mahalia opens up with ‘Sober’, a fan favourite that has over 47 million streams on Spotify. The crowd sing every line and strangers are dancing with each other: this is something everyone in this room has dreamt of doing for the past two years and it feels beyond magical.

Between each song, Mahalia speaks about life lessons she’s learnt, particularly those from lockdown. She mentions three that have stuck with her: how she loves her home in Leicester, how she has an amazing, supportive family and that it’s become clear she’s afraid of being by herself. She goes on to mention that it’s been scary living in a London flat by herself and it’s taken time to be okay with it. 

I get the feeling that many here tonight relate to Mahalia’s lessons and this is why her fans love her—he’s honest and down to earth. The room is filled with appreciation for one another and where we are today in terms of the pandemic. 

The three guest appearances of the night are AJ Tracey with ‘Roadside’, Pa Salieu, ’Energy’ and Jacob Collier, ’All I Need’. All three songs are loved by the crowd and AJ Tracey even rewinds the track to get a second reaction to his appearance.

Mahalia usually ends her concerts with ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’, as it leaves everyone on a high, but she plays it penultimately with pink confetti falling from the ceiling. As she feels Brixton is a milestone for her, she reflects on life once again and speaks on how her confidence has fluctuated throughout the years. “Get the hell off Instagram!” She shouts and tells us: “Everyday find things that make you genuinely happy!”

Her last song of the night, ’17’, is dedicated to her parents. A fitting song choice to end an emotional and reflective night.

It is evident that Mahalia is an expert in making her crowd reflect on the past one minute and celebrate the present the next. It’s easy to relate to the life lessons she sings about and even easier to love her charming character. Refreshing, relatable and exciting—a great return to the live music scene. 

More about: Mahalia