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Nigerian afro-pop singer Yemi Alade performed at 9.30, a popular nightclub in Washington, on Saturday night. The singer of “Mama Africa” was the only voice on stage when she played a part of 70 minutes, while interacting with the audience who made the trip. She ended by posing for a selfie with the crowd and singing “DC! “.
Yemi Alade’s music is inspired by many African styles, but it draws more inspiration from hip-hop, dancehall reggae and blues. Unlike the previous generation of international Afro-pop stars, the 32-year-old performer does not use any traditional instruments and is not at the head of a large group with several percussionists. Most of his songs are built on spare synth beats.
On this magical night at the 9.30 nightclub, Yemi Alade was supported by a bassist, keyboardist and drummer, their default styles set to 1970s jazz-rock. The multilingual singer interrupted several tracks to chat mostly in English and did not always return.
His 2014 hit, The Saga of a Runaway Lover Called “Johnny,” was teased, but was never performed in its entirety. Musically, the most satisfying numbers were those with the strongest West African accent, such as “Tumbum” and “Africa”. She turned another love song, “How I Feel,” into an ode to the audience, who sang the chorus enthusiastically.
Yemi Alade ended by posing for a selfie with the crowd and chanting “DC! “. The 9.30 Club performance was part of Yemi Alade’s month-long tour of select cities in the United States. She started the tour on September 9th and ends this Sunday in New York. She has already performed in Berkeley, California, Las Vegas, Nevada; North Adams, Washington DC among other cities.
To read : Yemi Aladé unveils some exclusive images from his next music video
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