Shea Diamond, an up and coming trans musician, performed on January 19th for the second time at Pianos after a successful first. The location took place at the lower east side and the diverse audience reflects its indie bar vibe showcasing Shea’s widespread appeal.
The show began a little after 8 p.m. and Shea was accompanied by her guitarist Mike Beck. She wore an ensemble of a fitting black dress paired with a red jacket and a chandelier necklace that gave her look a pop. Putting her powerful and soulful voice front and center, Shea belted and serenaded the audience through her set of five songs.
She captured everyone’s attention right from the beginning. As she sang her lyrics from the song Bashful, “I’m sexy, I’m cool, I’m young…he love that Keisha complexion.” The audience laughed and cheered to the groovy tune, as they know the feeling of holding the gaze of someone you like while dancing the night away. Taking the mic off its stand, she encouraged the audience to sway with her. Having been incarcerated for 10 years, you can hear her experience reflected in the songs she sang. Shea defiantly proclaims in her second song, “Die Happy,’ the right to freedom, the right to enjoy your life in a slow jam. “If I’m going to sing tonight, at least I’ll sing happy, gonna live live live today.” The easily relatable lyrics had few in the audience wiping their eyes.
Her third song, “Seen It All”, was in an RnB style where Shea narrated the feeling of falling in love after having been through the worst. You can hear the raw desire in her voice as she sang, “I’m due for a miracle, living the worst case scenario…thought I seen it all till love came along.” Then she transitioned into a cover song by 10 years after called “I’d love to change the world.” Although it was released in 1971, it was very fitting for the night given that it was the eve of inauguration.
She closed the show with the stunning “I Am Her.” Released in October, her music video garnered over 20,000 views and is an anthem for those who have been an outcast. Hearing her sing it live, you can feel the impact this song has. “There’s an outcast in everybody’s life and I am her. There’s a dark cloud in everybody’s sunlight and I am her.”
After the show ended, she interacted with fans and took pictures with everyone. Follow her on her official FaceBook page for updates on her upcoming shows and music.
-Summer Luk
