Last week, we had the pleasure of attending Republic Records’ artist Sekou’s very first show in New York City.
Sekou embarked on his first North American tour this past week with three stops, including Toronto, LA, and NYC as his last stop. It was an intimate affair with select fans, industry elites, and tastemakers held at the Velvet in Brooklyn. The interior of The Velvet Brooklyn complemented Sekou’s soulful voice. It was giving an upscale speakeasy with its backroom hidden behind curtains, dim lighting, and elegant chandeliers. Sekou showcased pure, raw talent, a rarity in today’s musical landscape where most upcoming artists cannot perform without autotune or an entire vocal track.
Not only does Sekou have one of the best voices of today’s generation, but every record he makes is intentional and holds emotional significance. We got a special treat when he not only performed a few songs for us, but shared a few records off of his upcoming project as well! He performed his viral hits “Better Man” and “Catching Bodies” as well as songs from the project like “Love Language.” Sekou demonstrated that the measure of an artist’s true talent is how vulnerable and raw they’re willing to be with their fans and audience. He opened up about how he grew up in church and how his mother was a huge musical influence in his life. Sekou also shared that, sadly, his mother recently passed away and performed a tribute to her and one of the first songs she ever shared with him called “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You” by Angie Stone. It’s always refreshing to hear such amazing raw vocals in a world of overproduced and oversaturated music. At the young age of 21, Sekou is truly a bright and promising artist who wields the talent to shake up the industry and bring real, authentic music back.
