LIVE REVIEW: Mahalia at O2 Academy, Leeds
Written by Hannah Hudson Edited by Eve Moat
Kicking off her UK and EU tour, Mahalia shook off her first-gig-of-tour nerves in an emotionally intimate show at the O2 Academy in Leeds, with a stunning performance that left the audience in a buzz of positive energy. For listeners like me who are curious to understand the stories behind the songs of an artist like Mahalia, this gig was a brilliant example of an artist inviting their fans into their world and personality. Weaving witty song introductions and off-the-cuff, goofy remarks between hip-hop beats and smooth neo-soul vocals, her authentic and open approach to live performance allowed her to completely claim the stage as her own.
Ahead of Mahalia’s performance, the crowd was warmed up by supporting band No Guidance, whose swoon-worthy harmonies, coordinated choreography and sculpted physiques transported listeners back to the heyday of boybands of the likes of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. Finishing up with their 2023 EP title track ‘Is It A Crime?’, whose chorus asks “is it a crime to want them all? […] Too many beautiful girls in this world,” it was no surprise to see one band member casually throw up a ‘call me’ gesture at one lucky listener down below.
The brief interval following the support saw the majority female audience chatter between
themselves and slowly shuffle forwards towards the stage, eager to become part of the swell at the
front of the venue in full view of the stage in anticipation of the performance to come. Taking in the
audience around me, I felt a sense of comfort that I imagine many others feel when they come to
see artists like Mahalia – to some extent, you can assume the kind of person in the crowd by the
artist that they’ve come to see, and Mahalia’s distinctly feminine and emotionally candid lyricism
prompts the same feeling as having a coffee in the company of close friends (or depending on the
song, maybe a rum and coke in the club with your girlfriends).
As the lights were suddenly lowered at 9pm, a supportive screech burst from the crowd as Mahalia
bounced onto the stage, a mane of long blonde braids flowing behind and visibly full of positive,
nervous energy. It was only suitable that the first track to be performed was ‘Ready’, the
introductory track to her most recent album IRL. This was swiftly followed by popular 2019 single
‘Simmer’ featuring Burna Boy, which saw both the audience and artist ease into the set as Mahalia
danced up and down the stage, singing to the crowd on all sides.
The end of the first two songs saw Mahalia take a sigh of relief, saying, “Okay I’m not nervous
anymore, I feel like I can release that energy!” Past her initial nervousness, the young artist
immediately eased straight into contextualising her new album IRL by joking about its creation
during the COVID-19 pandemic: “We had a panoramic, and that wasn’t ending, and it really felt like
heartbreak season; I definitely got my heart busted and broken but we’re here and we made it and
I’m very excited to just be here and just to be doing something real!” Seemingly feeling back at
home on stage, she breezed through a mix of songs from the new album such as ‘Isn’t It Strange’,
‘Plastic Plants’ and ‘Cheat’, mixed in with other fan favourites such as ‘Do Not Disturb.’
An acoustic, stripped back version of 2019 single ‘Grateful’ mid-set further showcased the strength
of Mahalia’s captivating vocals and songwriting capabilities, as she donned an acoustic guitar and
sang the melody to the crowd just like a lullaby. In similar stead, new album track ‘November’
featuring Stormzy continued the romantic atmosphere, with young couples in the audience
wrapping arms around each other and swaying to the rhythm.
The set then seamlessly slipped back into electronic backing tracks and funky live accompaniment,
with the band grooving alongside Mahalia and the audience to another swaggering new track,
‘Wassup’. ‘What You Did’ and ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ played out the set just before a brief run off-stage, swiftly followed by an encore of the new and old classics ‘Terms and Conditions’ and ‘I
Wish I Missed My Ex’ respectively.
Even after the final song, Mahalia stayed up on stage and danced with the audience members at the front as the exit music played out. Her infectious warmth was felt throughout the room and as the crowd dispersed, each friendship group left buzzing with post-gig satisfaction while dancing out of the O2 Academy’s doors. Her deeply personal music and intimate approach to live performance will undoubtedly continue to attract devoted fans for years to come.
