Most shows share a few of the same components: an opener, a headliner, an audience, an aesthetic. But it’s the differences between these pieces that create a whole experience. On Monday, October 3rd, an indie-pop/R&B singer-songwriter who goes by Yuna headlined at the Sinclair. Detailed below is one of these experiences.
Venue Vibes: Walking up to the Sinclair on the night of October 3rd, you’d have heard English spoken with several different accents. In between opener Nylo and headliner Yuna’s sets Michael Jackson tracks, songs like “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston, and a remix of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” boomed overhead. Most audience members intuitively sang along, some with their partners and friends, some with only their $12 cocktail. Liquid courage aside, dozens were apparently feeling uninhibited enough to keep on groovin’ long after Nylo’s danceable set. Overall, positive vibes for a Monday night.
Listeners: The crowd at the Sinclair was as international as the headliner. It’s rare to see the Sinclair packed with this many different kinds of people, races, ages, religions, and genders, but I’ll save the discussion about a long history of white/male-dominated punk and indie-rock shows for another time. Even Yuna made sure to point out the diversity amongst the people below her, giving a special shout out to her Malaysian sisters and reminding everyone that “we need this respect and tolerance.” Though the venue was definitely femme-heavy that night, there were a good amount of dudes in attendance. Better yet, they weren’t just standing there, being tall and taking up room. They were actually singing along, enjoying themselves, supporting Yuna’s art. Not to mention, everyone was so frickin’ well-dressed.
Opener: Nylo, the 26 year-old self-identified pop/soul/urban artist from Chicago, opened the show with fresh and fitting tunes. With a soulful voice and lyrics that we can all relate to, the singer-songwriter showed that she can really hold her own not just as an opener, but as a performer in general.
Stage presence: As Yuna walked out, people’s phones went up. Her presence is magical and strong. She touched people’s hands in the way that superstars do because she is one. With a kind of sly smile on her face, she sounded so natural in front of a mic and looked so natural in front of a crowd.
Sound/Arrangement: Overall, Yuna had a full, soulful sound in no small part due to the full backing band. Although we didn’t often hear Yuna sing solo, her vocals were skilled and distinctive enough to rise above the musicians behind her. Her lyrics, too, were distinctive and creative, and she brought attention to this by taking a second to introduce some of her songs. For example, about “Time,” (a song she wrote for her mom) Yuna said, “I never won any contest ‘cause I was too young. I was impatient, and she told me it takes time.” She then easily transitioned into the song.
Crowd Favorite: With a quick quip about Usher (who appears on the recording), Yuna dove right into her poppy single called “Crush.” She sang, and the crowd readily echoed.
Show Stopper: “This is not science or math. This is real life,” Yuna said ahead of her performance of “All I Do,” a song about how to fall out of love. It was the only tune she sang solo, save her guitar player, and the lack of a backing band brought Yuna’s skilled vocals to center-stage. And as everyone fell silent, you could feel the crowd recognizing this deep intimacy.
