Little Simz took to the stage for her UK tour debut of her album ‘No Thank You’ at Manchester Victoria Warehouse last night for what proved to be a truly religious experience of powerful and fearless lyricism.
Simbiatu “Simbi” Abisola Abiola Ajikawo – better known by her stage name ‘Little Simz’ – is a musician and actor from North London. She has been active in the music scene since 2015.
Her album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ won both a Mercury Prize and a MOBO award for Best Album of the Year.
The show was initially kicked off by performer OTG, who brought both energy and charisma to the stage.
The rapper really worked the crowd fantastically, and ensured the Mancunian audience had a good time as they filed into the concert venue.
OTG was quickly followed by Hak Baker, a true East Londoner with the accent to compliment his infectious energy both on and off stage.
Baker’s lyrics were a beautiful homage to his proud identity and his songs were truly fun.
The performer’s songs were akin to British powerhouse band Madness in their eccentricity.
Little Simz emerged onto the stage from darkness to stand under three projected images of religious bodies on the screen behind her to the gospel opening of ‘Silhouette’.
The audience bounced off the performer’s immediate energy and it was clear everyone was captivated by her stunning lyrical ability.
Her songs flowed seamlessly into one another with clear thought and precision to the lead up to each, and the crowd hung on to her every word.
The staging had to be applauded as well – the lighting was synced with the colour themes of the album she was performing at any given time.
Her performance during the songs from the ‘No Thank You’ album gave the rapper an almost holy look, with clinically white lights accentuating her movement on stage.
The crowd understandably were uncontrollable during favourites such as ‘Gorilla’, ‘101 FM’, ‘Venom’ and ‘Woman’ but it was her performance of ‘Introvert’ which really stood out.
The BRIT Award winner took a moment of silence before performing the song dedicated to supporting Palestinians.
‘Introvert’ itself has heavy themes of war and violence but Little Simz took that and ran, changing her lyrics from ‘Parts of the world still living in apartheid’ to ‘Parts of the world still living in genocide.’
Little Simz demonstrated in that moment her commitment to political themes and statements in her music.
Towards the end of the show the rapper invited the audience into a more vulnerable side of herself.
She opened up about her mental health issues throughout her career, allowing the audience to be with her in the moment. She then dedicated her song ‘Broken’ to people who might need it.
It was a second of reflection and serenity in an otherwise fun and vibrant performance.
Little Simz’s show was magical from start to finish.
It truly stood out from shows of a similar nature, simply because Little Simz is an unbelievable talent, perhaps Britain’s best rap artist right now.
