Concert Review: Ayokay Shapes Dreams At Rough Trade
There is something inside of me that is FASCINATED by trends. I love reviewing artists, and seeing how they intertwine with each other and the current times we live in. Yet, a trend is like a pocket: sewn in to hold change. In Ayokay’s Rough Trade show, I felt like I was witnessing artist that WILL trend because he brazenly tapped into a dynamic that many Millennial are praised or repudiated for: dreaminess.
Statistically, Millennials are the most optimistic, highly educated, and forward/diversity oriented generation to rise. Yet, you cannot dream of a better world without having dreams for yourself in it. Having made his debut this year, In The Shape of A Dream, Ayokay was not lying. His music and show were for the people that are unabashedly for peace and positivity. Every choice he made, especially in the images splashing behind him, felt like they were ripped from the doodle markings and diary quips of your inner child. The little bit of eternal youth within us that should never die because it needs to remind us to live. While being twenty-something is still young, if this Midterm Election taught us anything, it is that the world feels old.
It is hard to dream of a better tomorrow, when we keep on repeating the routines of yesterday. Yet, Ayokay is like a human orb flashing before you all the visions you had of a splendid life. He consistently smiles and leaps at his music as if he was giving us his first-born child, and watching us react to how the baby giggled and grew big-eyed at our playfulness. Similar to Jeremy Zucker or Youngr, Ayokay feels like a one-man show. He is a cross between a DJ, boy band, and solo artist; playing multiple instruments, beat-dropping like a Skrillex show, and crooning verses/ harmonies like a pop star. These kind of “Jack of All Trade” artists are another trend I have noted; appealing to a generation that can do so much and wants to see more from individuals.
Yet, there is an OWN element to him; as if his fusion of EDM further etherealizes R&B and Pop music to make you FIX YOUR LIFE! (Iyanla Reference!)The great thing about Ayokay’s show is that it uplifts you, mindfully, and you do not fight it! So many times, we try not to laugh too hard, dance too much, or think things get so much better. We put a cap on our dreams because we think that is being realistic. Yet, Ayokay’s concert makes dreams feel grounded enough to show you that reality is shaped by them. For More Information on Ayokay Click Here.
