Concert Review: Kimbra Is One of The Best Vocalists
I happy cried throughout Kimbra’s concert. I had absolutely no idea she could sing so beautifully, and with a range that could compete with TOP FEMALE DIVAS. From Patti Labelle to Ariana Grande, Kimbra could hit those notes. While I had seen her at Rough Trade, her reimagined tour was a reintroduction to the depth of her artistry, and made we want more of her jazzily acoustic style.
Frankly, I miss the days of powerful, female vocalists that delivered ballads making oaths to love. Fro some reason, there is an growing idea that people do not want that, but the success of Ariana and Adele prove otherwise. The problem is that its not enough to be a powerful voice in range, you have to be it in message. Kimbra could reach MARIAH CAREY LEVELS of musicianship, but she is reaching into the self-love/self-aware bank of lyrics that is sweeping modern music. Nowadays, people are creating radio hits with themes of self-care, i.e. “Thank U Next,” and Kimbra: Reimagined fits right into that empowering scope.
From “The Good War” to “Withdraw,” I almost had to ask Kimbra for a break. It was too much talent packed into a woman that was incredibly kind and wise. Her more shimmeringly bare sound, relying on strings and keys as her backdrop, allows listeners to HEAR her. Suddenly, Primal Heart felt like one of the most intelligent, heartfelt albums I have ever heard, and it was because the synth and snare were gone and replaced by Kimbra’s POWERFUL, octave leaping vocals. She simply flowed into notes like a figure skater, and revealed that this “reimagined” version of her was incredibly hard to create. She had to be “real” with herself, and open her heart and vocals like never before. The result are songs that feel so deeply, rawly connected to humanity, as an essence, you could understand why it was difficult to make.
As the night rounded up, Dawn and Kimbra performed one of the beautiful moments of music I have ever seen. If Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey had been there, they would have said, “I don’t remember doing a sequel to “When You Believe.” It is so rare to see humanity so gorgeously and basically, all at once. It was simply two women singing to their loves for patience as they try to be kinder to themselves so as to be kind to them. Thus, it seemed befitting that such a message was sung at Murmrr Theatre/ Temple. For More Information Kimbra Click Here.
