Karoline Tamati, more commonly known as Ladi6, is a name that should be better known in the music scene. While she’s relatively well known in her home country, it’s only a matter of time before she becomes a force across the ditch.
Joining Ladi6 for her extensive tour across the country and opening the show was hip-hop collective @peace. It’s been a busy year for this five piece after the release of their ten track EP Girl Songs in February and the impressive early crowd was an indication of their popularity. Either that or everyone else assumed the show would start within an hour of doors opening but apparently things don’t operate that way at Bodega.
Thankfully an extremely lengthy wait was repaid with an energetic and charismatic 40 minutes from @peace. Playing tracks from their debut EP, MCs Lui Tuiasau and Tom Scott combined perfectly to get the crowd bouncing backed by swinging musicianship.
It was a tight set of soul inspired hip-hop without the clichéd arm bouncing but not lacking in crowd participation. Inciting a crowd to rally against their leader might seem like an easy ploy but when the crowd joined in with the chant ‘Fuck John Key’ it had the feeling of a genuine hip-hop gig. Without question these five guys are a formidable live force and certainly offer a blend of styles that seems to be missing from hip-hop in the region.
For those that had turned up early, they were rewarded with a refreshingly short break between sets. Ladi6 took to the stage with large aviator sunglasses, sparkling silver jacket, and plenty of bling, invoking a style not dissimilar to Santigold or M.I.A. Whilst she draws these comparisons aesthetically, her voice is far more impressive and in the class of iconic neo-soul singers Erykah Badu and Jill Scott.
At times her voice did seem to get drowned out by the surrounding instrumentation but that can be largely attributed to Bodega’s sound. It’s hard to say when Ladi6’s voice sounds best but there’s no denying the soul that oozes from the microphone when she sings low and soft. Undoubtedly the sign of an incredible singer is the ability to be both subtle and remarkably strong at the same time.
Comparisons to Badu as mentioned previously are best showcased in her popular hit ‘Like Water’, which was met with extra appreciation from the fans. What puts Ladi6 up in the level of those leading neo-soul singers is her incredible phrasing. She’s moves fluidly between rapping and singing and most impressively is happy to linger between the two.
Of course this level of musician is often matched and elevated by those around them. Beefing up the percussion was Wellington drummer and collaborator Julien Dyne. It was lucky he was tucked away in the back because he couldn’t have come close to stealing the limelight. The sound was nothing short of impeccably tight and Dyne showcased the best how drums can sound with hip-hop. He strong, emphatic, and held a groove that could go for days.
New single ‘Shine On’ and ‘Ikarus’ from her upcoming third album Automatic, due out August, went down well as well as other brand new tracks. It bode well for the records release with such a strong live showing.
On a night where she could almost do no wrong Ladi6 was extremely appreciative of her fans and the crowd that most certainly made the right decision in seeing this formidable artist live. A tireless performer that simply kept bringing the energy and continuously giving to her very appreciate audience.
