Written by Travis Ballenger
On Thursday, May 8th, I had the fantastic opportunity to see Real Arts Works (RAW) x Next2Shine Showcase concert series at Sounds of Brazil (SOB’s). If you don’t know, SOB’s is the place where young up and coming artists with great potential get their feet wet. Anyone who is anyone has played here. On Thursday, I felt like I was seeing a slice of history made.
Justina Soto started the night off with her powerful soulful voice. She had the sound of a young, fresh Lauryn Hill and carried us to new depths while only accompanied by a single guitar. You wanted her to have an orchestra. Her voice could handle it. Watch her below and see for yourself.
Between sets DJ Sydney Love spun hits from the mid-90’s to present with a mixture of hip-hop and R&B. The music led perfectly into the set of super performer, Claudeen Benoit. Benoit is creating high art. Her work moves effortlessly between quirky performance art and club hip-hop. Benoit knows how to entertain, but she can also really sing…a combination we don’t always get to see. But you do, here:
Dear Music Industry:
I’m mad at you. You know, we’ve had issues in the past, but this time, it’s personal. I keep up with everything. I read the right magazines and talk to the correct people. How did I not know of the brilliant, the profound, Ari Lennox. Music Industry, the only way you can rectify this egregious lack of action is by making sure that everyone knows of this amazing woman. I’m doing my part, here! Her voice, her performance healed me. She was a total game changer and I want to be sure everyone knows that. Give her whatever she wants. Just name it Ms. Lennox, and we got it. She had it all: voice, performance, command of the stage and the audience, and personality to boot. It was quite the experience watching her perform…I can barely read my notes.
Khari Mateen may be a harbinger of things to come. If this is where music is headed, then we’ve done something right. The one-man band—though he may want to get an assistant or two to help set-up—delivered us to the future. His work is jazz, it’s hip-hop, it’s blues—well actually, it is its own genre. Khari serenaded us. Everyone swooned. His voice is as mature as his style and that touches a cord that we ignore at our own peril. Listen here and tell me I’m right:
