R&B’s princess, Tinashe, touched down in Brixton to commence the only UK show of her ‘Match My Freak’ world tour, an impressive run of shows off the back of her 2024 album, Quantum Baby.
Her latest tour marks almost 11 years since her meteoric rise to fame under the wing of her debut album Aquarius. Since then, the Kentucky-born singer songwriter has gone on to establish huge collaborations with the likes of Calvin Harris, Charli xcx, KAYTRANADA, and Rejjie Snow, cementing her cross-genre appeal and critical acclaim.
Dominating the sound-sphere of the ornate Art Deco academy’s four walls came a perhaps nontypical sound, not expected within Tinashe’s sound repertoire; a drum and bass infused remix of her viral hit ‘Nasty’. Minimalist white text quickly plastered the screens to command that this was Tinashe’s night, with such dramatism and boldness that suggested it would become a night to remember.
Immediately her stage presence was felt as she graced the stage, with the sloped floor allowing all who packed into the show to witness her in all of her glory. Sporting a leopard print Von Dutch cap and a gorgeously golden fit designed by Emily Watson, the California-raised star pulled no punches from the very beginning of her carefully curated setlist.
From her newest material such as ‘Get No Sleep’ and ‘Thirsty’ to the older ‘Needs’ and ‘Link Up’, the first half of her wowing performance showed exactly why the singer has for so long deserved a world tour of such magnitude,
Her interludes were also infused with jungle and bass-centric breakbeat, a fitting and almost homely vibe for the location of her first UK show. This local touch extended further when Ms Banks, raised just a stone’s throw from Brixton in Camberwell, made a surprise appearance during ’Die A Little Bit’. The night quickly became characterised by a joyous celebration of the art and culture that lights up South London, making the show feel deeply rooted in the area’s essence and wider impact on the rap and R&B scenes.
Just after the first short, dance-filled interval came ‘Worst In Me’, her punchy collab with KAYTRANADA – her choreography always effortlessly in sync with the beat and her impressive array of dancers who followed her every move to precision. Silhouettes of the collective stunned on stage and gave her show the style and performance factor of a mammoth stadium tour – perhaps not a shock if you’re a long-term devotee of the star.
Then came the songs that these long-time admirers of Tinashe knew and loved so strongly – ‘Party Favors’, ‘All Hands on Deck’, and ‘2 On’, the latter song being that which propelled her into the mainstream stratosphere back in 2014.
During the final interval of the night, glimpses of Cher’s iconic cameos and Tinashe’s brief collaboration on Snakehips’ ’All My Friends’ took center stage while the singer geared up for the eagerly anticipated encore, as visuals of the 4,500-capacity crowd reflected back in a mesmerising display. Finishing her hugely anticipated tour with ‘No Broke Boys’ and ‘Nasty’, the tightly knit crowd collectively let their hair down to honour the hit that took the world by storm last summer.
As the crowd dispersed in gleeful union, there was an overarching sense that Tinashe’s South London show at the transformed South London Discotheque was a full-circle moment for the star. From her 2016 Joyride tour stop at KOKO to an O2 Academy packed with loyal fans from all over the country, it marked a powerful progression in her journey.
Words by Ruby Brown
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