By: Mehek Seyid (@whatthemehek) | Photos by: Victoria Charko (@Vanilla_Rx) –
Jhene Aiko. (Photo: Victoria Charko/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto)
The ‘void’ in the Enter the Void tour, which stopped in Toronto on Dec. 18th, seemingly holds all things cool-out, pop, funk, dark and soulful R&B on one stage. Between opening acts SZA and The Internet and headliner Jhené Aiko, there were all sorts of suggestions of what the genre is like these days and where it is potentially heading (hint: really great places.)
Aiko’s definition is slightly different. “This is a place where you and I can connect,” she said. “I want you to enter my void.” Loud screams informing Aiko that she is “their bae”, a flower bouquet from one individual and a performance of “Bed Peace” that sounded like the song is by Toronto featuring Aiko indicated that fans were in her creative space well before they reached the Sound Academy. At this point, if it were any other way, it surely would be surprising.
Her notoriety as a collaboration darling who navigated the space between hip-hop collectives and labels without ever attaching herself to one particular artist strongly contributed to her steady rise. While working alongside the likes of Miguel, Big Sean, J.Cole and Schoolboy Q, landing a key feature on Drake’s album Nothing Was The Same andsubsequent tour, and opening for the Weeknd earlier this year, Aiko simultaneously carved out her sound across her Grammy-nominated EP Sail Out and 2014 debut album, Souled Out, showcasing her pure hearted, therapeutic lyricism and ethereal vocals within her individual context.
That version of Aiko is completely present in a live show; her set, nearly twenty songs in length, is pitch perfect, and offers the same sonic pleasure that any of her albums do. Dressed in an open, plaid-printed floor-length gown, her stage adorned with pillows and twinkly lamps, she mirrored the chilled-out atmosphere her songs produce. She rolled through old favourites like “Higher” and “Stranger” with the same fervor as she did on more recent tracks, including “Limbo Limbo Limbo” and “Stay Ready”, the latter of which she rapped on to the excitement of the crowd. Yet, she never fully transcended her own work. The consistency, extending to her supporting band, her monologue featuring notes on peace and positivity and recounts of her career, felt too refined for someone who is so fresh and early in their career. For a headlining tour, it felt a little unsatisfying to experience an artist in a way that grew to almost be monotonous.
The few introspective moments came through when Aiko broke away from her script to return the bae complements, comically turn her bouquet into a joint and share a personal anecdote about her brother’s passing, which inspired the heartfelt “W.A.Y.S.”, reminded one of the individual behind the music. It would have been nice to see more of the raw personality come across in performance approach and interactions, but upon hearing closing songs “From Time” (for which Drake was notably absent) and “The Worst”, you realize that she’s not bad; she is just not great yet.
Record label Top Dawg Entertainment proved they have a keen eye for talent with Schoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar, butSZA is their brightest recruit yet. Many fans were already familiar with the Missouri-native and enthusiastically gave themselves to her eclectic, indie-pleasing take on R&B and giggly personality. “I straightened my hair,” she noted between renditions from her album, Z. “I just wanted you to know that.” Whether she bounced around to the beats of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Sucka N***a” and O.T. Genasis’ “CoCo” or absorbed in her performance of the XXYYXX-sampled“Child’s Play”, SZA knew how to command the stage. Aiko could gain a few tips from SZA, whose soulful, uninhibited and engaging performances of “Babylon” lingered well after she left the stage, surely leaving a mark on old fans and new ones.
Odd Future-affiliate The Internet took the first opening slot on the Enter the Void tour. The half-hour set largely drew from their sophomore album, Feel Good, an appropriate title given that they did just that. While lead singer Syd tha Kid’s vocals were often lost during the performance, which featured songs such as “Sunset” and “Tellem”, it proved to be a chilled out, groovy way to kick off the evening.
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Jhene Aiko
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The Internet
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SZA
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