The beautiful and sensational songstress Basheba took to the stage at the legendary Bedford in Balham, which as a venue has established a reputation as one of the most important and critically acclaimed venues in the country, and has had the likes of The Clash and U2 grace its stages in their early days. And now it was London’s singer/songwriter Basheba’s turn, and she did not look or perform like an artist with just 2 singles under her belt, as she performed with effortless style, edge and evocative emotion that portrayed a star with countless hits and chart success, which after seeing her live, appears the exact direction she will heading.
Basheba kick started her set with her debut and critically acclaimed single “No More” that which gained her masses of support from an array of fans and tastemakers alike, including MTV Base, BBC 1Xtra and SBTV among others. Seeing her perform the track live elevated it to a completely new level with the added touch of atmosphere and the stripped back rawness you gain from a live show. When listening to Basheba, you are utterly captivated – she takes influences from a variety of styles with her vocals pulling at Blues and Gospel sounds that contrast so beautifully to the hard edged drum and bass beats that her music is overflowing with.
“No More”:
Basheba is not just a stunning singer who knows how to style, she is also a storyteller, as every song she performed had an evocative narrative that took the audience on a journey, and you could really feel every emotion along with her – that as an artist really excels her into new realms. What gives Basheba’s music another unique blend and definitive sound is her Bajan roots which she is so clearly inspired by, and this really brings life to every song, adding an extra flavour that separates her from the rest and makes her a truly exciting and dangerous young talent.
When Basheba told the audience her next track needed a guest to help her out on stage, I got excited as this meant she was about to dive into her latest and second single release, the incredible new single “Dirty Love (Your Love)” which features her old school friend Jordan Reece on vocals. This song brought a whole new burst of energy into the room as it is such an atmospheric track and both their vocals combined is sheer beauty, as they subtly blend together so delicately that you feel every word they sing as if it is one voice. The contrast works in complete harmony, and live with a band just added even more depths to an already intricate and stunning song.
“Dirty Love (Your Love)”:
Basheba finished her set with a new track entitled “Shade” which is off her forthcoming EP, and gave us another taster of things to come. This fresh emerging star over flows with talent and this song really accentuated her true vocal ability and demonstrated just how authentic her music really is. With influences from an array of genres, natural narrative skills, and a voice unlike any one else, Basheba really is one to watch and with her imminent EP release dawning upon us, which will no doubt bring her further out of the shade and shine a light on her true capabilities, I cant see any stopping this sensational songstress, and I think the future really is bright for Basheba.
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Words by Kerrie Lobb // Edited by Ayo Adepoju
