Kimbra, the NZ artist who played live at the Juice Bar in Parnell on Thursday, is a true blue soul singer, and does not appear to have the slightest interest in jumping on any current musical trend and it sets her apart from her contemporaries…
Kimbra – Live @ Juice Bar, Parnell. 11.11.10
I first saw Kimbra perform at the 2004 New Zealand Rockquest National Finals. With just her voice and guitar to keep her company, she placed second at the national school event. It was at that point we all knew she was going to become a rising star.
On Thursday night we got to see the fruits of the last few years she has spent in Melbourne, honing her talent, and making it all happen. Kimbra has an excellent voice, one that hasn’t been heard in New Zealand in quite some time. Hopefully this will change, and with concerts like this one, it is very likely to.
Kimbra has a dazzling voice. There is really no point adding any more superlatives here. As well as her voice, she throws her entire body into her performance. She IS her music, and this fact was readily translated to her adoring audience.
Kimbra’s backing band were one polished unit, complementing her powerful voice and enticing stage presence. Going for a kind of ‘geek’ vibe, their on-stage style juxtaposed nicely with Kimbra’s classy blue eyes/blue dress combination (which was all rather pretty I might add).
Earlier this week I saw this guy floating around town. I remember thinking ‘who on earth is this dude?’ It turns out The Haircut was Kimbra’s drummer.
The last decent artist I saw at Juice Bar this year was sampling-genius Imogen Heap. Kimbra also shares this penchant for using ‘modern technology’ to create music. Such techniques were used live to create the layering for her single, the homely ‘Settle Down’ (which shares similar lyrical themes to Feist’s ‘Mushaboom’). Other highlights included a track called ‘Love Is a Two Way Street’, an ear smashing vocal solo midway through the set (the ‘aural hangover’ via ringing ears was fantastic by the way), and a classic Prince tune.
Kimbra is a true blue soul singer, and does not appear to have the slightest interest in jumping on any current musical trend. This is admirable, and it’s this timeless approach to her art that sets her apart from so many of her contemporaries. Her debut record ‘Vows’ is due March 2011, and I’m going to recommend it, even though it doesn’t exist in its final form yet.
One of the marks of a true artist is who they choose to influence them. Nina Simone, James Brown, Prince, and even Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant all made their way into her powerful voice and onstage persona. Thursday night’s captivating performance was a clear indicator of the work she puts into what she does, and just like I did in 2004, I expect this young star to keep on rising.
Written by Theo Sangster, photos by Ralph Matthews.
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