Charli XCX + The Maccabees + Lana Del Rey

Besides the fact that the moment we got to KOKO, MTV announced that Lana Del Rey would not be able to perform that night due to illness and quite a few fans were disappointed, the show carried on. The first one to take the stage was Charli XCX known for her moddy and goth pop music. Killing the stage with her current smashes Nuclear Season and End of the World, the 19 year-old singer jumped around the stage for almost 45mins on her spice girl-ish platform shoes putting on a show.

Because of Del Rey’s absence, the British Band The Maccabees headlined the night and they did not disappoint.  The Maccabees who have been already singled out as one of the best bands of 2012, performed most of the songs of their new album – Given To The Wild - plus a selection of their favorites while the crowd couldn’t stop bounding around to their infectious and anthemic tunes.

Words by Bianca Spada

Michael Kiwanuka + Delilah + Emeli Sande 

Walking into the impressive KOKO Camden, I hoped that what I was about to listen to would astound me just as much as this beautiful gothic setting. Performing in one of the best live music venues in London, the performers headlining MTV’s Brand New for 2012 gig last Wednesday would have to step up to the mark. And that they did….

Michael Kiwanuka and Delilah warmed the crowd up for the star that everyone was eagerly awaiting. From Delilah’s haunting underground melodies to Michael’s feet-tapping feel good sounds, the audience was kept entertained during the lead up to a performance by the woman of the moment, Emeli Sandé. 

Since her release of Heaven last year and Next to Me this month, along with the recent Brits Critic’s Choice Award under her belt, Emeli’s profile has risen. Simon Cowell has called her his “favourite songwriter at the minute” and for the last few years, she has written for a number of artists, including Leona Lewis, Cheryl Cole, and Tinie Tempah. I was intrigued to hear what Emeli had to offer because until now, I knew of her only as “the backing vocal” for the likes of Wiley, Chipmunk & more recently Professor Green. Top 10 singles these may have been but for Emeli Sandé- the singer/songwriter the pressure was on to step out from behind the shadows, putting herself forward as an artist in her own right. Was she able to offer more than a catchy chorus and could she captivate and entertain an audience for a 1.5 hour set? I hoped so… 

As the audience patiently waited, whispers, murmurs and squeals could be heard all around: “I can’t wait for her to sing Heaven/Next To Me/Daddy/ [delete as appropriate]” and I must admit I felt the same too. From the little solo material I’ve heard, she’s left me wanting to hear more. As she walked on stage to rapturous applause, the young 24-year old Scottish singer coyly said hello and leapt straight into an offering of songs from her new album Our Version of Events set to be released on February 13^th 2012. 

What followed was a powerful medley of rich vocals and incredibly raw talent. With each song, Emeli’s vocal range expands and she hits each note effortlessly. It’s hard to classify Emeli’s style. She successfully ticks the “Soul, R&B, Pop” box but in songs like, Suitcase one hears country and western influences which once again make her an exciting artist to listen to. She leaves you intrigued as to what she’ll come out with next. Her exceptional songwriting skills and talented album production by NaughtyBoy successfully blend a variety of musical themes and unravel Emeli’s vocal ability in the most outstanding way. 

Moving back and forth from the piano to the centre stage with her fantastic band, Emeli sung every song with startling passion. Emeli has said that for her, a good song is written based on “honesty” and “raw emotion” and her conviction was clear. What I warmed to most about her though, was how blissfully unaware Emeli appears of the impact she has on her audience. She’s incredibly humble. Modest and coy, some would argue Sandé isn’t a “performer” in the same vein as the extrovert female artists that have dominated the pop music scene of late. She’s no Lady Gaga, Beyonce or Jessie J. The blonde cockatoo-style hair is about as outrageous as she gets. You get the feeling she’s her own person and has vetoed any expectations placed upon her to push boundaries, in order to succeed. She relies solely on her talent- her voice- to do all the talking for her. 

As for her music, it’s not overly ingenious. Anyone can “get it”. Emeli herself sounded surprised at one point after singing her love-song Maybe when she said to the audience- “wow, it’s amazing to see so many of you singing along to this when it hasn’t even been released!” Her music’s got soul and attitude but above all, it’s easy to listen to and catchy. From the poignant Clown to the haunting Daddy, Emeli drew us in that little bit more.  And it seems she’s quite the inspiration for her fellow musical peers who were supporting in the audience. Daley, upcoming singer/songwriter, tweeted during the performance: “@emelisande just captured and killed me dead with 'Clown' – amazing”. Her appeal is universal, from lovestruck teens to political activists; Emeli’s songwriting strikes a chord. One track in particular, Hope, which she worked on with Alicia Keys illustrates Emeli’s ability to write and sing powerful music with an overarching social message. One feels that her music will both inspire and change people’s thinking and by virtue of that, I believe her success will be huge. I look forward to seeing and hearing more in 2012. 

Words by Priya Chandé