A mind-blowing performance in Carnival City recently and five new tracks is enough proof that Lira’s forthcoming album is going to be epic By Adelani Ogunrinade
By the time you read this article, it will be a few days since I last saw Lira perform. Over the last few days, editors and regular readers have waited impatiently for my report on the Evolution Concert.
I am glad to announce today that the wait is over; I have finally fully recovered from all the dancing I did to Lira’s unreleased smash it, “be about it”
Before the unbelievable show last Saturday, I heard through the grapevine that Lira had an incredible stage presence but I had never experienced it.
On my way to the concert, my phone’s GPS suddenly stopped functioning. As a result, I hilariously got lost on the immensely long and very dark highway road of the N17 from Johannesburg to springs. (Of course at the time, I failed to see the humor of the situation).
Once I finally found my way to the venue, Lira was in the middle of performing a song. Despite the eye-pleasing combination of colors on display in the amazing stage lighting and special effects, Lira caught my eye first. Apart from the bright colors she wore, what instantly caught my attention was her impressive dancing ability.
While she performed before the crowd, she not only entertained but kept parts of her soul open; sharing relatable and personal experiences with her audience in between songs which paraded her evolution.”All those years ago, I quit my job because I did not feel fulfilled: I wanted to do what I am doing today. Happiness for me is singing. I have come a long way from being an exploited artist to an independent artist. Last year I visited over 15 new countries, spreading my music across America, South America and Europe. I was made in South Africa and so it gives me great pleasure to share my new songs with you,” she said proudly on stage.
It wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence when Lira announced that she would be performing five unreleased songs so the air of excitement in the packed hall was understandable.
“I am not religious but I am spiritual,” Lira explains before she performed one of her new offering’s titled “listen.” On this track, Lira serves nourishing soul food for thought and gets to the root solution of all human tribulations-all while staying beautifully soulful and upbeat.
Another new song that impressed me on the night was “heartbeat.” The song is a sweet, mid-tempo groove that celebrates her love and bond with her husband, Robin Kohl; by extension addressing the subject of race and expressed the romantic notion that love knows no color.
As the show went on, I observed the view of the stage from the upper terrace in the hall where I was seated: It was nothing short of beautiful. I also spotted her manager and husband, Robin Kohl in the mist of the sound engineers and the audio technician’s. At no point was the concert stopped because of a technical problem which indicated to me that she has a well organized team behind her.
Apart from her glass shattering voice and her amazing band, Lira had another gift I was not aware God had blessed her with – a wicked sense of humor. On a few occasions, I burst out laughing at things she said in the process spilling out of my mouth the bottled water I was drinking. She performed other impressive new tracks like “I like you,” and “let there be light.”
As the concert came to a close, she performed a new banger called “be about it” and I watched the crowd go berserk to a song they were hearing for the first time. I event found myself forgetting that I came to write about the event and I danced with the lady who had had one too many drinks next to me.
The Back Stage Experience with Lira and the band
After the show, I made good use of my backstage pass to interview Lira and the band.
As one of the security guards took me on a tour around the dressing rooms, the band was busy moving equipment off the stage.
I got a chance to mingle with Lira’s guitarist, Kent Smoke, who was incredibly warm. I also caught up with the drummer of the band, Josh J.Star on his way to the parking lot. “The highlight was how the people received the new material.
The hard work we put into it paid off. People must be ready to see some fire from Lira. This new album is going to be crazy. It has 15 tracks and five of the tracks got a positive response today. I have a lot of faith in the album. Lira is such an inspiration,” he revealed.
A few minutes after my brief interview with J.star, Lira stepped out of one of the rooms with her entourage. She was in a hurry. I had to walk quickly to keep up with her pace and capture her thoughts about the show and her upcoming album.
“Watching people sing along to music they have never heard before – that was epic. What people should expect from my new album is an evolved version of Lira: it’s fresh, new and good for you. The album is due in early 2016 and it is called Born free. I personally think it is my best work,” she said.
Our conversation ended as she had to hop into an elevator, struggling to get through the congested space of adoring fans, photographers and journalists trying to get her attention.
Lira was nothing if not entertaining. Her antics on stage, no matter how bizarre, never failed to amuse. The five songs she performed on the night was sufficient enough evidence that Daveyton’s very own is bringing her headline-grabbing energy back to her 2016 offering and will remind us once again of what truly makes her one of a kind.
