I arrived at ILUVLIVE’s fresh venue, Queen of Hoxton, to the sounds of DJ N-Sway, who was setting the mood for the night. After a short set, host Lil Man took to the stage and engaged the audience with his quick wit and comical punch lines, in preparation for the opening act.

First to grace the stage was the winner from last week’s open mic; she went by the name of Gift. Her first number was a rendition of a song she co-wrote. The tone and tempo made for a perfect show opener. A cover of Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ followed. From the start, she demonstrated vocal control, as she made the song her own. However, as the song reached its crescendo, it was evident that some of the bigger notes were beyond her reach. That said, Gift still put in a sterling performance.

Next artist to hit the stage was Mangaliso Asi. The emcee performed three songs and executed them with bags of confidence. His second song stood out, with its up-tempo beat and amazing backing vocals. He finished his set on a mellow vibe, with a tune that displayed his ample lyrical talent.

The third artist went by the name of Tenny Ten, a rap act accompanied by a backing vocalist. His first tune was in the genre of funky and was definitely well suited for the student rave scene. The lyrics were simple and the beat, heavily influenced by housey synthesizers, basslines and electronic effects. Content-wise, it wasn’t anything to tax the grey matter, but the song was entertaining enough and showed off the act’s performance skills. His closing song was dedicated to his twin brother and was filled with emotion and a melodic instrumental. The artist obviously put more of his heart into this performance and the crowd appeared moved. His last piece was a short conscious a cappella about religion that gave the rapper a chance to show his raw talent as a lyricist.

As the night progressed, the audience grew and the energy increased. By the time Lil Man returned to the stage there were enough people in the venue to summon a roar of laughter when he delivered his tredemark punch lines. He engaged with the audience like a true pro, before giving the crowd 15 minutes to recuperate. DJ N-Sway took over and did his thing on the decks in anticipation of the second half.

The next act on stage was the amazing Afrosymphony. Consisting of a bass, keyboard and a magnificent vocalist, the group showed superstar quality and put on a wonderful performance. The first song they performed was a slow, melodic ode to friendship, which gave the singer ample opportunity to express raw emotion. Hitting notes with consummate ease, she made her way into the audience and earned their undivided attention. Their second song, ‘Dirty’, was a fast-paced affair that captivated the crowd. Inviting two audience members onto the stage, the lead singer turned the enthusiastic punters into impromptu ‘backup dancers’. Afrosymphony ended their set with a performance of their latest single, an up-tempo number that left the crowd eager for an encore.

Up last was the headlining act, Natalie May. As soon as she hit the stage you could feel her energy. Entertaining the crowd with witty anecdotes that segued effortlessly into the next song, she performed four tracks with her own band. ‘Nobody Likes You Anymore’ set proceedings off at mid tempo before gathering pace and dance floor appeal. Her second and third tracks ventured over to the rock side of town and demonstrated her vocal agility. ‘Dumb’ and ‘I Wish I Was A Football’ allowed her to work the stage. Stomping, dancing, swinging her hair and stamping her feet, Ms May danced like nobody was watching. The decison to close her set with signature soulful house track ‘Sexy Sexy’ was a masterstroke. There was no doubt that the massive was familiar with this anthem, as they got down and enjoying her performance to the maximum. All in all, it was a good, chilled night, with unquestionable talent and a wicked host.

WORDS: IANNA LOVE