Photo By (Jackie Reed/WGMU).
Though Rakei is well-known for his collaborations with artists like Disclosure and Tom Misch, this show exclusively fronted his own works, rather than reminiscing along to his previously successful singles with such deejays.
By: Jackie Reed
Jordan Rakei performed at Union Stage on Saturday, Feb. 24. His show was a jazzy set which emulated his most recent album release, Wallflower (2017).
Moroccan-singer Dounia opened up the show at around 10 p.m. She sang tracks off of her debut album, Intro To (2017). Her vocals surpass hazy tones and youthful attitudes, similar to singers Halsey and Willow Smith. Her cheerful and bopping performance was complete with fresh songs like “Status”, “Casablanca”, and “So Cool”. Dounia impressed a relatively tame crowd, and audience members ultimately came to appreciate her bubbly, high-energy character when she took the spotlight.
Thereafter, Jordan Rakei kickstarted his show. This was his first appearance in Washington, D.C. and at Union Stage. Though Rakei is well-known for his collaborations with artists like Disclosure and Tom Misch, this show exclusively fronted his own works, rather than reminiscing along to his previously successful singles with such deejays.
His R&B vocals share chords with other soul artists, like Sam Smith, Sampha, and Khalid. In this performance, Rakei shared Wallflower intimately and with a more streamline interlude of jazz, guitar, and piano-driven songs. Rakei opened with “Eye To Eye”, following with other tracks like “Goodbyes” and “Chemical Coincidence”. Overall, Rakei’s performance as a multi-genre artist excels as he continues to build himself around a community of music lovers that actually care and take notice.
