To listen to while reading:
Green Eyes
Erykah Badu, also known as the queen of neo-soul, celebrated the 25th anniversary of her debut album Baduizm at the Southbank Centre with two shows on the 5th and 6th of November. When Baduizm was released, it won Best R&B Album at the 40th Grammy awards and debuted at number two on the US Billboard Charts. For its 25th anniversary, Badu decided to celebrate the legendary album by playing shows in London for the first time in four years.
Sedef's own images.
I was standing at the cash register in Tesco when Songkick, an app that sends you notifications for upcoming concerts, notified me of Badu’s upcoming shows and I let out a little yelp. People looked at me weirdly, but if only they knew what the yelp was for! I felt lucky that Badu was coming to London, and even luckier because I was able to attend one of the concerts. It was a beautiful musical and personal experience.
Firstly, the music itself is amazing. If you like neo-soul, R&B, and little impressions of jazz, give Badu a listen. Even if you don’t, give her a try. Alongside the raw quality of her live music, her vocal range was extensive and able to captivate the whole audience. Throughout the concert, the only audible mistake was made during the song ‘Green Eyes’ which was cut short, but if you were someone listening to Badu for the first time, you would not have noticed. Added on top of her and her band’s natural musical abilities was a synthesiser which Badu used masterfully, fitting the overall futuristic vibe of the show.
The futuristic vibe was crafted by a combination of carefully curated graphics and selective use of technology. One example was the green laser wall created by lighting, which was like a hologram. Whenever Badu theatrically went through it, the green wall would make buzzing noises, as if Badu was changing dimensions. Another example, and my favourite graphic, was the writing in all caps of ‘SHE ILL’. These graphics and the innovative use of technology portrayed the uniqueness of Badu, successfully conveying her crazy yet charming aura to the audience.
Supplementing this futuristic vibe and her established presence was her clothes and her dancing. Badu came onto the stage with her signature black hat and, of course, a lot of big jewellery on her neck, arms, and ears. She was wearing a brown t-shirt, a brown coat, and brown leg warmers which went all the way to the ground. As a result, her feet looked like that of an octopus. It was unique, and very Badu! She did a tribal-like dance on her own on stage. If it was anyone else, it would have probably looked absurd. One might not have taken anyone else seriously with the dance, the theatrics, and intentional dramatic use of voice when talking to the audience, but with Badu, you did. You had to as it all beautifully contributed to her personality, stage presence, and authority.
She was charming, calm, collected, crazy, scary, authoritative, but most of all a professional, doing what she’s best at. Her confidence was always at its peak, and you understood that the concert was on her terms. She came on stage if she wanted to, sang if she wanted to, went off stage if she wanted to. You could see that at age 47, ‘the godmother of neo-soul’ enjoyed the spotlight and had such a presence, as if she was always meant to be on stage. Some people believe that everyone has a purpose on earth. If that is the case, I would say that Badu’s purpose is to be on stage and sing. It was clear that she appreciated her audience as she gave thanks and wished everyone goodness, as if a mother wishing upon a child.
Overall, it was an amazing experience with only one downside. The concert wasn’t that accessible as the cheapest ticket cost 70 pounds, with prices going up to 170 pounds. The show was at the Southbank Centre, so these prices made a bit more sense, but still it was a problem. A lot of young people questioned why the tickets were this expensive and expressed their complaints on social media. They had been following Badu for a long time, so it felt like a betrayal to some.
I was going to the concert with a friend. Then, another friend decided to come three hours before the show but she didn’t have a ticket. Thankfully, she found a woman online who was selling her ticket, so she offered her 40 pounds because, as a student, that was all she was willing to give. Luckily the woman accepted the offer an hour before the concert, so my friend got a ticket worth 140 pounds for 40! However, unlike my friend, most people had to pay the full price, and those that couldn’t did not get to attend the concert.
Was the concert worth it for the price? For me, the answer is yes, but I may be a bit biased as I have been following Badu for a long time. I love her music and appreciated the experience. If music is one of your priorities and you do get the opportunity to go to one of Badu’s shows, I would strongly recommend it. Regardless of attending a concert, if you want to have a good time, I strongly recommend you listen to the religion, the woman, and the music.
After reading this article, if you decide to dive into Baduizm yourself, my song recommendations are:
Appletree
You Got Me ft. The Roots, Tariq Trotter, and Eve
Green Eyes
On & On
… & On
In Love With You
Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop) ft. Common
Didn’t Cha Know
Afro Blue ft. Robert Glasper, Phonte, and 9th Wonder
Next Lifetime
Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long
Cleva
Bag Lady
Other Side of the Game
Humble Mumble ft. Outkast