The Night Keyrah Took Over Phonox [Live Show Review]

Taken by Alfie White (@alfiewphoto)

The first time I heard Keyrah, it was the set she played at the Soulection Radio Takeover. It was on YouTube and she demonstrated her ability to seamlessly mix tracks with the most smoothest of transitions without a stutter. The performance has over 4K views.

Seeing her live is a whole different experience. It’s magical. the Birmingham-born, London-based DJ performed her first-ever headline show last Friday on the 3rd of November.

Filling the Phonox, found in Brixton, London’s cultural heart is a low-ceiling room, that quickly fills up with people, coming in style, that threaten to spill once the doors open.

Cool blue Light bathed the room and vibrant flashes of indigo and pink strobes flited before the space would blank into darkness momentarily before colour would strike again. A large disco hung from the ceiling as partygoers moved to a ever-shifting soundscape that included Future Sounds, Electronica, House, R&B, Funk, Rap, Soul, Indie and Jazz.

Taken by Alfie White (@alfiewphoto)

The genre-less DJ spined an array of sounds and expressed a depth of feeling that was as intimate as it was powerful. Finding the right vehicle, music was wheeled up and reloaded to the crowd's joy. Music from the 90s and early 2000s was reintroduced later with an electronic approach that was kept in time by a deep baseline.

Before Keyrah’s performance, the mood was set by talented supporting acts that include Recces’ DJ Glade Marie, Lil Silva, Kojay and Rishy Malik to name a few.

The shows come from the backend of a successful year for Kayrah. Recently she has supported Loyle Carner at KOKO and performed mixes at The North Face Parka Launch party alongside Sampha and Lord Apex.

Strongly considered one of the most exciting DJ talents who’s recently emerged Keyrah has continued her momentum, and I couldn’t strongly urge you enough to go to one of her shows.

Taken by Alfie White (@alfiewphoto)