Mahalia at Hammersmith Apollo: In Review

In a breathtaking evening, Mahalia graced Hammersmith Apollo with an incredible performance on Thursday, October 19. The sold-out show was the last UK date of her ‘IRL’ tour that has seen her perform from Glasgow to Brighton, with stunning reviews at each night.

"We need to bring boybands back!" Mahalia called out - and she could not be more right. The UK boy band ‘No Guidance’ opened the show demonstrating impressive harmonies and elevating the mood of the crowd from the moment they stepped out blowing them away. The group performed hits taken from their new EP Spicy, and although the crowd did not know all the words, it did not stop them from screaming in encouragement and joy.

Mahalia taken by Amzy OBR

Erupting as soon as they caught sight of Mahalia stepping onto the stage to perform ‘Ready’, the crowd jumped at her dramatic entrance was enhanced by her live band as well as bright studio lighting, which the venue - typically used for musicals and plays - was perfect for. She transitioned smoothly into ‘Simmer’, a fan favourite, and for me, one of the first Mahalia songs I had ever heard.

Stopping for a couple of minutes afterwards to address the crowd, she expresses her nerves and gratitude to be performing in such an esteemed venue. The action Mahalia takes perfectly embodies a relationship with her fans that many artists try so hard to achieve. Still, she does so genuinely, talking to her fans as though they are her friends, spending ‘ten hours’ making friendship bracelets for everyone that could be bought at her merch stand.

Before she began to sing ‘Isn’t it strange’, she gave some backstory to her writing the anthem; she grew up in a small town in north Leicester, spending her teenage years like many of us drinking a cheap bottle of Glenns in the park, to moving to London where drinks were around £20 a pop, feeling like an imposter. Despite her vast success over the last few years, she has maintained her authenticity as a singer, clear from these chats with the crowd.

Mahalia taken by Amzy OBR

Her next song, ‘Plastic Plants’, was about searching for something ‘real and tangible’, she explained. She said she had always been a "lover girl", her thing since she was about ten. Reflecting on the past few years, she said she had been "searching for something real, but now I’m 25 I have a fantastic love, but when I was 21 everyone felt fake."

Now a third of the way through the show, she has played songs from her new album - but not too many, as she expressed, emphasising with the crowd that you always want to hear the oldies and goldies when you’re at a gig.

She then brought out No Guidance again for an emotional rendition of ‘Best Part’ by Daniel Cesar, encouraging the crowd to join in for a brilliant sing-a-long, with thousands of voices pouring their hearts out with her and the boyband.

She also started to bring out her surprise guests, with Jojo first to perform ‘Cheat’, a song that she had written about her boyfriend she had when she was seventeen, ‘Wassup’, which she brought out Kojey Radical for, a song she explained was about a cheeky moment she had, where it is important to ask your prospective partners about their intentions with you because if they are not sincere, you can just walk away and talk to somebody else.

Then, for her final surprise guest of the evening, a sheepish Stormzy strolled onto the stage, careful not to outshine her, gracefully performing ‘November’, a beautiful love song which she wanted somebody to have their first dance to.

Mahalia & Jojo taken by Amzy OBR

Another hit, ‘WYD’ came next, and she ran off the stage, met with thousands of cheers for ‘one more song’, to which she presented the crowd with three, finishing on the classic ‘I wish I missed my ex’. She was very careful to sing to the audience, rather than at them, singling out lucky fans in the standing area to point and laugh with during her electric performance.

Looking around at the crowd, everybody looked as though they belonged there, treating each other with respect and giving each other space to enjoy the performance. She thanked her guests and bands and profusely expressed her gratitude to the audience, every single person of which was ecstatic to be there, for a show that they will take with them and remember for a lifetime.

However, a special moment that stands out is when towards the end, she finds comfort in realising the full circle moment of performing at Hammersmith Apollo, it was the first performance she had given at just 13 years old.

"It’s very important that we continuously remind ourselves how we got somewhere", she said."Remind yourself of the why, when, how and who, especially when you’re feeling insecure.

Remember that you got to this place by doing these things, with the help of these people”, she finished before going into ‘IRL’, the title track of her latest album a song about finally understanding the journey and her achievements, and feeling okay with herself.

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