Photo Credit: Alistair Mcveigh
Debut shows are often full of nerves, excitement and of course the odd mistake or two, but Sekou’s showcase on Monday night was complete and utter perfection. The Leicester hailing artist who is still only 18 years old, provided all in attendance with an absolute masterclass with his vocal performance, and proved what a showman he already is.
Although a great venue, The Lower Third proved to be too small for Sekou’s rich, smooth baritone as the stage could barely contain his six foot six frame and boundless energy. What it did mean though, was that all 200 odd people in attendance knew full well that we were all witnessing history, as this is most certainly an artist who will be filed next to the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse in the years to come.
The vocal depth that Sekou posses is perfectly complimented by his wise lyrical musings that belie is age, and the vulnerability displayed on these first five tracks is something that is certainly going to endear him to many, many people.
Another hallmark of debut shows can be the omnipresence of stiff label executives and music industry bigwigs, but the room genuinely seemed to be filled with people that had connected with the music, as fans heartily joined in on the call and response for tracks like “Better Man” and “Too Young”. Although the discography is still small, there’s so much in each of these songs that we don’t need anything else, we’re happy to savour each one until the time is right for a new release.
It’s rare that you get showmanship, incredible vocal ability and honest, heartfelt songwriting all in one individual, but Sekou is generational talent in the making, so this should come as no surprise.