Pour la version FRANÇAISE, cliquez ICI.
After attending NAO’s gig at the Botanique in Brussels yesterday evening (November 9), I gotta admit that I regret a lot of things. Such as cutting my lion mane. Not requesting an interview. Not being able to dance with her on stage rather than in the middle of a packed venue where we were squeezed like sardines. But I surely don’t regret buying my ticket! And neither does the friend I dragged over there, even though she only knew two songs beforehand.
Following a velvety intro (the fans will see what I did there), the British songstress set the tone for the evening with her feel-good track Happy. Twirling around and punctuating each one of her smiles with elegant finger snaps, she quickly imposed herself with her poise and very singular voice, showing everyone that she truly deserved her place on the BBC Sound of 2016 podium! Blending her influences, NAO managed to bring together people with very different tastes in music, making the r&b, pop and electronic worlds collide thanks to a powerful setlist lightened with a few ethereal moments allowing her to catch her breath like the tender Adore You, or to draw on her feelings for the poignant In The Morning.
While she did make a brief stop where it all began performing So Good, most of the show was obviously built around her debut album For All We Know released in July, magnifying GRADES majestic productions which probably provided the main impulse of NAO’s energy. It’s no wonder her shyness comes back as soon as the music is not there to nurture the confidence of her performing persona. When she was not busting an energetic move, the 28-year-old was fanning out all of her sensuality on atmospheric ballads such as the sultry Apple Cherry reminiscent of FKA twigs. Smashing every chorus, she flirted effortlessly with her incredible high ranges, casually adding runs here and there without ever overdoing it — and you wouldn’t expect less from the former singing teacher and vocal jazz graduate, although I sometimes wished she had hired some backing vocalists instead of opting for playback tracks.
After witnessing NAO hitting the drums on an extended version of Trophy mixed with Justin Timberlake’s Señorita, the crowd was in for a special treat when she decided to sing Blue Wine which she usually doesn’t perform. It’s quite surprising when you know that it’s actually her favourite track on the project. Time stopped for 3:38 (I counted! — nope, I cheated and asked Spotify) before entering the one last wave of ‘wonky funk’ as she likes to call it, which included her Mura Masa’s collaboration Firefly. The show couldn’t end on a better song than Bad Blood and that famous low note that put me on the floor and made me fall in love with her for good last year a few months after discovering her through Zillionaire thanks to Kim Cesarion. Some things can make you feel richer than a millionaire and an evening with NAO is surely one of them.
