Photography: Josh Ma
Words: Ken Magno
Fresh off an impressive back to back festival run, Tinashe hits Sydney’s iconic Enmore Theatre with her ‘Match My Freak’ Tour; a set that was equal parts sexy and electrifying, her full talents as a performer, song writer and vocalist on full display. Coming in hot off the success of her two most recent albums and an impressive world tour, as well as the viral hot-girl-summer anthem Nasty, the hype for the Kentucky born / California Raised star was unmatched.
The set started out like something out of a WWE match, with Tinashe making an entrance to an EDM remix of her hit song Nasty complete with strobes and visuals that had some wondering if they were at the right concert (in the best way possible). The lights dimmed once more as her entourage of backup dancers made their entrance with the RNB / pop queen herself following shortly behind, starting the night off with hits ‘Getting No Sleep’ and ‘When I Get You Alone’ from her most recent release ‘Quantum Baby’ fading into her viral track ‘Needs’ from her 2023 release ‘BB/ANG3L’, perfectly setting the tone for the rest of the night.
Alongside an impressive discography, playing songs like ‘2 On’ and ‘All Hands On Deck’ from her debut release ‘Aquarius’ as well as her most iconic and popular collaborations like ‘The Worst In Me’ (with Kaytranada) and the 2015 club anthem ‘All My Friends’ (with Snakeships & Chance the Rapper), her full talents came into display through her choreography and her powerful stage presence. Her irresistible movements mixed with her backup dancers conveying a story within each song created an already theatrical experience to what would’ve been just another show, but between each beat and perfectly synced movement Tinashe still found a way to make the set more personal with every member in the crowd – her engagement with the sea of adoring fans was like nothing else, expressing her gratitude for each member of the crowd and creating a connection that felt rare within the music world.
Tinashe’s show could only be described as a perfect storm of different genres flowing together in a way that no other artist could replicate. There wasn’t a single person not taken over by her infectious energy; from the barricade of screaming fans to the couples swaying and spinning at the back of the venue, her aura could be felt through every beat that shook the walls of the Enmore. The night was a feast for the eyes and ears, a show that was both intimate and explosive down to every tiny detail, and Tinashe absolutely ate and left no crumbs.