Words: Ken Magno
Photography: Aaron Leslie
Kehlani, one of the world’s most well renowned R&B acts, returns to Sydney with an electric ensemble to close out her biggest tour run yet. Gracing the stage of the ICC in Sydney, Kehlani brings the hype with her most recent album “Crash” released back in June 2024. Setting an electrifying tone, the pop singer / dancer was backed by a dynamic ensemble of dancers and backing musicians, bringing her songs to life while also creating one of the most
The ICC is by no means a small venue, yet Kehlani powered through the set with a hint of intimacy as she shifted the dynamics between her songs. Soaring from her up-tempo Crash hits such as “What I Want” and “8”, before serenading the crowd with hit single “Honey” and even playing covers of other well known songs such as “Marry You” by Bruno Mars, though her track “Nights Like This” takes the cake for the highlight of the night, with Kehlani performing the club anthem to a sea of lights and adoring fans singing as if the singer had come to watch a concert of her own song sang back to her.
Amidst all this, Kehlani’s stage presence is wonderfully backed by her band that mixes hard rock guitar riffs with gospel drums, creating a sound that strays far from her usual electronic R&B sounds yet still sounds familiar – transforming her songs into a dynamic wall of sound that could felt at the very heights of the iconic venue. The instrumentation of each song and the way the band came together felt very natural, working not to overpower Kehlani’s vocals but to help guide the audience along sonic journey through her journey as a musician was a work of art.
Closing out Kehlani’s Crash World Tour, her Sydney show at the ICC was definitely a night to remember. Her ability to create make her shows personal clearly evident, even talking about hoping to see the majority of the crowd at her afterparty (hosted by Sydney’s very own Soulmate), while still proving to be the R&B powerhouse that she is. The show wraps up with a few more regional shows in Australia and before heading to Hawaii for her final solo performance of the tour.
