Tkay Maidza Thunders Through 19 North American Cities [Film Forward]

35mm film captured these images in the spirit of “C’est la V13,” and Film Forward is a call to action. Anticipate where film photography leads your mind in live music’s bold comeback era. Photographers are permitted in the pit with nothing between us and the performers for only three songs. Shooting film of low light action commands high concentration, so film photography keeps my mind present. Three songs are quickly gone and irreplaceable, so my head’s got to be in the game.

Australia’s festival queen in a rare intimate club performance captured for V13 with unique analog photos.

Sweet Justice is the title of Tkay Maidza’s new LP, and it echoes the West’s growing fascination for this ferocious performer. The rapper-singer was born in Zimbabwe, raised all over Australia, and now resides in Los Angeles. The songs performed on this tour reflect the exotic and far-reaching influences radiating from an artist who spent her young life spanning the world. I was close enough to touch a performer who plays venues vastly different from the black box I was in. She’s commanded The Greek Theater, New York’s Central Park and Sydney Opera House in recent years. Tkay Maidza tapped songwriter and actress Tayla Parx as the opening act for this tour, and the two avant-garde songcraft styles matched expertly.

The new album chronicles Tkay Maidza’s growth out of her former skin. She had formative experiences touring with Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish. This new music amplifies the contrast between Tkay’s antagonistic lyrics and her slinky vocalization that snaps into a machine gun cadence. The new material hypnotized, but her cover of The Pixes’ “Where is My Mind” was the final thrill. It was the cherry on top of a sinfully Sweet Justice-filled set.

Tkay Maidza @ the Cambridge Room (Dallas, TX) on March 3, 2024

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