IA few weeks back, I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across an interesting post on First Avenue’s page. It announced that they were giving away tickets to a bunch of upcoming shows, and that people should leave comments telling them which acts they’d like to see live. My top picks: The Taylor Dayne Charity Concert for the Gay Softball World Series and ZORA. A few days later, I got a message letting me know that I’d won a pair of tickets to the ZORA show.
Admittedly, I knew very little about ZORA or her music coming in. What I did know was that she’s a local Black musician, and that she could be a good subject for my first story. On the morning of the show, I did some research and learned that she produces all of her own music and was something of a musical prodigy in her youth. With a background like that, it was hard not to get excited about seeing her live.
The show was at 7th St Entry, First Avenue’s smaller, more intimate stage that puts audience and performer on the same level. I arrived with just enough time to grab a drink before opener Kamilla Love came out, captivating in all white. Her music’s classic R&B sound paired well with her sultry presence. Throughout her performance, she slunk across the stage, delivering her songs in a breathy voice that felt akin to someone whispering in my ear.
https://video.wordpress.com/embed/iE8ZYOIt?cover=1&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=1&hd=0Kamilla Love performing “Mad at Me” (7th St Entry, 6/17/23)
Her standouts included “3am,” with its climbing vocal melody and haunting bass line, and “Mad at Me” (“Why you mad at me, baby?…You used to laugh with me.”). Both songs had the moody, late-night vibes of an episode of Euphoria (and would not have felt out of place on the soundtrack). Kamilla concluded with heavy-hitter and crowd favorite “Fucking Barbie Girl,” which was released in 2018, back when the Barbie movie was likely just a twinkle in Greta Gerwig’s eye. The audience was rapping the track’s catchy hook even after it had ended.
Shortly after, drag performer London DarkHorse took the stage for her second set of the night. In her sheer dress shimmering with rhinestones, she drew every eye in the room. Lip-syncing to crowd pleasers like “Love and War” by Tamar Braxton and Sade’s “Is It a Crime?”, London effortlessly embodied the songs and exuded sensuality with her dynamic choreography. As an audience member, I marveled at the care she took to shower each one of us with her attention. Her closing number was Erykah Badu’s eternal hit “Tyrone”; by the end, the whole crowd was singing and dancing along.
DarkHorse performing “Love and War” by Tamar Braxton (7th St Entry, 6/17/23)
The energy in the room was at an all-time high when ZORA finally went on. It was immediately clear that, despite being only 24 years old and a first-time headliner, she already has a mighty following. Her fans filled the room with whoops and cheers when she emerged in black leather, chains, and earrings of her own name.
ZORA performing “The Bitch is Back (Press)” (7th St Entry, 6/17/23)
Jumping into her set, she opened with her latest single, “The Bitch is Back (Press),” a song brimming with bravado and bars. ZORA’s palpable swagger quickly got the crowd hyped, and the hype continued into “Happiest I’ve Ever Been” (so good, I wrongly assumed it was a cover of something on the Top 40) and “RUNNITUP,” the production of which I was particularly impressed by. Then, she slowed things down with “Cliff,” a sobering declaration of love for someone who refuses to be vulnerable (“I know you love me, too, but it’s literally killing me”). In a show of reverence, the audience quieted down for her sung confessional. After that, ZORA brought the room back to life with “All Around the World!”, which she described as a celebration of trans women everywhere.
“All Around the World!” (7th St Entry, 6/17/23)
As the concert progressed, I found myself falling for ZORA. It took little time for her to prove her prowess as a performer. She looked to be at home on the stage, bopping along to her own bops and feeding off the audience’s energy. When the crowd would chant her name between songs, she’d egg them on, delighted by the adoration. There was a genuine sense of love and community in the room that’s absent from most concerts. ZORA’s biggest supporters, including her mother and partner (the two of whom ZORA shouted out eagerly), were all in attendance. I look forward to the day I can brag to people that I was at her first headlining show; right now, I can say with confidence that her future holds many more.
