On Thursday 12th June, Daphne Olympia headed down to the legendary Camden venue KOKO to watch the one and only Little Simz. With the long awaited return of Miu Miu’s Bond Street store, the Italian label teamed up with Dazed to put on one of the most electrifying shows of the year…
From the moment you stepped into KOKO, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. Miu Miu’s presence was unmistakable, their signature mix of high fashion and edgy, youthful spirit filling every inch of the venue, with attendees effortlessly blending the world of music and couture. KOKO’s intimate yet grand setting couldn’t have been more perfect for a night with Simz, its intricate Victorian architecture and art deco charm went hand in hand with Simz’s raw energy and poetic lyricism.
To kick off the night of incredible performances, the first act on was none other than Little Simz’s own DJ, OTG. OTG is a genre-blending artist and producer who was the first and only signee of Little Simz’s label, AGE 101. As well as Little Simz, OTG has supported many other renowned artists such as; Gorillaz, Lauryn Hill and Kano.
This DJ set really set the tone for the night ahead. OTG fused together an incredible mix of Afro house, R&B and soul. The vibes were impalpable and my friends and I were having the time of our lives dancing to remixes of some of our favourite tunes.
The second act on was the incredibly talented Nigerian born R&B and Afrobeat artist, Obongjayar. I’d never listened to his music before so witnessing him live, absolutely in his element was possibly the best first impression I could have ever got of him. Obongjayar performed a mix of songs from his latest album, Paradise Now. Out of all of the songs he performed the standout one for me was ‘Sweet Danger‘. The song simultaneously balanced tension and allure, with Obongjayar’s expressive vocals delivering lyrics that evoked a sense of vulnerability.
After a little interlude of the stage crew clearing from Obongjayar’s set and setting up with only some DJ decks, with OTG returning with them to the stage, we knew we were about to experience what we’d been anticipating all night. Starting her set off with, ‘Thief‘, the opening track to her latest album, Lotus, Little Simz put on the most captivating performance consisting of a mix of new songs and the hitters from previous albums, Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert and No Thank You. Of her whole performance, the highlight songs for me were ‘Point And Kill‘ and ‘Woman‘ as they’ve been two of my favourite songs since their releases back in 2021 so this for me was almost a ‘pinch me’ moment.
From the moment Little Simz stepped out on that stage it was her’s and she had us all in the palm of her hand, her razor sharp flow mixed with her calming confidence was mesmerising to watch.
Just when we thought her set was ending, we suddenly heard the signature trumpet sounds to the introduction of everybody’s favourite Little Simz song ‘Gorilla‘. We all erupted in screams, almost in relief because the thought of her leaving this song out of her setlist felt almost illegal. In unison with Simz we all rapped the song from start to finish which really felt like the most perfect way to end her absolutely stellar performance.
As a long time massive Little Simz fan who’s been dreaming of seeing her live for many years, the whole night was everything and more. Little Simz is an absolute force and if you don’t know her yet, get to know!
Words: Daphne Olympia Daphne is an R&B/soul/jazz artist from West London who has just released her third single ‘Craving‘, which is available to stream on all major streaming platforms. Daphne can be heard performing at her own show’s and with UD’s Flames Collective.
Instagram: @daphneolympiaa
Tiktok: @daphne.olympia
