Review: Ibeyi, Porij, Obongjayar at BBC 6 Music Festival
Venue: Y Plas, 01/04/2022
Words & pics: Craig Strachan
The BBC 6 Music festival’s Friday night party at Y Plas was all about the rhythm.
It began as soon as Nigerian singer Obongjayar emerged dressed head to toe in suede, with a red double-breasted suit and sunglasses that didn’t leave his face; he was undeniably cool.
His music is an amalgamation of Afro-beat, soul and a touch of James Brown that reeked of charisma. It was scientifically impossible to not dance.
As the night rolled on the venue filled out and Porij took the stage with a completely different aesthetic, all four members dressed head to toe in monochrome black and white. The music is glittering, sweet indie-pop full of the joys exemplified by ever-smiling singer Eggy.
All the 6 Music Festival reviews:
Bloc Party: A banquet of brilliance
Little Simz: It’s her moment
‘The joy of being there’: It’s been emotional
Panic Shack : The girl gang you’ve been waiting for
The most impressive part of their performance is their versatility. At some points I had Porij pinned down as a pop band then they’d come up with a song in which the singer raps. Later on you think you’re listening to a chilled-out Easy Life-esque tune only for guitarist Tommy to burst in with an ear-piercing distorted guitar lick in a squall of feedback.
Last on stage were Ibeyi, Afro-French Cuban twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz. They sang in English, French, Spanish and Yoruba but you didn’t need to understand the languages to tell they were clearly incredibly excited to be there, engaging with the crowd constantly.
Halfway through the set they explain that this has been their first performance in three years but any fears of rustiness are quickly shrugged off as the duo roll and twist us through a set of emotional ballads and Latin-beat bangers.
