Kelela review, The Roundhouse, London: Emotionally fulfilling

At one point she distracts a female fan so her partner can surprise her with a marriage proposal

Kelela performs at The Roundhouse (Redferns/Getty)

At the Roundhouse, R&B singer Kelela chooses to ease her way into an evening spiked with intense, emotional interludes. The 34-year-old American is known for taking her time – her long-awaited debut album Take Me Apart was released in 2017, four whole years after her breakthrough Cut 4 Me mix-tape – but when she’s ready to flaunt it, she does it well.

Dressed in a white split dress and flanked by two angelic backing singers/dancers, she begins with a slick performance of “LMK”, the first single from Take Me Apart. It’s a song that sees her demanding love and respect. And it sets the tone for the evening.

For an artist whose tracks often sound like a delicate trickle, her vocals are richer, huskier than expected. Her singing outshines many of her alternative R&B contemporaries and her live backing tracks are a brilliant fusion of sounds; from Caribbean-inspired foghorns to the electronica that made her name. The crowd is captivated as she works through material from Cut 4 Me. Her music illustrates the back pages of life.

During a powerful version of “Go All Night”, Kelela pulls a woman onto the stage so her boyfriend can rush from the wings and get down on one knee. The woman turns around, sees him, and jumps into his arms. It’s a feel-good moment and the crowd roars.

Once the couple have left the stage Kelela returns to material from her new album, bringing a renewed electricity to her set. “Blue Light” and “Gomenasai” ramp up the intensity and leave dirty bass shivering through the venue. On a short and sweet version of “Bluff” she breaks the spell once more to tell the crowd the story of the track: “It was to let him know that I knew that he was bullshit.” Everyone cheers.

As her performance comes to a close, she says: “I can’t believe this day has come. I’m the opener, you know? From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate each and every one of you.” The show is a triumph and we leave the venue emotionally fulfilled, that beautiful music still ringing in our ears.