KRCL hosted Lady Wray at The State Room on Sunday March 26, Lady putting on a production of highly orchestrated octave scaling with influences from the ‘90s and early aughts oozing out of every song.
The narrow hallway covered in framed show posters of The State Room’s countless performances lead guests through a corridor of graphic arts into a hall for the musically inclined where Lady showcased her repertoire of influences in her contemporary take on R&B, blues, soul, hip hop, funk. Even a blues rock and roll number made its way into her set. A contemporary twist on the sounds of the early aughts. Swanky and bluesy, sexy and silken.
Lady Wray, born Nicole Wray, has the soul and bounty of a voice like Aretha Franklin or Jennifer Hudson, with an R&B swag of the late ‘90s and early aughts like Ms. Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott and Aaliyah. Missy, whose generation influenced contemporaries like Lady, first saw a young Nicole on an audition tape in 1998, signing her on the spot knowing Lady’s grandiose potential.
Opening with heavy hitters like Come On In and Piece of Me, her latest album’s title track, the crowd revealed itself as true stans belting the choruses. The production felt perfectly old school, reminiscent of Ms. Lauryn Hill and her high standard in the technicalities of vocal ranges and instrument wielding. Lady sang as the front woman to her special guest opener and supporting band Brainstory that included guitar, bass, drums, keys – both original and synthesized – and backup vocalists. Kevin on the gold guitar pulled out the wah pedal to surf the waves into bluesy funk. His brother Tony on the bass, animatedly concentrated, eyebrows riding scales up and down wrinkles like a musical staff. The drummer Eric found a sweet spot between styles, pulling influences through the beats.
The vocalists specifically referenced a more original time when back track harmonies compliment each other in highly rehearsed precision. Not prerecorded to near perfection digital renditions. I like to think it’s Lady’s ode to those original women in R&B her work is so inspired by. Specifically like the support Ms. Lauryn Hill had at her 25th anniversary concert for Ms. Education. Boisterous voices cruising octaves up and down scales, reaching notes so high with unfathomably large output of strength in their core and vocal boxes.
Lola, her femme backup singer from Brooklyn, harmonized the filler lyrics with an energy of an invested audience member, while simultaneously belting more energy in one burst of lyrics than I have for merely watching a concert. She performed, danced, reacted, got us audience involved, all while beautifully expending her fullest diaphragm. Body as instrument. The keys and male supporting vocals, JT, reached the gentle high pitches of Thundercat’s silken squeals. Playing classic jazz keys into synthesized riffs.
Lady’s songs cover topics in lamens terms of love and social complexities. Her words very to the point, literal, simple yet covering topics of depth in the heart. Like Guilty, using her music as an outlet for the guilt she holds about her brother being incarcerated while she gets to roam free. Guilty reading a double entendre: her brother found guilty, while she feels guilty for her success. Yet, she explained in a brief interlude, this has fostered gratitude in her ability to make music, to travel, to see beautiful places like the mountains of Salt Lake.
Another song of simple beauty: Melody, has potential for another double meaning. Named after her daughter, the song expresses the love for her baby, how she was in tears of distress and confusion before Melody came along, her love more than she could have ever imagined. Melody also reading how the musical melody she found in her life brought her back to herself. Wiping away tears when finding brightness in the melodies she creates. Her songs offer deep reflections into moments of her life, outlets of great love, pain, grief, joy.
She even brought back one of her original songs, one that initially caught Missy Elliott’s attention when Lady was a fledgling R&B artist exploring rap. Melodic, slow bars over smooth, early aughts influenced rhythms. Sexy body rolls to a smooth grind. Another deep cut even going into a rock and roll and soul collaboration. A grungy, deep girth in her voice belted in soulful power next to more classically rock guitar and drums, changing the pace for an end of the show banger. The crowd all wiggled like we were footloose.
The production was immersive in watching all of the different moving parts of such practiced skill. A contemporary bringing the greats to younger generations, Lady Wray is keeping the aughts alive.
genevieve vahl 