It’s not often that an opening act and a headliner’s performances complement each other so hypnotically. Tinashe’s show on October 17th at the Greek Theatre with opener Raveena brought audiences through pulsing beats and slow-paced melodies, leaving room for dancing, yearning, and everything in between.
Both artists performed setlists with songs that paid homage to their musical influences and showed their journeys as creatives while recognizing their biggest hits that had helped them build their fanbases. Singer and songwriter Raveena Aurora (who goes by Raveena) blends R&B and soul music with South Asian instrumentals, while all-around musician and dancer Tinashe infuses pop and electronics into the genre of R&B.
Raveena captured the crowd with her entrancing vocals, moving through the light breeze of the night to create a dreamy ambiance throughout the venue. She performed songs from each of her three album releases, as well as her debut EP Shanti.
Much of her discography combines western and South Asian musical styles, reflecting her upbringing in a Punjabi household. While she is inspired by musicians like Billie Holiday, she combines this with a familiarity with traditional Indian instruments. From time to time, she twirled across the stage, bringing a youthful feel to her live renditions of her songs, many of which focus on healing and letting light within oneself. Raveena maintained a soft-spoken intimacy with her audience, often reaching out to touch their hands and telling the crowd that it was now part of the community she tries to create with her music and fans.
Tinashe shifted the feel of the show, taking the buzz created by Raveena’s performance and adding a high-tempo, alluring feel from the get-go. She brought out new choreography along with performances of tracks from her most recent album Quantum Baby, which the “Match My Freak” tour is supporting.
Effortlessly commanding the stage with four backup dancers, she embodied sultry confidence. Her powerful vocals shone through slower-paced songs and bubbly dance tracks, and combined with dynamic lighting changes and screen displays at the back of the stage, she put on a show that new and long-time fans would remember. Born in Kentucky but raised in Pasadena, California, Tinashe emphasized that this was a hometown show for her and that many fans had been with her from the beginning of her music career over 10 years prior.
