Essaouira – Belgian neo-soul musician and songwriter Selah Sue delivered an unstoppable energetic performance to a jam-packed square in Essaouira on Thursday night as a part of the 24th edition of the Gnaoua World Music Festival.
Her vibrant eight-piece band included rich, soulful harmonies and upbeat choreography by her trio of backup singers and a tight-knit ensemble of skilled instrumentalists.
With numerous awards under her belt, including 3FM Awards for Best Solo Artist, Selah Sue and her band are no strangers to putting on epic performances and leaving it all onstage, and this show was no exception.
Selah Sue’s strong performance at the Gnaoua festival
Performing all her big hits, including “Ragamuffin” and “Crazy Vibes”, as well as her 2016 collaboration with Childish Gambino, “Together” that brought her worldwide acclaim, she also included fresh new material.
Seamlessly sliding paired-down versions of not-yet-released songs into her set, with just vocals and guitar, Selah Sue’s soulful alto vocals were underscored in each raw and intimate rendition she played, hinting that there may be more music on its way in the coming year.
The tastefully curated setlist offered something for everyone in the crowd last night. From wide-eyed toddlers to inspired teens and even groups of elderly men gleefully chanting along. Everyone of every gender, nationality, and age seemed to know the words and when to sing.
With seemingly effortless versatility and virtuosity, Selah Sue and her mega-band catered a luscious smorgasbord of genres in the true spirit of Gnaoua, the ever powerful music of versatility and collaboration.
Offering a wide range from reggae to rock, neo-soul to hip-hop, heart-wrenching ballads to fully-charged dance electronica, Selah Sue transported her listeners over the waves of Essaouira’s Atlantic Ocean, carrying the crowd up and back down again for every passing swell.
The performance was held on a backdrop of angular and complex rhythms that could hold the attention of even the most accomplished jazz aficionados and rhythm masters
Embodying everything that the Gnaoua World Music Festival is about —love, resilience, and collaboration— it is no wonder why Selah Sue’s fans love her.
Revealing her challenges with depression in 2022 in a special episode of the “Rebond” podcast, Selah Sue has made a remarkable impact on youth, not only for her work as an accomplished composer and performer, but also for her latest efforts to further inspire ongoing discussions surrounding mental health and to destigmatize the use of antidepressants for those who need them.
Selah Sue’s iconic performance in Essaouira
Thursday marked yet another unstoppable performance by the musician.
With an empowered and unapologetic presence onstage, the band laid it all out in Essaouira last night for all the lucky fans that showed up for opening night of Morocco’s legendary Gnaoua World Music Festival.
