The weather may have been cold outside, but Yola left a sold-out 9:30 club all warm and fuzzy.

The night began with opener, Amythyst Kiah. Very few openers have left me in awe as she did. Her stage presence and voice was so commanding yet melodic and graceful. What blew me away was the back stories behind some of the songs she wrote and performed. I felt transported to Cafe Wha? in lower Manhattan during the late 60’s. 

Yola came on shortly afterward and before she even hit the stage the club erupted with joy. I was trying to focus on taking good photographs but was in a trance at how amazing her voice was. She not only puts on a fantastic show with songs that transport you to a different dimension, but her humor and personality are so warm and rich. She would share anecdotes and stories in between songs that even George Carlin would find funny and interesting. 

One of my very first shows at the 9:30 Club was Dan Auerbach and the Easy Eye Sound Revue back in 2018. Ever since then, I’ve kept a close eye and ear on The Easy Eye Sound label and for good reason. Yola’s new album, Walk Through Fire, is one of those instant classics albums that you can listen all the way through without skipping a single song. The entire album is crafted with such care and beauty with every note. The way Yola blends country, folk, and soul, seamlessly, is incredible and it’s no wonder she’s nominated for multiple Grammys. If you haven’t heard her new album, you’re doing yourself a major disservice.