Alina Baraz‘s soulful musings ruled the stage at the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday night, her first time playing in Los Angeles since two dates in 2018 at the The Novo. She even attracted Lebron James and his wife to the show. It must be stated that an unfortunate mishap by the production crew caused the siren’s stunning vocals to be overshadowed by faulty soundboards and the musicians’ overwhelming levels.
That said, the Cleveland, OH vocalist was an absolute pro for the entire hour-long set. A series of dramatic images took over the screen from glam photos to jellyfish to a plane to a bridge. It was all setting up an epic night of vocals and fantasy, with Baraz gracefully silhouetted behind a screen bursting with stars on the screen as the piano twinkled away.
Instrumental “Memo Blue” started out the elegant set on piano followed by the wispy, romantic “My Whole Life”. The soothing song was a strong opening for Alina Baraz, glowing in a sparkly dress with goddess-like hair. Baraz said simply “LA” to her fans and the place echoed her excitement with a roar. The soothing vocals continued on “More Than Enough” followed by “Endlessly”, with butterflies and exotic beach locales blended on the screen as Baraz walked seductively to the song. She left the stage for a moment and came back for the 6LACK-featured “Morocco” (sans 6LACK) with two girls who hit the stripper poles setting the mood for the night. Following the sensual performance, Baraz spoke to the crowd, “It is such a hectic time in all of our lives and I am so grateful. Can we show some love for my dancers?”
Alina then mentioned the next song is her favorite song and its title “Alone With You” earned the name of her U.S. tour. The sexy/cool song was a crowd favorite, with fans joining the Baraz on the lyrics throughout as the dancers twirled to the beat on the poles on either side of her. Baraz joined her dancers mid-stage among hues of blue, purple and pink for some hip-shaking moves and the place was lit.
The guitar was a focal point on the glistening, powerful “Trust” and the feels were all there for “Yours”. Older song “Make You Feel” (from her collaborative album with producer Galimatias) was next, showcasing a lovely vocal from the siren with the crowd singing along. The ambient “Show Me” was mashed up with the stunning “Can I”, which was an absolute highlight of the night, spotlighting the beautiful bombshell in a silhouette before later joining her dancers again for an alluring dance moment. The way she gently sways her hands and strolls on the stage are clearly out of a page in Mariah Carey’s 90s book.
Another standout moment of the evening was the crowd singing along to the addicting “Fantasy” with the girls again on the poles, swaying their bodies to the funky beats. Alina thanked her dancers Autumn and McKenzie and her amazing, “badass” band (Tyler on guitar and Pete on the keys), crediting them for playing multiple instruments. She also gave a shout out to her mom who was present and told her fans that they are the “light in her life”. Then she played perhaps her most massive hit to date, “Electric” (featuring Khalid) with flames and sparks flying across the screen as her dancers rotated behind her and the chorus of fans joined in on the magical song.
Alina Baraz closed out the night with an encore that included the lovely “Frank” and the guitar ballad “To Me”. Her jazzy vocal tone and sultry inflections soared throughout and even brought to mind moments of Amy Winehouse. It’s clear Baraz was present and grateful during her show, loving every moment she was able to shine on the stage.
UK R&B singer Hope Tala opened the show which continues with Alina Baraz for three nights at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA among other dates in fall/winter (select dates feature RINI as support), running through February 3, 2022.
