It was 34 degrees in Charlotte, North Carolina as concert-goers stood in line to see K. Michelle at The Fillmore Charlotte on Sunday, November 24.
The Rebellious Soul Tour started around 8:05 p.m., with Rico Love’s Division 1 artist Tiara Thomas opening the show. While I’m not a fan of Thomas, her talent is remarkable. The Indiana native used her 20 minute set to perform songs like “The Cloud,” and “Nikki” from her “Dear Sallie Mae EP.” Thomas didn’t get the crowd’s full participation until she sung her solo-version of Wale’s platinum-selling single “Bad” which she’s featured on. All in all, Thomas’ set was cute, therefore, I’ll applaud her effort.
Next to hit the stage was singer/songwriter, Sevyn Streeter. Opening her set with August Alsina’s “I Luv This Sh*t,” the CBE artist and her two male dancers wasted no time getting the crowd hyped. Then Streeter shared her love for Aaliyah as she sung her slow jam “Come Over.” She went into Chris Brown’s “No Bullsh*t,” giving fans LIFE with her sultry dance moves and her sexy vocals.
Another cover on her set-list included Keyshia Cole’s “I Should’ve Cheated.” It was refreshing to hear her vocal approach on Cole’s notable hit. However, it didn’t evoke the same emotions of Keyshia’s originally version. Nonetheless, it did showcase her vocal range and her ability to successfully sing another artist’s songs and make it her own without trying to mimic them.
Towards the middle to end of her set, Streeter took time to plug her forthcoming EP “Call Me Crazy, But…,” performing songs such as “Call Me Crazy,” “nEXT,” and “B.A.N.S.” (B-tch A** Ni**a Sh*t). She closed with her blazing single “It Won’t Stop.” Altogether, Streeter formally introduced herself to me as a great performer with an amazing voice to match.
After Sevyn scorched the stage, K. Michelle finished burning it to a crisp when she hit the stage around 9:40 p.m. The venue was lit with cell phones and tablets recording the Memphis native as she started her set with “My Life” the opening track on her debut album. She then let her two backup singers introduce themselves with telling fans about “their life.”
Following “My Life,” K.Michelle sung a snippet of Meek Mill’s “Who You’re Around” featuring Mary J.Blige. “Somebody who you’re around wants to clip your wings and shoot you down/but its okay to keep enemies close/as long as you know, just make sure you know who you’re around.” The singer/reality-star went to tell the audience to watch out for the company they keep and what she did next was typical K.Michelle.
“Now there is a young lady in the audience named Rain and her Twitter handle is @Rhaytdr,” said K. Michelle. The “Rebellious” artist then went to explain her reason for the calling out the fan who stated “Where these b*itches at! This concert was suppose to start at 7:30!Y’all just got these fans.we ain’t that loyal.”
After sharing the tweet, K.Michelle gave her explanation of her tardiness. “If I was suppose to be on the stage at 9:30 and I wasn’t, I wasn’t suppose to be here.” She then told the fan she could get the “f-ck out” before she sung the chorus to “Who You’re Around” again.
During her hour set, K.Michelle took fans back to the 90’s with her renditions of “Rain” by SWV and Monica’s “Before You Walk Out My Life.” Later, she sung fan-favorites like “Amen” and “Go Off” from her successful “Zero F*cks Given” mixtape.
A few highlights included her singing “Can’t Raise A Man,” “The Right One,” “Pay My Bills,” and her emotional tune “I Don’t Like Me.” She even debuted her new song “Baby Mama” which was inspired from her last relationship with Lance Stephenson and his trifling baby mama. The concert wouldn’t be “very special” if she didn’t perform her chart-topping single “V.S.O.P.”
It goes without saying, K.Michelle can sing and at The Fillmore Charlotte, she proved to naysayers –“I’m here to stay.”
Besides the freezing weather, my VIP ticket fiasco and the no manners concert-goers who don’t know the words “excuse me,” it was a nice show. I enjoyed the Tiara Thomas and Sevyn Streeter performances along with dosage of laughter K.Michelle brought. I just wished K.Michelle had performed “Hate On Her” and “I Just Wanna.” However, I received satisfaction when I met her after the show.
