Samia was all Honey at Cat’s Cradle in Carborro, NC
photos by Yailene Leyva
On 03/18/2023, Samia played at Cat’s Cradle in Carborro, NC.
The Nashville-based musician has been embarking on her Honey tour to support the release of her sophomore album of the same name, released in January of this year.
The show opened with the angsty Ralphie Kent. From the moment he stepped up onto the stage, the Nashville-based musician created and harbored an energy that is unfamiliar to the indie-rock genre. Although much of the instrumentalism and lyricism were pretty standard for the genre, Kent uses his vocalism to take his music to a new level. After checking out his recorded works, there is an apparent difference from his live performance. While his live performance is more reminiscent of musicians like Jordan Dean and his recorded works are very comparable to the silkiness of Sufjan Stevens and Ritt Momney.
Kent’s set itself was eclectic, bright, and rejuvenating. He displayed pure emotion through his vocals, and his band (who were subsequently his close friends) absolutely put their all into their instruments. From the first beat of the drum and each string picked on the guitar and bass, fans could feel the music in their core. Maybe it was because the instruments were turned up too loud, or the music was just that good (I choose to believe the latter); it was an experience that genuinely transcended any words I could put into it.
A few minutes after Kent’s set, Samia took the stage. She ran into the stage with an incredible amount of energy and excitement to be at the show. Samia opened with the song ‘Kill Her Freak Out’ off the album Honey, giving fans a taste of what the rest of the night would be like. She primarily played songs off her newest album but managed to sprinkle in a few other songs and surprises for fans. About halfway through her set, she invited Christian Lee Hutson on stage to sing their song “To Me It Was” together and a shortened cover of “The Weight” by The Band. Towards the end of her set, she brought on two more special guests for the show: her boyfriend, Briston Maroney, and Ralphie Kent. Together the trio (alongside her band) sang ‘Dream Song’ in a new, hypnotic edition. The comparison of Ralphie Kent and Briston Maroney’s subtle backing and Samia's smooth-as-honey vocals were frankly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Samia played many of her hits like the painfully intense ‘Breathing Song’, the upbeat ‘Honey’, and the ever-catchy ‘Sea Lions’. Sami masters the art of songwriting; this can be attributed to her songs with excruciatingly relatable lyrics that reflect growing pains, brave retellings of sexual assault, and love in turmoil. Aside from the sheer musical talent Samia encapsulates, she also put on quite the show. Every single minute of the set was pure performance art. Whether she was dancing around eclectically or solemnly sitting on stage, she used her movement to mirror the intended feelings of her music.
Samia will finish her Honey tour over the next couple of weeks before playing a handful of festivals in the summer/fall (including the freshly announced All Things Go) and is certainly not an artist to miss!
