Shakka’s headline gig took place at the Electric Ballroom in Camden packed full of excited fans. Arriving just after 8pm the newly signed singer to label Pitched Up, a Sony imprint was not heading on stage till 9.15, so we got to hear the warm-up DJ play tunes such as Giggs “Look What The Cat Dragged In” and “Monsta Man”, Sean Paul’s “Get Busy” and some more new skool hip hop and R&B jams.
Etta Bond was the supporting act before the main man himself performed, and she set the tone well. With a blue lit background and just her and the musicians on the stage. Etta filled the stage with her presence and sultry voice. The mix of calming tracks and more energetic ones kept the audience on their toes. Etta worked it like a pro on the stage singing her tracks such as “Boring Bitches”, “Seen and Never Heard” and a performance of a classic R&B track from Teedra Moses “Be Your Girl” which everyone seemed to know even the younger faces.
Shakka’s entrance onto the stage exploded with a roar from the crowd, alerting any unsuspecting people that he was there, announcing “It’s Shakka with two K’s if you don’t know who I am”. I’m pretty sure everyone knew exactly who the talented West London singer/songwriter was. He kicked off with “When Will I See You Again” leading into a new song off the “Lost Boys” EP “ You Don’t Know What You Do To Me”. He then performed an incredible acapella showing off how strong his vocals are without his band.
He took a break to talk to the crowd expressing his gratitude but also expressing his passion “It’s amazing to have you know it no joke I do this full time, my mums very happy”, also showing a humorous side to him. He slowed it down and took it back to 2012 for one of his older songs “Take Our Time” going into the audience to sing to one lucky lady. A track I would say that really caught people’s attention was up next “Blackout” which he announced unfortunately the rapper on it would not be there, so Shakka performed the rap himself fluently.
He then made the crowd “Turn Up” with a rendition of “Am I Wrong” and freestyling over beats such as D Double E’s “Hard”, before going into “Walk With The Elephants” which got the crowd going wild, especially when BBK’s Frisco joined him. Shakka’s stage presence and hunger was evidently present and he commanded the audience and kept them enthralled, whether he was standing still or dancing to one of his more upbeat tracks. He ended on his latest release “Say Nada” with the words “One Day I’ll Make A Million” as he sung with such truth. Shakka is destined to be a star and nothing is going to hold him back.
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