Theia
6th July 2017
Neck of the Woods, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Bridget Herlihy. Photography by Mike Thornton.
It has been a huge week of milestones for Theia. Not only did the Christchurch-born songstress release her greatly anticipated debut self-titled EP on June 30th, but to mark the occasion she has also embarked upon her first New Zealand tour, headlining her own shows for the first time in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. And to top it off Theia has chosen all women support acts for each of the dates, showcasing some of Aotearoa’s finest up and coming talent of the female persuasion.
Theia’s EP release tour kicked off at Neck of the Woods on K Road, and what better way to warm up a cold and miserable winter’s night. Having arrived unfashionably late, I unfortunately missed DJ Alisha’s set, but arrived just in time to see Dunedin-based Arcee Rapper (aka Rona Wignall) leap onstage to begin an energetic performance. Arcee Rapper is on the up and up. Having released her first single in 2013, Arcee is not only earning herself a reputation as one of NZ’s finest female MCs, a reputation that earned her a coveted spot at last year’s Fusion Festival in Europe, as well as a support slot for Bluebird and New Yorker Ceschi during their tour through Germany & Switzerland. Clad in he trademark backwards cap, single ‘Fake Bitch’ got the crowd up and moving, showcasing Arcee’s unapologetic hiptronica stylings.
Playing a selection of tracks from 2015’s impressive debut The Arcee LP and showcasing her trademark hiptronica and piano rap sounds, Arcee was in fine form. At only 24 years old, Arcee Rapper is undoubtedly a very talented young woman; she brings the beats, has plenty of attitude and swagger, and delivers an abundance of finely tuned rhymes, but the sporadic onslaught of profanities somehow seemed slightly out of place within the evening’s context. Despite this, Arcee delivered a tight – albeit too brief – set that left me keen to see what else she can deliver.
By the time Theia took to the stage, the venue was almost at capacity with a strong sense of anticipation in the air; dozens of mobile phones poised at the ready to snap the her first moments on stage. And she did not disappoint, launching straight into Silver Second, the first track from her EP, quickly proving that this songstress can indeed perform live, and do it exceptionally well. Hailed as NZ’s own electro-pop princess, Theia is a star on the rise. With a sound formed around the influences of her childhood and adolescence, Theia’s beat heavy soundscapes are masterfully fuse together elements of R&B, dance, pop and electronica, and the results are nothing short of stunning. Highlights of the set included an extended version of Treat You, complete with remix stylings, and the live debut of brand spanking new upbeat track Tasty. The set also include a tribute to the late, great Amy Winehouse, with a soulful rendition of Love Is A Losing Game. Closing the set with one of the anthems of the summer of 2016/17, Roam, the adoration of the crowd was palpable. Returning for an encore of Major Laser’s Cold Water, Theia ended the first night of her tour on a real high. Theia is a woman to watch. And if you haven’t checked out her new EP yet, what are you waiting for?
Theia:
Arcee Rapper:
Were you there at Neck of the Woods for this spellbinding Kiwi Pop performance? Or have you seen Theia perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Silver Second
- Champagne Supernova
- Treat You/One Dance/Treat You Remix
- Love Is A Losing Game (Amy Winehouse cover)
- Tasty
- Forever
- Everything
- Roam
- Cold Water (Major Laser Cover) [Encore]