Kara Marni, The Waiting Room: ‘Soars effortlessly to dizzying heights’

The 19 year old singer’s first headline show goes off with a bang at the Stoke Newington venue

The venue is packed, and I mean PACKED, for Kara Marni’s first headline gig at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington.

People queue on the stairs to listen throughout; her performance assures me that this is just the first of many sold out shows for the young songwriter.

Since she uploaded her cover of Minnie Riperton’s Loving You, performed at Westfield, to YouTube, the 19 year old singer has been gaining traction. It’s easy to see why this grabbed the attention of her manager: this isn’t an easy song to say the least, but she has the vocal range to match Riperton.

Support comes in the form of DJ Emerald Rose Lewis, who, tucked away in the corner, could have been missed but for her flawless soundtrack, and Yasmin Hass-Sinclair, who sang a short but charming warm up set.

Marni demonstrates her technical prowess immediately: right from the start, her voice soars effortlessly to dizzying heights and she executes intricate runs with great agility. She has a soulful tone and power well beyond her years, and when she finally talks after the second track, I’m surprised by how softly spoken she is.

A highlight is her duet with XamVolo, a lovely, understated cover of Nothing Even Matters by Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo. Their voices weave in and out like vines, respectful of each other’s lead.

Understandably, Marni saves the best for last: Golden, a sneak peak of what is to come when she releases her upcoming EP, is a joyful tribute to the hazy honeymoon period of a new relationship.

For a night of soulful and uplifting pop, Kara Marni’s performance starts and ends on a high note.