Last month AZIYA kicked off the first date of her UK Atomic tour in Glasgow with a performance at SWG3’s Poetry Club. Despite this being the opening night of tour, the London based musician displayed no initial nerves as she gave a show full of energy and confidence from start to finish; one which even the most esteemed acts around would be glad to emulate.
Bursting on to the stage in a sleek white shirt and black-tie combo, elevated by a red tartan skirt in a nod to show number one’s location, Aziya quickly got to business in giving the crowd what they wanted. From playing songs that have enjoyed viral moments online, the live debut of single Atomic and the beginning of new fan favourites- the buzz around this gig emerged as Aziya graced the stage.
Having gained online popularity recently through everyone’s favourite social media vices, namely Instagram and Tik Tok, there was no doubt from those who knew Aziya that this was already a talented musician setting out to make her mark. Through uploading online covers of popular songs expanding a range of genres and indicating her diversity in musical taste and ability, Aziya used vocals, guitars, and electronic production to demonstrate her talent through these little snippets. If it was evident then that this was someone to watch, then this live show took this to another level.
Aziya emerged with 2021 single Blood, a fiery tune full of frustration led by an electronic bass lead and big guitar sounds to echo these emotions. Her latest single Chain was another stand out. This catchy tune worked very well live, boasting complimentary guitar and drum breakdowns in the exact type of resounding mix which you want to hear at live gigs.
This was followed by Girl Meets World; a song framing fears of the unknown for current and future generations as Aziya reflected on her own unease at what lies ahead. Timely, it was after this point in the set where she invited the crowd to mosh with her. Leaping into the floor of this intimate crowd, Aziya jumped, danced and sang along with her Glasgow audience as her infectious energy and crowd interaction allowed everyone to just let go and enjoy these moments.
A further standout was the unreleased, industry critical song Wundagirl. Aziya did not hold back in being candid about industry pressures whilst feeling the need to be the best she can despite such external forces. This song exaggerates it’s sound with cool guitar riffs and changes in tempo to create a punk feel that was a personal favourite to hear live.
A special highlight from this show was when Aziya addressed the crowd directly, as she passionately professed that this was a safe space for people whenever they come to one of her shows. The musician stated “Whoever comes to my gig you are welcome here… I am all accepting… whatever gender, race … if you don’t accept any that then I don’t know what you’re doing here!” making it clear what sort of artist she is: the best kind.
Having recently taken the lead single on a social media tour around sights all over London and further afield, playing it in front of some iconic places, the Poetry Club was next in line to hear Atomic live. Naturally, this song was highly anticipated and thus went down a treat, with the crowd dancing along and Aziya’s vocals really taking centre stage at this point. Relatable lyrics which find fun in questioning the existence of love, wrapped up in distinctive post-punk riffs and synths, this song is bound to boost the musician’s popularity and make a dent in even more ‘one to watch’ lists.
Aziya closed with her final song Slip, the first single the musician ever put out into the world. This full circle moment tied up a vibrant and memorable gig for this musician and producer, who then waited behind to meet everyone, sign posters and have a blether with all who had come along to see her. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be welcoming Aziya back to Glasgow soon, likely to play the bigger rooms at this venue and likely some festival stages next summer!
