Australian singer-songwriter Kate Kay Es made her mark in Brooklyn with her powerful voice, multi-musical abilities and charisma when she finished a soulful night of music featuring artists Kamilah and Sonny Step at National Sawdust on February 3rd.
Arriving to the venue at 10 o’clock left me in the midst of a buzzing crowd who were waiting for the final act of the night, Kate Kay Es. Until then I only knew Kate as Kesha’s touring pianist for her “The Rainbow Tour” and the pianist that helped bring her emotional performance at the 60th Grammy Awards, though after this night it was clear that Kate is an artist all on her own.
Sharing her vulnerability with the crowd, she expressed context behind some of her songs which she said were about “loneliness, love and moving halfway around the world, missing family and friends.” Her interaction with fans, as if having dialogue with them, made her all the more relatable. Her expressive emotion while playing piano, keyboard or saxophone was also touching, as we all looked on while she displayed her wide-ranging musical talent.
Kate made room to express gratitude to her band and backup singers, giving them all a moment to shine and display their own musical talents. At one point Kate invited someone who she described as “one of [her] best friends in the whole world”, Michael Blume, with whom she sang an incredibly catchy and heart touching love song. When discussing relatable topics, there’s nothing more relatable than singing about things you’d tell an old lover who turned you down. This was just one of the many songs fans found comfort in.
The rich vibe that was felt from the audience truly magnified the experience for everyone in the room. Fans up front near the stage knew many of the words to Kate’s songs and both sang and danced along to every beat. Every end of a song was met with mass applause from the crowd, all of whom were not only impressed by Kate and the bands talent but were also expressing excitement through being fully immersed in the moment with music and positive vibrations. Kate’s tracks “Working” and “Love Too Hard” can be heard on YouTube here, and to keep up with future shows and album announcements, make sure to follow her on Facebook.
