2025 is the Year of the Lotus

Emma Paff​

Music Journalist

Walking up to Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater, I didn’t know what to expect. Little Simz brought her Year of the Lotus tour to Austin this past Tuesday, and while I was unfamiliar with her music, I was looking forward to experiencing something new. The gravel crunched beneath my feet as I journeyed into the venue. Stubb’s has a very rustic and laid-back feel. Vendors were selling food and drinks out of wooden booths, and people were casually chatting in their respective groups. The sun had already set, and the crowd matched the easy-going vibes. I ended up about three rows back from the stage, excited to see what the hype was all about.

​I was most familiar with her opening act, La Reezy. The 20-year-old from New Orleans has been one of my recent musical attachments. The white lightning struck the crowd, and he ran out with  DJ Oddspinz, who had everyone shouting, “Go REEZY, GO REEZY, GO.” His sudden burst of energy immediately woke us up. The chemistry between him and Oddspinz was apparent as they ad-libbed back and forth throughout the set. La Reezy had everyone moving with him. I melted into his bright smile while watching him connect with the crowd. I couldn’t imagine a better man to hype up a crowd than La Reezy.

​After he left, I got into a conversation with the group that was standing behind me. They were telling me about how the first time they saw Simz was at ACL. They boasted about how amazing her performance was. Their excitement was contagious as we soon joined the crowd in chanting her name when the lights cut out.

I watched through the blue haze as a full band took the stage. Marla Kether on bass, Amané Suganami on keys, Haze Amaze on drums, and Mark Mollison on Guitar quickly settled into their respective spots. They left me with a sense of curiosity. I had never been to a rap concert that had a full band before.

Finally, Little Simz’s voice filled my ears, causing me to stand on my tippy toes and lean into the crowd. They cheered loudly as she appeared for her opening song, “Thief.” At first, I couldn’t get a good read on her. She had a scarf wrapped around her head and sunglasses covering her eyes, but watching her move was entrancing. The bass was heavy; it almost felt like the gravel was jumping up and down with us.

​When the second song ended and she began to speak, I immediately felt her warm and kind energy. I better understood the laid-back nature of the crowd. It was a comforting place to let loose and enjoy good music. My point was further proven when she paused at the beginning of her track, “Enough,” and asked security to help a young girl sit on the side of the railing. She brought the girl on stage during her track “Young.” She held her hand and slowed her movement, performing and dancing alongside her. The little girl couldn’t take her eyes off Simz; I don’t think anyone could.

Her connection to the audience didn’t end there. She gave a quick warning to the people in the back that this might be a bit boring for them and hopped down from the stage. The bass rattled, and everyone searched through the crowd for a glimpse of her. When they parted in my direction, Little Simz made her way towards me, and I was awestruck. Being so close to her while she was performing, “101 FM,” was spellbinding. She moved with so much grace. It was a seemingly effortless feat of connection and strength.

The surprising nature of the night continued as the lights cut out and the band exited the stage. Little Simz was left with a DJ controller and a mic. This was when the party really began. The lights shone red, and everyone was jumping and dancing while she mixed and performed at the same time. Her track “Mood Swings” was my favorite from that set. Watching the crowd express themselves to the back and forth beat was an unforgettable moment. I had never been to a concert before where the crowd felt so united yet so individual at the same time.

After her set, Simz paused for a moment and opened up to us about her recent struggles with creativity while making her new album, Lotus. She touched on the uncertainty she felt when writing, beginning verses, and picking beats for her different tracks. It was a much-needed reminder that no matter who we are in these spaces, people still face insecurities and self-doubt while creating. She spoke to us about how easy it feels to start something, but how difficult it can be to see it through, encouraging us to let go of the outcome and just create. We joined her in the feelings of vulnerability and isolation during her track “Lonely.”

Simz ended the night with a few more songs off her album. We all wished for our love to set us free during her track “Free,” and we swayed back and forth while she strummed her guitar on the track “Lotus.” She filled our souls with so much emotion during “Women,” from her 2021 album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

After she walked off, I got the sense that something was missing. No one in the crowd had moved a muscle. Her name started slowly bubbling up until everyone was chanting passionately. The crowd roared when her band appeared back out and the speakers blared one last time for her final song, “Gorillaz.” Hands were flying up and down as we jumped and rejoiced in our last moments with her. She gave everything and more that night.

With the last-minute ticket grab, I didn’t have time to prepare my expectations for that night. Regardless, Little Simz blew me away. Her gentle and kind nature was refreshing for a rap concert. Hearing the live instrumentals collide with her empowering voice rendered me speechless in the best way. She drew the crowd in and had them hooked till the very end. If you ever get the opportunity to see her perform live, take it. You won’t regret experiencing the magic of Little Simz.