30 Apr Live Review: Nneka @ Scala (London, April 28)

A delightfully diverse not to mention hot and sweaty crowd packed out London’s Scala venue last Wednesday in anticipation of seeing future African folk/soul legend, Nneka Egbuna light up the stage. As her superb band teased the waiting masses with a low rumbling groove, the crisp voice of the petite and perfectly formed Nigerian songstress came through crystal clear on the mic to rapturous applause. Still managing to look divine without a lick of make-up and her hair in a scruffy pony-tail, awe-struck members of the audience could be heard commenting on her arresting natural beauty. Nneka could easily go the way of many of her contemporaries and exploit her good looks to push record sales and the fact she does not, speaks volumes about her musical integrity and sense of priority; a bona fide feminist icon if ever there was one. Miss Egbuna is an artist that plays by her own rules and her very vocals embody this renegade philosophy.