A charismatic powerhouse backed by a skilful band
Scottish-Punjabi musician and spoken word artist Bee Asha took the stage at the Traverse Theatre on Friday night for an hour of fun music and powerful words.
Asha’s band, consisting of two electric guitars, keyboard, drums and bass, three of whom also provided backing vocals, was the glue that kept the work together. They had a crisp, groovy sound, overlapping the styles of R&B and lo-fi to provide a relaxed, easy background to Asha’s words.
The words themselves take on many different styles, from powerful metaphors to clever (and often silly) puns, to bold straightforwardness that can almost come across as unrehearsed. However, one thing remains constant throughout: Asha’s honesty. She explores every subject, from mental health and grief to sexuality and friendship, with a directness and candour that invites the audience into her experiences.
While some of her pieces are sung through, many have at least one element or verse of spoken word poetry. Asha often utilises something close to a standard hip-hop song structure, where the verses are spoken and the choruses sung. This, at times, had the effect of sonically disconnecting the verses from the choruses, making some songs flow less well than others. This worked best when the words and music were more closely matched: in pieces such as “Bill Withers” and “Bluebells,” the more freeform approach to the poetry was matched by more free, experimental instrumentation, while in “Shy Guy,” her poetry morphed into rap and kept up the energy of the song throughout.
One of the most striking things about Bee Asha is her talent for performance. Her stage presence is casual, fun, and exudes confidence. Despite the venue, the energy she brought made it feel as if she were playing some songs to her friends. There was a playfulness in the set, most exemplified in her performance of her song “Cake,” in which she and the band donned frilly aprons and party hats, and a member of the audience cut slices of cake for the rest of the crowd.
Bee Asha brought confidence and energy that filled the venue. Her creativity, outspokenness, honesty, and powerful writing held the audience’s attention, while her band provided a laid-back, rich sound. While the more experimental aspects of her work may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Asha has a versatility that will allow almost any listener to find something they like.
