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Enigmatic, British singer Cleo Sol makes her long-awaited L.A. debut at Hollywood Bowl

BBG News

After spending years producing exceptional music while staying out of the limelight, Cleo Sol, a talented British singer-songwriter, finally made her grand entrance on stage at the Hollywood Bowl last Friday. The performance came shortly after she performed in the U.S. for the first time during a series of shows at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

In the 17,000-seat amphitheater, filled to capacity, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation as both seasoned and novice attendees recognized two facts: This was a precious chance to observe the renowned R&B artist perform live, and that her profoundly soothing music would touch them emotionally and spiritually. (Prior to the show’s commencement, several individuals in the vicinity shared their readiness to weep – I was no exception.)

Accompanied by an 11-piece band, boasting five backup vocalists who each had unique voices that seemed personally selected by Cleo Sol herself, she kicked off her performance at 9 p.m. First, she sang “Rewind,” a reflective song from the 2020 album “Rose in the Dark.” With ease, she transitioned into performing the subsequent track on the same project, titled “Rose in the Dark.

Wearing a gold-hued silk gown, Cleo Sol gleamed with delight and gracefully danced around the stage, performing popular tracks from “Rose in the Dark” such as the sultry and jazz-infused “When I’m in Your Arms”, the romantic “Sideways”, the passionate “I Love You”, and the inspiring “Young Love”. Her powerful and velvety voice filled the spacious venue without any backing tracks, as she skillfully improvised and showcased her impressive vocal abilities. During breaks between songs, she humorously mentioned that an electrolyte-filled drink was helping her sustain her energy throughout the evening.

On Friday night, Cleo Sol, the lead vocalist for the mysterious UK collective SAULT, had access to an extensive collection of music from their 11 studio albums and 2 EPs. However, she decided to focus on her own solo works instead. She performed tracks from her 2021 album “Mother” and her two recent releases “Heaven” and “Gold”, which came out just two weeks apart. She also recognized her husband Inflo, who is the producer behind SAULT and was present at the event.

In her song “Heart Full of Love,” a tribute to her son, Cleo Sol harmonized with her backup singers while seated on a stool. As they crooned the words, “You’ve sent me an angel straight from Heaven / When my hope was gone, you made me strong,” the audience illuminated the space by waving their cellphones aloft and swaying rhythmically. “I’m getting choked up; I might start crying,” she told the crowd. “It looks amazing from up here.

Nearly halfway through the nearly two-hour concert, Cleo Sol stepped away from the stage and reappeared amongst the audience in the heart of the venue to sing “Know That You Are Loved.” She delivered this deeply reassuring song, which carries the soothing qualities of a mantra and a lullaby, much like she did during her popular Royal Albert Hall performance in 2023. Cleo moved closer to her fans, gently touching their hands and singing directly to them. Her heartfelt vocal performance felt like a warm embrace from a cherished loved one.

After that, she reappeared onstage to deliver the impactful “Life Will Be,” a fitting finale, followed by another quick exit and a thrilling encore performance of “Why Don’t You” from her “Rose in the Dark” collection.

She made her way back onto the stage to perform the powerful ballad “Life Will Be,” which concluded things nicely, before dashing off once more to offer an electrifying encore of “Why Don’t You” from her “Rose in the Dark” album.

“OK, one more!” she said, laughing.

In a similar vein to artists like Sade and D’Angelo, who are renowned for their solitude and blazing their own trails in R&B, Cleo Sol demonstrated last Friday that when your passion for music outweighs the industry’s relentless pursuit, you don’t have to succumb to its endless rat race. Cleo Sol chooses to follow her life’s rhythm and do what resonates with her, a decision that has proven fruitful over time. She stands as proof that while fans may yearn for new music or live performances from her, they are always eager to support her whenever she decides the time is right.

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2025-04-06 19:01

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