Kali Uchis Brings Flaming Passion, Elegance, and Grandeur to the Anthem

By Carrie Smith / May 12, 2023

Kaili Uchis (Photo Courtesy of Kaili Uchis)

For the first time, a blazing red sunrise cast light across the inside of The Anthem on Tuesday, May 9th. As the burning radiance grew brighter, gasps turned into delighted shrieks, alluding to only one thing- the onsite of Kali Uchi’s Red Moon In Venus DC debut.

(Photo Credit: Marcy Grant)

Six dancers carried a chair hidden by elegant mahogany feathers, hiding the singer until a seventh dancer’s announcement parted its wings, igniting two blasts of confetti. There, engulfed in bright red and yellow lights stood Kali Uchis, in a shimmering red two-piece outfit atop the white polished staircase. After the delivery of her microphone, she kicked off the night with Telepatía, sparking another round of shrills.

Born and bred in Alexandria, Virginia, Uchis shone light on her roots, mentioning her upbringing in the DMV. “I don’t know how many of you know this but this is technically a hometown show for me,” said Uchis, promoting a ferocious uproar from fans. Recalling her youth, she seamlessly transitioned into Melting from her first pivotal project Por Vida.

(Photo Courtesy of Marcy Grant)

(Photo Credit: Marcy Grant)

The set’s color palette bounced between blue starry night skies, to bright pink, yellow, and red lava lamp-like visuals, and of course gleaming greyish-white moons. Each song uniquely encompassed an elaborate visual reel, captivating all eyes gazing upon it. Kali Uchis brought the perfect blend of charm, poise, and electricity through her spellbinding aura.

The Anthem transformed into an arena for the night, veiled in astounding production, brilliant choreography, and exquisite decor, paired with nearly 30 songs squeezed into 75 minutes. Although the tour was mainly centered around Red Moon In Venus, Uchis painted fans a rainbow of her discography, showcasing songs from every album.

(Photo Credit: Marcy Grant)

Tyler the Creator, made two invisible appearances, once at the beginning of the show during See You Again and at the end for After The Storm, where raindrops fell across the screen. Amongst a multitude of viral hits, she incorporated tunes from 10% with Kaytranda, Get You with Daniel Caesar, and Fue Mejor with SZA. Illuminated in red fluorescent lights, she encapsulated the building with a breathtaking live performance of the newest single Moonlight.

(Photo Credit: Marcy Grant)

The smooth rotations between lyrics in English and Spanish proved her extensive talents and position as a staple generational artist within R&B, soul, and hip hop. One segment of her concert featured a merry-go-round of reggaeton covers including Lorna’s Papi Chulo, El General’s No Me Trates De Engañar, and Salvaje by Don Omar and Héctor el Father.

Fan’s extensive love for Uchis was returned by her, as she paused to tend to listeners, even throwing water bottles from the stage. At one point, a fan was plucked from the crowd, sat on stage in Uchis’ throne, and dazzled by the queen herself. Heart to hearts were shared between listeners and her, as she offered insightful life advice before letting the music articulate similar themes.

(Photo Credit: Marcy Grant)

Showers of delicate beauty fell on listeners' eyes and ears once more as Wish You Roses rang out. Enthralled in a dream-like state, fans hurled lyrics back to the stage as screens filled with ethereal images of flower fields. Soon after, a metaphoric shower brushed the stage and dancers picked up Uchis to wrap up her set- or so fans thought. Chimes of a prompting encore brought her back minutes later to officially end in lights of cool tones for the Blue finale.

Before Kali Uchis shook the stage her opener RAYE graced fans with her bubbly, down-to-earth presence, also relaying profound advice. Correspondingly, she too had a regal performance, undertaking the stage theme of classic elegance. Dressed completely in white, RAYE and her baking band played a wide array of songs, including Ice Cream Man., Black Masacara, and of course, viral hit Escapism.

The evening’s two performances presented a perfect mixture of passion, with mesmerizing range and gut-wrenching tracks. It was an empowering night for the audience, to have their souls stirred by powerful anthems and hearts tenderly caressed. Per usual, Uchis’ awe-striking aura and spinning whirlwind of hits left listeners in a gripping trance. Now, fans can only keep their fingers crossed that she will return home in the near future. Come back soon, the DMV misses you.

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