REVIEW: Nao @ The Royale 2/1

Photos & review by Hannah Rogers

British R&B songbird Nao captivated a young and eager audience at a sold-out show at Boston’s Royale on Friday night. Following the release of her latest album, Saturn, which came out in October, 2018, Nao is embarking on her first world tour.

Dressed in a fashion forward green jumpsuit and a white shawl, Nao opened the show by handing out white balloons to audience members as a symbolic gesture — her album cover for Saturn depicts her standing in a desert with a bouquet of them. It was clear by the crowd’s excitement that Nao’s presence in the US, particularly Boston, was highly anticipated; the singer herself seemed to be thrilled by the greeting.

Nao’s unique singing voice proved to be just as entrancing from a stage as it is from the studio. She opened the show with her first single from Saturn, “Another Lifetime”, followed by the next two singles from that album, “If You Ever” and “Make It Out Alive”. Nao carried the tunes with ease, showcasing her ethereal, high-pitched vocals.

The R&B singer also managed to sprinkle some tunes from her debut album of 2016, For All We Know, into the setlist. Among them were singles “Fool to Love” and “Girlfriend”. Nao ended the show with “Drive and Disconnect” from Saturn, and “Bad Blood”, a 2015 single from For All We Know.

Judging by Friday night’s performance, Nao has met a welcoming fan base in the States. She delivered an energetic, bubbly, and impressive concert experience that had her fans singing and dancing with her to every song. After a few more stops in the US, Nao will be performing in Europe through the end of March.