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Eeek! Solange Knowles will be playing Lovebox this year. After dropping one of 2016’s hottest albums, ‘A Seat at the Table’, the 30-year-old Texan has far outstripped being known merely as Beyoncé’s sister, and will be headlining one of the stages on Friday. Loads of other big names have been announced too.
Here's six reasons why Solange will ace Lovebox 2017:
1 She’s blessed with an incredible voice
Her perfect pitch means she can actually recreate all those heavenly high notes live.
2 The messages in her recent album will make a powerful live experience
Solange created a musical vocabulary voicing experiences of black womanhood with ‘A Seat at the Table’ – 11 tracks crafted over four years with pin-sharp precision and love. This was no rush job. And while the songs train their focus on the US, the topics of being racially profiled and exoticised as a black woman, and the tireless quest for empowerment, can easily translate to the UK. It will, no doubt, be immense to experience these songs live.
3 Her experimental approach to costume is inspiring
Just look at all of Solange’s videos. Here is a woman who, like her sister, knows how to make a visual statement, whether it’s the giant, plush, blush-pink fur coat from ‘Cranes in the Sky’ or the Gatsby-inspired finger curls from ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’. On a recent US TV performance, she was literally connected to two backing dancers whose red jumpsuits draped together. It’s pretty much guaranteed that our eyes are in for a treat on the West Stage.
4 She’s known to bust out a move or three
Solange has never been shy of sharing her on-point dancing skills and will no doubt be throwing down along with some elegant side-step shuffles from the band. And as she said at her 2013 Glastonbury performance: ‘I like to turn fields into high-school dance parties so that means lots of rolling, lots of grinding and lots of dropping.’ Sounds good.
5 She isn’t afraid to collaborate and already has connections with a few musicians on the line-up
Sampha will have performed just before Solange takes to the stage so the chances are very high that he will join her for their collab ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’. And fingers crossed that ace producer Kaytranada (who is on the bill earlier) might treat the crowd to his championed remix of ‘Cranes in the Sky’ or even better let’s hope for a jam between all three.
6 Her music has been packing an emotional punch for a long time
Way back in 2012, Solange and Dev Hynes penned the majestic ‘Losing You’ – one of those beautiful heartbreak tracks that manages to be eminently danceable. So just imagine the mass therapy of hearing the words, ‘Tell me the truth boy, am I losing you for good? We used to kiss all night but now there’s just no use.’ Expect impromptu blubbing to break out across Victoria Park.
Find out all the other brilliant acts announced to play Lovebox 2017.