CHICAGO | Despite minor wardrobe malfunctions, Tkay Maidza’s concert at Lincoln Hall on February 16 was fun and light-hearted. The Zimbabwe-born, Australian-based artist blends rap, electronic and dance-pop seamlessly. With hit collaborations with JPEGMafia and Flume, Tkay furthered her unique and genre-bending sound in her 2023 album Sweet Justice.
As the sixth stop on the “Sweet Justice North American Tour,” Tkay Maidza proudly sported a Chicago-based designer, @rockytheshop, acknowledging the rich art history that continues to thrive in the city. She credited Chicago as a “hall of fame of music,” citing Westside-based rapper Saba as one of her current favorite artists.
Touring with friend Pia Basilio, known for being a dancing DJ, helped energize the crowd during a varying setlist. Tkay Maidza’s concert started with high energy as she immediately led with a remix of her hit “24k” and Tag Team’s 1993 hit, “Whoomp! There It Is.” A flowery mic stand marked the transition to down-tempo, reflective songs. While addressing expectations to make “cute and bubbly” music early in her career, she mentions wanting to make music that sounded like “death.” “Awake” was the first song that actualized her ambitions, and her flow was incredible all night.
Tkay Maidza ferociously performed “Kim,” loosely inspired by an adventurous cartoon character with the same name. She closed the show by saying, “You guys are my besties,” emphasizing making her parents proud, breaking generational curses and growing her life ethos. Tkay Maidza left the stage after signing a fan’s vinyl record and taking a selfie on a fan’s phone, exuding a genuine appreciation for her fans.
Her Rico Nasty-style rage matched with a Doja Cat-like stage presence inspired me to make a playlist mirroring her setlist. I included some of my favorite songs from her and similar artists, including Amaarae, Bree Runway and Tinashe.
Stream Sweet Justice now and channel your inner dancing diva with Tkay Maidza-inspired tunes.
All photos by Morgan McFadden