Source: Deniqua Campbell
On Saturday, (October 5th), my man randomly asked me if I wanted to go to a concert at Kaytranada, six hours before the show – spontaneity and I are more like distant cousins than sisters. however; I agreed to go and I'm glad I did because Kaytranada aka Kaytra along with Channel Tres and Sam Gallaitry put on arguably the biggest R&B/Electronic dance party in Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York.
I had just left the gym when I saw his text message: a snapshot of StubHub tickets and eye emojis. I called him right away. “We're out!” I said, already trying to make an outfit on my head.
Scottish producer and DJ Sam Gallaitry got the party started and from 6pm. until 7 p.m. warmed up the expanding crowd with a medley of his music, including his 2023 single, “Assumptions.” I was worried, noticing the slight hue change in the sky as it approached 7pm.
Where. It is. Caitranada?
My man on the other hand was rocking Gallaitry hard, who closed his set to a standing ovation from the crowd. However, it was not yet time for the main act. Channel Tres was tasked with picking things up.
Channel Tres brings the main character energy and fires up the dancers.
Channel Tres brought the kind of energy that prepared me, prepared us all for Kaytra's set. A little after 19.00 he came on stage: black tank, black shades and black leather kilt glory. His “crewIt consisted of four male dancers who glided across the stage with precision, performing flawless choreography.
I wasn't familiar with the 33-year-old Compton, California, artist before the Eternal album or tour. And just like that it was added to my Apple Music library. Tres shows up at Kaytra's Eternal album with the dizzying and anthemic “Drip Sweat,” which he performed including “Candy Paint” and “Cactus Water” from his offering in June 2024 Head RushJungle's “I've Been In Love” and “Topdown” from the 2018 EP.
Saturday marked the night two of the Eternal tour stop in New York. Forest Hills Stadium has a capacity of 13,000 “designed to optimize acoustics and unobstructed views”. AEG worldwide notes. It is the only outdoor music stage of its size in New York. And let me just say this…capacity was met!
“You'd think people came to see Beyoncé!” said a girl.
Kaitranada reminds us that it is him.
The Haitian-Canadian producer, DJ and songwriter didn't just take the stage and play songs. Nah, he produced. Kaytra partied and danced his ass off on that stage too. I can still feel the glow of the stadium as he opened his set with “Pressure”, the energetic first track on Eternal. For fans new here, Kaytranada's the list is extensive. For the next 90 minutes, it was in his bag.
“Need It” featuring Masego from his own Babi The project is the exact song I needed to hear early on, followed by GoldLink's “Meditation” featuring Jazmine Sullivan, which I played in the car on the way there. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing an artist you love perform one or more of your favorite songs. Listening to “Lite Spots” by 99.9% and “At All” from the 2013 EP, At All/Hilarity Duff, live, it was ethereal.
Kaytranada did a quick vibe check before continuing the party to see if his daters were present, garnering screams and cheers when he started belting out tracks like Dad, timeless, and earlier EPs like 2012 Kaytrap when he was known as Kaytradamus.
“What about this Stale?he asked, referring to his 2023 collaborative album with rapper Animé.
I could have burst my vocal chords the way I yelled when he asked me if there were any 99.9% fans, his debut in 2016. I was an instant fan the moment I heard “Glowed Up”, featuring Anderson .Paak while working at Urban Outfitters in 2016. Several EPs and a few albums later, I remember why I became a fan in the first place.
Victoria Monét's “Alright” played over the speakers. It was surreal watching him navigate in and out of pockets, making hit after hit.
Kaytranada does. not. miss.
“Second verse!” he shouted to the crowd as we sang the Childish Gambino-assisted 'Witchy'. You know a song is fire if the DJ plays the second verse at a party.
Kaytranada's remix of “Cuff It” kicked the party up another notch – as if it wasn't already on the rocks. It was a friendly reminder that no, we weren't here to see Beyoncé, but to sing her song as if she were on stage and writing the lyrics in real time.
It was almost 10 pm. As if to signal that the party was ending, the penultimate moment occurred with the sound of a single chord, the intro to Teedra Moses' 2004 hit, “Be Your Girl.” This is the moment I came. Kaytra teased the intro to the 2018 remix before letting the verse drop. “Sing that shit for me!” sang to the crowd. He went full organic until the second verse. I sang the song like I wrote the lyrics myself.
And just when I thought the party was over, Channel Tres joined him on stage for another performance of “Drip Sweat,” an electrifying song to end an electrifying night.
Kaytranada is no longer in the shy boy era.
In May 2024 Rolling Stone In the interview, Kaytranada shared that he was shy in the studio, often letting the artists take the reins instead of taking the lead. He admitted that he lacked “a leader's mentality”.
“I'm learning to do that now,” he said. I think he has mastered it. He was confident on stage, exuberant but calm. secure, the exact opposite of shy. From his stage presence and visuals to his exquisite song selection, Kaytranada carefully curated a set list that will forever live for free in my mind.
My lower back and legs hurt. My legs were stiff and sore, and it was worth it for a Kaytranada party.
Find out when Eternal the tour also known as the “biggest dance party of the year,” as Channel Tres said in an Instagram caption, is coming to your city by clicking here.
