06.06.12 Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge

                      

Naia Kete  @ Mercury Loung (photo by MY)

Naia Kete，打從她在The Voice的初登場我就愛上她了。印象很深刻的表演，把Bruno Mars的"The Lazy Song"改成了雷鬼風，配合她獨一無二的聲音，實在唱得太好了。
                                

    Naia Kete - The Lazy Song (Bruno Mars cover)

她一直是我在The Voice裡很支持的選手，每一周我都在注意她的表現。Naia的特色很鮮明，個性和音樂都是，長至腰際的辮子頭、總是帶著微笑的臉龐、溫柔卻又可以唱出撕裂音的嗓子，還有節奏強烈的雷鬼音樂。每一首歌Naia都可以唱出自己的味道，讓他們都變成屬於自己的歌。雖然她最終沒有成為節目的冠軍，我認為她一定是顆明日之星。


                                    Naia Kete - I'm Yours (Jason Mraz cover)

(順帶一提，The Voice是個很好看的音樂選秀節目，我是忠實觀眾。剛結束的第二季裡面有幾個參賽者我認為以後一定大有前途，很期待他們未來的表現。)

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沒想到節目才剛結束，可以親耳聽她現場的機會就到了。Naia這次帶著她的樂團從西岸飛來東岸巡迴演唱，我當然不可能錯過這個機會。

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY) (左起：節奏Imani Devi- Brown, Naia Kete, Bass手Lee Madeloni)

她的現場很棒！

Naia的聲音非常好聽，溫暖又慵懶，溫柔的雷鬼。她很有特色，我好像還沒有找到誰和她的歌路是相似的。

我想應該是平常都在街頭表演的關係，她的台風很穩，面對擠滿人的台下一點也不緊張。Naia巡迴帶的是自己的三人樂團 (節奏樂器上的是弟弟，Bass手是長得很像強尼戴普的男友)，三個人的默契十足，整場表演都相當流暢。我對Naia的弟弟在用的那個很像音箱的樂器很感興趣，我知道他是打擊樂器(percussion)的一種，卻不知道它到底叫做什麼名字，它是個很費力、很需要功夫的樂器，他能這麼成熟的駕馭它，實在很厲害。

聽Naia唱歌是種享受，她唱出的每一個音符都是美好的。也因為她，我第一次這麼放鬆的聽雷鬼音樂，這種音樂的魔力在於聽的時候身體會不自覺的隨著旋律搖擺，很舒服。

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

當晚的live，她唱的大多數是自己的創作。Naia很有才華，她創作的主題很多元，有關於愛、關於自我、關於社會、關於世界，她每一首歌裡的訊息我都從她的音樂裡接收到了。

幾首我有印象的歌曲包括"Butterflies"、"Sweet Surprise"、"Happy"、"Beauty"、"Ain't Solved Nothing"、"Prisoner"和"Yo-yo Love"。

我特別喜歡"Beauty"，她說這是一首很私人的歌，寫出來的是心底最真實的聲音；很美的一首歌。

                                                          Naia Kete - Beauty

而我也很喜歡另一首叫做"Ain't Solved Nothing"的歌曲，是一首激昂的歌曲，寫的是戰爭，訊息是反戰。

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

這次的表演，她cover了一首最近很紅的歌，前奏 bass聲一下我就猜到是什麼歌了！是Gotye的"Somebody I Used to Know"！！！！Naia的版本很特別，我忍不住錄了下來。 

Naia Kete - Somebody I Used to Know (Gotye cover)

                                                                                      (Video by MY)

之後，Naia又唱了一首cover，是Oasis的"Wonderwall"，獻給前陣子剛過世的外公。她說，有很多歌是自己剛聽到的時候就知道會很喜歡，然後經歷過一些事情之後，有一些歌曲突然間對自己就有了不同的意義。對她來說，"Wonderwall"就是這麼樣的一首歌。

我從來沒有聽"Wonderwall"聽到哭，但是這次聽Naia唱這首我已經聽過上百遍的綠洲經典，我竟然紅了眼眶，她唱得非常動人。


                                         Naia Kete - Wonderwall (Oasis cover)

                                                                                         (Video by MY)

穿著長裙、批著披肩、踩著夾腳拖鞋，Naia上台表演穿得輕鬆。她的聲音、她的長相和她在台上表演投入的樣子，我覺得她很性感。

她的歌聲、她的音樂有著十足的生命力，我才感受到，原來雷鬼音樂也可以有著這麼多的能量，每一首歌都好聽。

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

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Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

演唱會結束後，我留下來和Naia說到了話 (還偷偷抱了她一下，哈哈)，我喜歡她的音樂也很喜歡她的人，她是個非常平易近人的女孩，人非常好 (用英文形容的話就是very down to earth)，她的人就跟她的聲音一樣溫暖。

看過live之後更加地喜歡她，陪我一起去的兩個朋友也很喜歡她。很期待再度看到她的表演以及她以後的表現！又認識了一個好聲音，真好！

Naia Kete @ Mercury Lounge (photo by MY)

Naia's Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/naiakete (包括歌曲試聽以及免費下載)
官網：http://www.naiakete.com/

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Naia Kete, a voice that I immediately felt in love with when I first heard of her from The Voice; she did a beautiful cover of "The Lazy Song." She was one of my favorite contestants throughout the whole competition. I cheered for her each week and I loved her more and more. Although she didn't become "The Voice" in the end, I knew she was born to be a star.

I was excited about Naia's show at the Mercury Lounge. After all, listening in live is not the same as listening from TV. My ears were ready to be blown away.

Naia toured with her band, a lovely trio. I had much fun watching the dynamics among the three when they were on the stage. Their performance had so much energy.

Naia has an unique voice, warm, tender but strong. She played a lot of her originals for the set, including  "Butterflies," "Sweet Surprise," "Happy," "Beauty," "Ain't Solved Nothing, ""Prisoner" and "Yo-yo Love." I enjoyed them all. Her music is direct and honest, and each of them has a message.

She did two covers that night; an amazing version of Gotye's "Somebody I Used to Know" and "Wonderwall," an Oasis classic that was dedicated to her Grandfather. I was very moved by her performance of singing "Wonderwall,"  for the first time, I had tears in my eyes when I listened to this song.

It was a beautiful night, full of beautiful songs and beautiful people.

Naia Kete, in my heart, she is the voice.

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To Naia,

You are amazing! I really enjoyed the show at Mercury Lounge the other night. I love your music, your talent, your band and I love you. Keep doing what you love and keep making wonderful music, you will always have the biggest support from me. Hope to see you play again soon. Good luck to everything! :)

-Mia