Jamila Woods is cropping up on critics’ album-of-the-year lists for 2016, including a coveted position at number 36 on Pitchfork’s taste-making chart. And, tomorrow night, you’ll get the chance to see the rising talent in an intimate show at Voila! Gallery on La Brea.
She will perform in Los Angeles for the first time as part of the Queens of the New Age performance and art series, which bills itself as a "celebration of extraordinary women." Each month, it hosts strong feminist artists from across disciplines in a collaborative and safe space for creativity. In addition to Woods’ performance, there will be live music from Miss Jack Davey, Joy Postell and Maya Jordan, and DJ selections by Slowlikewoah and Novena Carmel. To entertain the eyes as well as the ears, be sure to take some time for the visual art exhibition of all female artists curated by photographer Dana Washington.
For Woods' solo debut, HEAVN, the Chicago-based R&B talent collaborated with some of the biggest names working in her hometown right now, including Chance the Rapper and Nico Segal (aka Donnie Trumpet). It’s not just the collaborators on the album that roots it firmly in Chicago, it’s the political subject matter as well. The lyrics engage with that city's epidemic of violence as well as the status of Black women and girls in America at large.
Queens of the New Age presents Jamila Woods takes place at 8pm on Thursday, December 15 at Voila! Gallery, 749 N La Brea Ave. Tickets are available online for $15 to $20.
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