Walking into the Moroccan Lounge on Thursday night, DJ HuDat was mixing Doechii’s “Denial is a River,” a classic reggae party beat with some Kendrick. In the bar area, friends debated whether to stay up front for the best spot or step outside for fresh air.
At 7:15 PM, the ropes to the main room were still closed, causing the line to double in size as the crowd stretched through the walkway toward the back by the empanadas.
Everyone was in attendance early, eager and excited for Alemeda‘s first ticketed, sold-out performance. This was long overdue for the Ethiopian-Sudanese alt-rock rising star and dream girl. Fans eagerly anticipated her FK IT EP, the 2024 debut project under Top Dawg Entertainment (now licensed to Warner Brothers), which included her hit “Gonna Bleach My Eyebrows” and the fan favorite “Guy’s Girl.” However, they didn’t expect to hear three unreleased songs, enjoy a string of funny moments, and participate in her Fujifilm disposable camera memories that floated around the room. Alemeda encouraged fans to take selfies during her performance (Fujifilm, I see a brand deal in the making!).
Once the show started at 8:18 PM, there was endless laughter and great music from start to finish. One thing I love about Alemeda is her naturally funny, casual banter and ability to engage the crowd throughout the night. She joked about issues with Western therapy, bonding with a fan about being a “Sagit-terrorist” before performing “I Already Dug Your Grave.” All night, she smiled from ear to ear, effortlessly transitioning between playing her guitar and singing with a voice with an underlying country twang, elevating her above contemporaries in the mainstream alt-rock scene—especially with her all-girl band and killer beauty to match. Alemeda is truly one of those Artists You Should Know.
As she went through her set list, she jokingly said, “I can’t keep making man-bashing music,” to which the crowd screamed back, “Make more!” Before singing “Don’t Call Me,” a song she deems one of the best she’s ever made, a fan mentioned they had driven from Sacramento, while a girl next to me shared that she skipped track practice to attend Alemeda’s Los Angeles debut. It’s heartwarming to see how Alemeda has cultivated a community of fans who know the songs she’s about to play before she announces them and is willing to travel far and wide to support her. We love a cult following!
“Y’all think I’m that girl,” Alemeda joked. Yes, we do! We can all see it, especially the boy in the middle of the crowd who was yelling all the words to her songs and finishing her sentences before she could get a word out. Shout out to the super fans!
The packed crowd was reluctant to leave, asking her to perform an unplugged version of the EP, sing acapella, and play every song she’d ever done so the night could go on forever. Instead, she performed three unreleased songs and ended the night crouched on stage, taking photos and signing autographs for as many fans as possible, maintaining the same smile she had at the show’s start.
We heard a snippet of a collaboration with her label mate and Grammy Award-winning Best New Artist, Doechii, called “BEAT A B UP,” and another fantastic collaboration with Rachel Chinouriri called “Chameleon.”
Make sure to catch Alemeda in New York on the 26th of this month or on tour with Rachel Chinouriri and Halsey this summer.
Support Black alt-rock women! They, indeed, are the future.
Photos & Words by Asha Moné
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