Review: Ladi6 takes us to church on Alofa: The Heartbeat Tour

It's been a miserable few days locked indoors with three sick kids, so when the opportunity of a night out to catch a Ladi6 gig at The Church in Ōtautahi came up, it was the perfect excuse to get away from the parental responsibilities for a while and be an adult again.

This would be my first time seeing Ladi6 live. Also, and don't hate me, but apart from the singles that decorated various media over the years, I had never taken time to listen to an album, or for that matter get any idea of who she is and what her art is about. That is until this week.

As a bit of pre-gig study I did some reading. And some listening. And then some more reading and some more listening. And the more I read and the more I listened, the more I realised I'd been missing out on something important. And that is this: Ladi6 is an actual queen. A title she has earned and has the right to wear. And on Friday night, the queen was in residence at The Church. Raise the flag and let the people know.

Karoline Fuarosa Park-Tamati MNZM (Ladi6) is a born and bred hometown hero here in Ōtautahi, and the way the crowd were cheering, singing, and dancing, before she'd even took the stage, it kind of felt like a homecoming party, welcoming her back to the old stomping ground to kick off a fresh new tour, with fresh new tracks and those familiar favourites.

When they took the stage, Karoline, Parks, and Bharu set a steady pace that somehow shifted the party vibe up a gear. Amping up the crowd with electronic beats, gut thumping bass, wiry synths, and hallmark vocals, they elevated the crowd to a higher level. You could see the joy on people's faces. Tracks 'Icarus' and 'Like Water' were instantly recognised with people singing along gleefully and sharing the moment.

The stage was the perfect size for the three-piece and the wall of sound that came from it was almost overwhelming. The three members shared some great stage banter too, praising and encouraging while simultaneously teasing each other, like siblings who know how to press each other's buttons without mum or dad noticing and getting mad.

Karoline hardly stood still throughout the show, bopping and grooving, dancing and singing, keeping the crowd moving with her, and something about her just seems really cool. Like 'you wish they were your friend' cool. Maybe because on top of all the awards and accolades and incredible mana wahine achievements she has nailed, she is also humble as, happy to chat to the crowd and just be one of the people.

Shout-out to support artist Tay Renee whose soulful opening set had us all swaying and savouring the energy in the room. A great way to start the evening.

Get along and catch our Queen Ladi6 if you can, an essential gig for the Kiwi summer.