The British are coming, and COLORS is leading the way. With a whopping 8.1 million subscribers and over 3.4 billion views on YouTube, the artist showcase platform has amassed a global audience of music explorers. No language, genre, or country is left unexplored. The only condition for musicians and viewers alike is to honor all colors of artistic expression.
Despite the vastness of the internet, COLORS has quickly become a big fish in a small digital programming pond. Now, COLORS wants to convert its slice of the internet into an in-person empire of artistic activations. To back its leap into more competitive curation waters, COLORS partnered with City Parks Foundation to present Tones Of NYC. In one evening, COLORS proved it is exactly the tastemakers it claims to be.
On July 11, Brooklyn’s Herbert Von King Park became ground zero for COLORS’ exploration into the US. With hometown heroes Talia Goddess and Laila! billed as featured acts, Brooklynites readily embraced COLORS’ live event ambition before any act had taken the stage. But, COLORS’ mission wasn’t simply to placate locals. Organizers wanted the COLORS name to ring out across all five boroughs, and two clever inclusions–Sasha Keable’s US debut and a partnership with Halfmoon BK–did just that.
Despite gentrifiers’ best efforts, cultural sounds pour out from every surface in Brooklyn. Whether it is from a shop’s storefront or the window of a third-floor apartment, music is a constant throughout the city. So, as concertgoers entered Herbert Von King Park, COLORS was sure to replicate that tradition. However, instead of pulling in one flashy DJ name to spin between sets, COLORS invited the community to provide the evening’s soundtrack. Thanks to their partnership with cultural institution Halfmoon BK, DJs Miss Lilly, FLWRSHRK, and Sounds Of Reality rocked the crowd, supplying the niche sonic interests of true Brooklyn. Although it may seem minor in the grand scheme of Tones Of NYC, this inclusion speaks to COLORS’ seed planting strategy. With local student DJs observing from the wings, COLORS ensured its exploration of Brooklyn did not venture into exploitative territory.
After the first Halfmoon BK-backed DJ set (Miss Lilly), Talia Goddess took over the reins. Alongside her DJ InO as well as her background dancers Audri Chagoya and Taliyah, Talia Goddess showed why she quickly landed on COLORS’ radar. Due to her decadently rich brown skin, lean, toned physique, and avant-garde fashion sensibilities, the Doechii comparisons are beginning to brew online. The flattering equation misses the most important aspect, like the Grammy Award-winning musician, Talia is a hybrid and damn proud of it.
Between fluidly moving in and out of her enticing choreography (by VMA Award-winning choreographer Matthew Edward Pasterisa), Talia exudes someone who’s very hungry to express themselves. From singing to rapping, dancing, and DJing, Talia does it all (and very well). So, onstage, Talia Goddess emphasized exactly why COLORS designated her an artist to watch.
Sandwiched between two Brooklyn natives and a crowd rocking DJ set by Herbert Von King Park frequent flyer FLWRSHRK (of CareFreeBlackGirl), all eyes were on Sasha Keable. As if being the solo entertainer representing COLORS’ UK stomping grounds did not carry enough weight, Tones Of NYC marked Keable’s US debut. Pressure can burst pipes. It can also make diamonds, and Sasha Keable’s set was a glimmering display of her rising dominance in R&B.
Keable follows a rolling tide of UK acts making waves in the US (Elmiene, Odeal, Shaé Universe, and James Vickery, to name a few). As her first performance stateside, it would be natural for Keable to savor the spotlight. Contrarily, Sasha Keable used the moment to exhibit how she’s become a beloved rising act–sharing the space. Early in her career, Keable was a quick collaborator working with several musicians and producers. So, during her set, she brought forth that same energy, inviting creative friends Destin Conrad, Isaiah Falls, and P90Pope onstage at various times to perform their joint tracks.
The display of new generation musician camaraderie highlights how attuned Sasha Keable is to what’s happening around her. But not just that. Destin Conrad, Isaiah Falls, and P90Pope’s willingness to travel to Brooklyn for Keable’s debut (which she fawned over) showed how invested her American peers and fans alike are in her success. COLORS getting ahead of the Sasha Keable stateside demand earns the company yet another star on its programming board.
Closing out the night was a responsibility that Laila! heralded. Before grabbing a mic, her DJ Zillion warmed up the eager audience. Overwhelmed by the roaring hometown crowd, Laila! jumped right into her two opening numbers, often stopping to greet attendees by name.
As the beloved Princess of Brooklyn, Tones Of NYC’s audience transformed almost instantly from strangers vibing out to what felt like a homely block party gathering. Laila! let her infectious innocence flow, letting onlookers know that it is her world, and others are just occupying the same space. Between raps, vocals, and live beat making, Laila! leaned into her baby genius nickname.
Before ending her set, Laila! gave fans a special family reunion. No, her famous father, Yasiin Bey, did not make a guest appearance. Still, the moment was special nonetheless as fellow entertainer and Laila’s momanger Jessica Chong grabbed the microphone for an enduring mother-daughter moment. Festivalgoers walked away from Tones Of NYC having been served a fulfilling dish of Brooklyn with a side of international sweetness.
COLORS did for free what other corporate-backed events with astronomical ticket fees claim they can’t–curate culture with direct community consideration. Starting with the City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage involvement, Herbert Von King Park serving as its US programming launch point, the Halfmoon BK partnership to the maliciously crafted lineup (Talia Goddess, Sasha Keable, and Laila!), proves COLORS is exactly the tastemakers it claims to be.
In a brief address to the crowd, COLORS’ Head of Live, Leon Sherman, announced the company had opened a warehouse performance space in Brooklyn. So, considering Tones of NYC is COLORS’ stateside start, other promotions should put themselves on high alert for the shift that’s about to come.
Continue below to view the images captured by Flisadam Pointer of COLORS’ Tones Of NYC showcase in partnership with SummerStage.
Do you want more of COLORS? Be sure to connect with COLORS across your preferred social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can stay up-to-date with SummerStage and its event schedule on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow Sasha Keable on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook. Connect with Laila! on Instagram and TikTok. Follow Talia Goddess on Instagram and TikTok.
