Fabiana Palladino played Music Hall of Williamsburg

As the top graduate of the Paul Institute, Fabiana Palladino came to Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg and unleashed a raw and powerful performance that was in a league all of its own.

For those in the know, Fabiana Palladino has been on the rise for quite some time, releasing singles in collaboration with Jai Paul as a part of the Paul Institute since 2017. Last year, Palladino released her self-titled full-length debut, an instant classic of artful R&B, shimmering funk, and '90s soul. Coming to Brooklyn to kick off her U.S. tour, the emerging pop star conjured up a special kind of magic that highlighted her talents on a new level as she dazzled a crowd of top-tier fans and lead them all through an astounding night of high caliber hits. With a slinky bass line taking prominent position for the majority of the night, the grooves were strong throughout and from the opening of "In the Fire," it was clear that the crowd was ready to get down with the fortified funk and sultry synths that were about to blanket the evening. Hitting hard on their synthetic pulse and machine-sharp beats, her band was in the pocket for every number, crushing their riffs in the exact right way to inflect the moment without deflecting from Palladino's velvety vocals. Disco snares and hi-hats mixed with bluesy bass making for a mood that could've fit the swankiest of affairs, but ultimately allowed for Palladino to shine in her own magnetic form. As each track progressed, the confidence grew and Palladino upped her game, giving each song its due and bringing the dance party along the way. While the recorded versions of the songs are unquestionably engaging, the way in which Palladino brings them to life on stage enhances their degree of pleasure in astounding ways. Live, each song sounds like a banger and consistently makes the hype build to a dizzying height. Fabiana builds tension in an unusual sense for an artist that generally gets people to groove to her tunes, but live she does so in a sense that continuously builds and finally let loose when she dropped into her all-out dance-funk jam "Shoulda." On the album, the track hits each notes with killer force, but live it takes things to a new level and gives Palladino the much deserved command of a crowd that she's worked so hard to earn. It's a sensational and revelatory live track that immediately transcends and allows you to fully let go and give in to the beat. Following this high, the show continued with the neo-soul and R&B funk ballads that kept the crowd grooving with every note, never diverting their attention from Palladino as she seamlessly shifted towards her keyboard for the final numbers of the evening. The new track "Everything's Fine" was a welcome addition to her setlist which consisted of her debut album plus throwback tracks "Shimmer" and "Mystery." There was never a moment when Palladino wasn't in total control of the night and her star power felt ready to combust, these songs are too good and her talent is too strong to not graduate to bigger stages with bigger productions that will make these songs explode off the stage. For now, we are witnessing Palladino on the rise and ready to conquer. Her talent is real and she can make the songs pop in a live setting far beyong expectations. She's a talent that needs investing and one that could (and should) have everyone feeling down and groovy, sexy, and cool. 


Set list:

01 "In The Fire"
02 "I Can't Dream Anymore"
03 "Closer"
04 "Can You Look In The Mirror?"
05 "Deeper"
06 "Shimmer"
07 "Give Me A Sign"

08 "Shouda"
09 "Drunk"
10 "Mystery"
11 "Everything's Fine" [live debut]
12 "I Care"
13 "Forever"
14 "Stay With Me Through The Night"

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15 "Waiting"