LIVE REVIEW: Kelela at Emo’s Austin
Photo Courtesy of Warp.
AUSTIN, TX | EMO’S AUSTIN | SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 | BY ERIC MARTINEZ
Following the release of her latest album, new avatar, Kelela Mizanekristos, better known as Kelela, welcomed fans to an immersive experience she coined “Kelela’s World”. The singer’s return to Austin made for an encapsulating night filled with silhouetted imagery that made leaving Emo’s all the more difficult.
The crowd felt very reminiscent of those at the parties my college fashion magazine held: queer, hot, and dressed all in black. This liberating energy around me, however, flew in and out of the venue, intensifying as Kelela was soon to take the stage. It didn’t take long before the theatrics unfolded and the stage grew in smoke and flashing lights. “Fooley - LEECH Ambient Queen Remix,” which opened the performance, felt like a ritualistic moment, bracing the crowd to submerge themselves in all that Kelela had prepared for the night.
What made the experience stand out most was the absence of direct light on Kelela, highlighting only her silhouette through a cloud of smoke. I felt as though I was in a trance as her vocals echoed throughout the venue. Every performance that followed, including “idea 1,” “Rewind,” and “crystalize,” left me wanting more. This isn’t to say that I was left unsatisfied. I simply couldn’t fathom that each song had an ending. I wanted it to go on for hours.
Being somewhat of a casual listener, the night expanded my perception of Kelela and the crafted artistry behind her music and performance. Kelela knew exactly how to control the crowd with her sound. After every song, I was caught between wondering whether I was at a concert or a nightclub. The way people danced, the way they sang along, I had not been to a show this memorable in quite some time.
In a moment of speech between songs, Kelela expressed her love for the city and SXSW, despite its growing corporatization, and thanked longtime fans for staying on her journey as an artist. Diving back into her performance, it was hard to contain myself as each song seamlessly transitioned to the next. After pointing out that every song for the night would potentially be a different rendition from their studio release, I had to take a moment to fully take in the out-of-body experience that was “Bank Head.” The crowd unanimously clapped alongside the beat as the song progressed, and Kelela’s strong vocals left the feeling of that performance engraved in my memory. As the song faded out, all that remained was the silhouette she drew from the very beginning of the night. The wind blowing across her hair felt almost cinematic and was the perfect touch to her statuesque posture. Despite the smoke and beaming lights, there was never a moment in time where there was distance from the singer to the crowd. Kelela maintained that intimacy throughout and used this to create a night worth remembering.
Just thinking back, I’m still unsure how I went as long as I did without indulging more in Kelela’s music. But after experiencing “Kelela’s World,” I understand why many have stayed with her through each era. It was also pleasing to hear from Kelela that she finds joy in knowing fans join this world she’s built by discovering her music as each era unfolds. I’m excited for this journey I’ll be taking with Kelela, and if you want to join too, make sure to catch her on her remaining North American, European, and UK tour dates running to the end of October!
