Swagger, bravado, inspiring messaging, and the spirit of inclusiveness ruled Fortune Sound Club last night with Leikeli47 and guests Yung Baby Tate and JAMESDAVIS.

Sibling soul group JAMESDAVIS opened with a set of ballads powered by the vocal harmonies of Jess, Rey, and Auston Reynolds that were as tight as familial bonds. Auston shouted out their backing band – a versatile trio of guitar, keys, and drums – emphasizing team effort. Besides JAMESDAVIS’ originals, their highlights included covers of Mary J. Blige’s “Ask Myself” and the Cranberries” “Zombie.”

Although Yung Baby Tate was only on her first tour, she commanded the audience like a pro. She explores various identities of girls and women on her latest album, this year’s GIRLS, and she brought many of them to life onstage. “Pretty Girl,” “Bad Girl,” “That Girl,” “Lover Girl,” and “Freaky Girl” had diverse voices, but the music behind them were less so, mostly hovering around coarse, banging beats.

Yung Baby Tate celebrated that people, specifically women, are multidimensional and multitalented and can be anything they want. Leikeli47 continued that messaging with the added reminder that being who you want and doing what you want requires a lot of work.

Leikeli47 breathed fire on rallying calls like “Bitch Switch” and the unapologetic thumper “Attitude.” “I don’t care what’s in my way, and neither should you,” she declared after the sizzling firecracker “Tic Boom.” She plowed ahead with “O.M.C,” a stomping anthem about protecting one’s crew. She fanned the flames of a party that was already heated with “Girl Blunt”; fans lit up, but Leikeli declined hits of their offerings.

Local drag queen South East caught Leikeli’s eye from the crowd. As Leikeli referenced selfie culture and famed photographers including Annie Leibovitz on “Post That,” South East, by Leikeli’s invitation, vogued onstage and twerked while hitting the splits… while holding a handstand. “You see, South East, that’s what I call a full set. A full set is someone who marches to their own drum, someone who does what they want,” Leikeli said admiringly before perfectly seguing into “Full Set.”

Despite her bravado, Leikeli47 displayed much humbleness, too. “I’m no different from you. I AM you.” She repeated this sentiment throughout the night. However, she never shied away from reaping the fruits of labour. The chorus of “For the Love of Money” by the O’ Jays piped over through the speakers and flowed into her own dank, swaggering “Money.”

After reemphasizing that she was no better than anyone in the crowd, Leikeli47 left her fans with one final message: Whatever their aspirations were, “Just start. Don’t stop.” With an inspiring and positive party spirit, there’s no stopping Leikeli47.

review by Leslie Chu