Live Report: Temi NLA rocks the gaff with a high energy perfomance for the Y&E series

On Thursday evening, North Dublin youngster Temi NLA provided what was potentially the most high-octane, impassioned performance the Hot Press Y&E series has seen so far.

Temi has firmly established himself as one of the most exciting and compelling new Irish voices. Soulfully merging hip hop, rap and R&B, Temi's style is a unique concoction of slick vocals, hypnotic beats and whirlwind verses, citing Chris Brown, Iann Dior and Ne-Yo as sonic inspirations.

A strong sense of spiritual faith is also at the core of Temi's artistry, his music bearing an emphatic sentiment — "PUT GOD FIRST." Temi NLA — meaning Temi the Great — derives from his African name, Temitope, of his father’s Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. This year also saw Temi hailed as a Hot Press- New Local Hero finalist.

While he has already blessed us with a steady stream of impressive singles, the most recent being ‘Little One’, the Y&E audience was greeted to a special set consisting entirely of unreleased material.

From the offset the vibe was immediately different. While we have been virtually welcomed into a fine range of pubs, classy living rooms and messy bedrooms thus far in the Y&E series, Temi decided to set up shop in a mysterious and futuristic neon-lit room.

Joined by his trusty companion Conor Donohue on the decks, as well as some close companions, Temi’s confidence and excitement was evident from the offset.

The self-proclaimed “one and only”, the young singer assured us that we were “about to witness some greatness right now” –  braggadocious sentiments that were undoubtedly backed-up by his enigmatic performance.

Despite his abundant certitude of his own abilities, Temi wasn’t afraid to showcase some vulnerability throughout his song  - many of his lyrics discussing the struggles of untrustworthy young relationships, evident in the emotional ‘Cheating Again’.

The intensity didn’t falter for a second – it’s no wonder the wiz-kid performed a headline show at the Sound House earlier this year before he was legally able to drink — suffice to say his talent speaks for itself.

“Why haven’t the 3 Arena hit me up yet,” quipped Temi in-between tracks, his ski-masked entourage in full agreement with that particular thought.

To perform with such bravado and passion at 18-years of age would already be impressive enough, what makes Temi so special is that he’s just as skilled behind the scenes - informing the virtual crowd that many of the tracks on display were self-produced.

He also took the time to get real, offering his support to watchers-on who may be struggling - “Anybody who’s going through a tough time at the moment, you’ll get through it. Keep on pushing on, you have my faith,” reassured Temi, showing us that he has a wise head on his shoulders despite his youth.

As he rallied through r&b banger after r&b banger, the songwriter kept reminding the audience to stick around, promising a groovy unreleased house bop to close the set.

He put his money -and his dancing shoes -where his mouth was, as his posse joined him in a triumphant, boogie-filled grand finale.

Combining humour, energy, and charming cockiness, with a genuine soul underneath it all, Temi NLA is an unmistakable rising talent.

Watch Temi NLA's performance in full below. 

 

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Watch the Hot Press Y&E Series - supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media - live on the Hot Press Instagram (@hotpressinstagram) at 7pm each night.

Catch the following up-and-comers take over the Hot Press Instagram in the coming days…

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