3 Reasons You Should See Vaeda Black Live

On a chilly January evening in New York City, Vaeda Black looked to warm some souls at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1.

The 17 year old singer-songwriter has been making a name for herself with impressive singles, including “Face Down,” and “Suicide Love,” and as the room filled up it was clear I wasn’t the only one looking forward to seeing her perform.

Backed by a live band, the Long Island native’s powerful vocals made an immediate impact, wowing the crowd, whose gaze would not leave the stage until Black completed her final song of the night.


Here are three reasons you should see Vaeda Black live.

1. There’s a maturity in her voice and songwriting that’s beyond her years

Don’t let the fact that she’s 17 fool you into thinking Vaeda Black is your prototypical teenage singer. With dashes of Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, and Bebe Rexha, Black’s voice, and songwriting, make it seem like she’s lived far more years than her birthdate would indicate.

There are artists ten years her senior who haven’t achieved Black’s artistic maturity. She is the needle in the teen artist haystack.

2. She’s capable of crossing genres, and generations

During her set Black treated the crowd to everything from soul, to pop, to a song that bordered on trip-hop. With her songwriting, and voice, being the threads that tie it all together, the shifts in genre, which were done gradually throughout the set, were seamless, and made perfect sense.

A bonus of Black’s ability to cross genres is that it opens her up to a wider range of fans. The crowd on this particular night ranged in age from early 20s to mid 50s.

Find an artist that can please fans from multiple generations, and you’ve found an artist who can stick around for a long time.

3. She’s genuinely likable

Armed with an effusive personality, Black took time during her set to talk with the crowd, including giving one of the more interesting disclaimers for one of her songs, promising that, despite the lyrics, she wouldn’t murder anyone in attendance. I’m happy to report she stayed true to her word … even if this does mean she’ll never tour with GWAR.


To find out when, and where, Vaeda Black will be performing next, check out her Facebook page for show dates.