The music industry, and the world, are in desperate need of authenticity. Every day, people live their lives in pursuit of self-actualization, and they simply want someone who reflects that same humility and stillness on a larger stage. Look no further than Andre 3000—a masterful rapper and one-half of the legendary duo Outkast. However, fans who attended expecting 3 Stacks to perform “Hey Ya” or “Ms. Jackson” were left unfulfilled. In an interview with Zach Baron of GQ, he famously said, “I’m 48 years old, what do you talk about… I gotta go get a colonoscopy? My eyesight is going bad?”
The wind has instead blown Andre in a different direction—full-length instrumental albums. New Blue Sun serves as a complete spiritual reset for both him and the listener. In that aforementioned interview, Andre mentions that he is experiencing what it feels like “to be a baby at something, musically,” for the first time. Despite this, the majority of both his album and live performance was improvised on the spot, which is truly remarkable when you consider the number of instruments he and his backing band played. These included, but were not limited to, woodwinds (flute), guitars, percussion, bells and whistles, and at one point, a musical leaf. He also spoke in tongues for a solid two minutes, only to amusingly reveal, “From the bottom of my heart… I just made that shit up! Y’all thought that shit was so deep!”
My personal favorite part of the show was accepting that I could not enjoy it in “review mode.” It was best for me to just relax, enjoy the music, and talk to the people around me about Outkast’s Dirty South era (one that I was not even alive for). I would be remiss not to mention the most dynamic performance of the night, which was actually from the opener, Sudan Archives. Captivating the older Hobby Center audience with her mesmerizing fiddle and violin, she enchanted them with songs such as “Come Meh Way” and “Confessions.” The 30-year-old learned to play the violin by ear and delved into the libraries of African folk music on the internet, thus the name “Sudan Archives.” Despite hearing her music for the first time that night, I left wanting to hear more—which is always a good indication of how the night went.
I also want to give a shout-out to the rest of the New Blue Sun touring band—percussionist and producer Carlos Niño, keyboardist Surya Botofasina, guitarist Nate Mercereau, drummer Deantoni Parks, vocalist Mia Doi Todd, multi-instrumentalist Jesse Peterson, and keyboardist Diego Gaeta. Their respective performances ensured it was a night to remember, showing that artists should not be restricted to only their most profitable genre. By following his own path rather than what the industry had planned for him, Andre’s authenticity will be a dividend that follows him, and us as fans, for the rest of his musical journey.
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