Page 16 - ARUBA TODAY
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A16   LOCAL
                       Tuesday 28 May 2019

            Green Light on for Soul Beach




































            ORANJESTAD — All stars twinkle but  born  songstress  moved  to  New
            some shine just a little bit brighter.  York at the age of twelve and five
            Sunday  night’s  Soul  Beach  Music  years later, returned to the UK. Mai
            Festival  (SBMF)  brought  John  Leg-  said, “That helped me merge two
            end  to  the  stage  and  he  proved  sounds together. I have lived in the
            the  adage  to  be  true.  This  per-  American culture in New York and
            former sings better than his tracks,  without it being a conscious deci-
            more  intense  and  yet  his  perfor-  sion,  it  does  influence  my  music.
            mance is so natural. Legend lived  In  the  end  however,  I  think  music
            up  to  his  name.  The  opening  act  is  universal,  no  matter  where  you
            was Ella Mai, fresh off her Grammy  are.”
            win  for  this  year’s  best  R&B  song.  It would not be fair to compare Ella
            She enchanted the audience with  Mai with the experienced on-stage
            her clear, pure and classic voice.  performer Legend.
            SBMF presented another successful  He is legend_ary.
            series of soul-sational nights.     Born  John  Stephens  and  married
                                                to model Chrissy Teigen since 2013,  hour  and  twenty  minutes,  singing  rise above them. During the inter-
            With  the  Grammy  Award  winning  Legend’s  star  power  shone  extra  every  song  effortlessly.  He  alter-  view he was asked, how does he
            song,`Boo’d  Up,’  Mai  created  a  bright  to  close  out  SBMF19.  Leg-  nated between moving across the  stay  this  grounded?  Legend  re-
            chill  vibe  where  you  just  drifted  end is confident with a strong, pure  stage or singing behind the piano,  sponded,  “I  always  have  been
            away with the Aruban trade winds  voice and brilliant in holding sway  even once sitting atop the piano_  like this, my parents raised me this
            while listening to her. The London-  over his public. He played for one  and even invited one lucky fan to  way. In all the craziness that comes
                                                                                    dance with him as  he belted out,  with the fame, I managed to stay
                                                                                    `Slow Dance.’                       peaceful and cool.”
                                                                                                                        SBMF closed down to prepare for
                                                                                    To  keep  the  evening  simmering,  another  edition  in  2020  which  will
                                                                                    Ella  Mai  returned  to  the  stage  to  be  the  20th  in  the  series.  Be  sure
                                                                                    sing her hit, `Everything,’ featuring  to  follow  the  excitement  and  see
                                                                                    Legend.                             which hot international stars will be
                                                                                    The  audience  loved  him  and  for  hosting  the  festival  next  year.  Fol-
                                                                                    Legend,  the  feeling  was  mutual.  low  the  festival  at  Facebook  Soul
                                                                                    His  genuine  way  gives  his  fans  Beach  Music  Festival,  www.soul-
                                                                                    something to relate to, he doesn’t  beach.net and on Instagram.q
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