Kaytranada’s sold-out show at London’s Alexandra Palace on April 26 was nothing short of a full-bodied experience. From the moment the lights dimmed and the first track dropped, it was clear that the crowd were locked in for a good time. Kicking off with ‘Pressure’ from his latest album ‘Timeless’, Kaytranada immediately set the tone for what was to come.
Between songs, the Canadian producer kept the atmosphere relaxed. There was no ego, just a DJ vibing with the crowd. Spectators became part of Kaytranada’s journey for the night, feeding off his infectious energy. Halfway through, the show shifted gears to some classic remixes. When his take on Beyoncé’s ‘Break My Soul’ and Rihanna’s ‘Kiss It Better’ dropped, the crowd naturally went wild. Familiar pop songs felt fresh in his hands, transformed into a bass-driven tracks that kept everyone moving.
Visually, the production was simple but on point. Strobes flashed in sync with the music, amplifying the energy and adding to the overall atmosphere. It was almost too easy to get lost in the dance. Kaytranada was ever-present behind his setup with a glass of wine propped on a stand of its own, looking as though he was having as much fun as the crowd—maybe even more so.
Kaytranada’s live performances are a testament to his ability to elevate his already incredible studio work. By the time ‘Be Your Girl’ rang through the speakers, the night was at its peak and the energy in the room was contagious, becoming the kind of show where time disappears. By the finale, it felt as if the evening had passed in minutes rather than hours.
Wunmi Mosaku has lit up the screen in acclaimed productions like ‘Black Mirror’, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, and ‘The End Of The F**ing World’. Now, she’s preparing to deliver another captivating performance in the upcoming vampire horror ‘Sinners’. “Theatre was my first love, but films have allowed me to immortalise my performances forever,” shares the BAFTA-winning actor to us for Schön! 48. A seasoned presence both on stage and on set, the British actor, who glimmers in Pandora for her digital cover story, has been commanding attention for over a decade.
Mosaku’s success is rooted in a blend of raw talent, relentless drive, and the support of her family — especially her mother and husband. Yet above all, her enduring passion for the craft shines through. “I adore everything about discovering a character and then creating a world together,” she says. Her latest project, ‘Sinners’, directed by Ryan Coogler, features a star-studded ensemble cast with Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, and Michael B. Jordan. Filming in New Orleans came with challenges — including being “eaten alive” by mosquitos — but Mosaku recalls the experience fondly: “We are still very much in touch and in awe of each other,” she says, describing the cast and crew as “a loving family.”
Her connection to ‘Sinners’ runs deep. “I like scripts which change me and make the audience think,” she explains. “And I didn’t realise that horror could do that until I dove into the genre.” In the film, she portrays Annie, a conjure woman. To prepare for the role, Mosaku immersed herself in research, studying Hoodoo and the Yoruban divination practice Ifá. “I spoke to so many spiritual women and went to Voodoo and Hoodoo museums,” she says. “Through my research, I felt a real connection to the Motherland, to Nigeria and my history and ancestors.”
With ‘Sinners’, Mosaku continues to build an impressive portfolio across genres—especially fantasy, horror, crime, and thrillers. From her work in ‘LOKI’, ‘Lovecraft Country’, ‘Passenger’, and ‘Luther’ (alongside Idris Elba), to her BIFA-winning turn in ‘His House’, her range is clear. “The scripts for these projects chose me,” she explains. ‘His House’, she says, “really moved me. It’s not just a film designed to scare the audience but a story about people. Who knew that horror, futuristic and vampire movies could make me think like that? I thought those genres couldn’t include me as a Black woman, but they do.”
Looking ahead, Mosaku carries one hope. “It is for peace, and for people to be able to live freely without tyranny and war,” she says. “I’m praying for some sort of miracle where order and empathy reign.”
suit. Naked Wardrobe
shirt. AMI Paris
tie. Louis Vuitton
sunglasses. Elisa Johnson
jewellery. Pandora
opposite
top. Cult Gaia
skirt. St. Agni
jewellery. Pandora
dress. Polo Ralph Lauren
sunglasses. Elisa Johnson
tie. Hermès
jewellery. Pandora
When it comes to live performance, Tyler, the Creator is the ideal case study. Much like his concept albums, an entire visual universe was curated around his latest album Chromakopia which is currently on the European leg of its tour. His opening act, our print issue 33 star Lil Yachty, was the perfect warm-up, playing an eclectic blend of rap with rock elements. His set led to warming moments you only really get at live events, like the entire crowd lighting up the stadium with their phones.
When Tyler’s silhouette menacingly unveiled on stage, he was dressed in a costume that has come to represent his current album era: a military suit, white gloves, a geometric fro and half face mask. It set the scene for an impressive opening night at London’s O2 arena on 19 May.
Among the LA rapper’s many skills, from fashion design to music production, Tyler doesn’t get enough credit for his dancing. His energy is magnetic from the very moment the first beat drops and he never fails to perform full throttle, matching the roaring energy of the crowd. Starting at 100 did mean that by the middle of the concert, its initial dynamism had wavered. However, Tyler has accumulated so many years of resonant music that the crowd remained just as plugged in, even during the show’s more still moments.
When it comes to lighting, Chromakopia was some of the most interesting and cinematic that we have ever seen. It removed the divide between fan and star as the lights shined on the crowd even more than they did Tyler, who more often performed under shadowed and dramatic hues of blue, red and green. It made for an incredibly immersive experience, particularly when the set hung suspended above the audience.
London is well known for its engaged crowds but even Tyler noted how fanatic they were for his first show. His fanbase spans from millennials to gen alpha, so he made sure to remind his younger fans that back in the day, then British Foreign Secretary Theresa May, banned him from entering England based on the controversial lyricism in his early breakout album ‘Goblin.’
Moments when Tyler broke character to interact with the stadium in casual conversation showed just how much command he has over the crowd and how his witty humour is able to fill the room. Tyler’s fans are incredibly loyal, with many arriving to the O2 dressed just like him and passionately rapping every word. Tyler has no band, dancers or backup singers, his character is enough and his impassioned audience did the job of singing every ad-lib in unison and in time. It was rare and beautiful to see so much connection in such a large room.
Since their formation in 2019, South Korean indie rock band wave to earth have spent a lot of their time on the road. Made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Kim Daniel, bassist John Cha, and drummer Dong Q, the trio has successfully wrapped multiple sold-out shows across Latin and North America, Asia, and Europe. As part of their ongoing ‘0.03’ world tour, the trio recently stopped by Madrid’s La Riviera, bringing their trademark jazzy lo-fi alt-pop to the palm tree-flanked venue.
Fans queued out on the streets from the crack of dawn for a chance to see their favorites up close. Speaking to Schön! backstage just a few hours before the show, Kim, who acts as the de facto spokesperson for the group, says the biggest difference between crowds in Japan and Korea versus the rest of the world is their energy. “I think crowds outside of those two regions are much more outwardly energetic, but we have fun everywhere we go.”
In Madrid, even before the trio emerges on stage to the instrumental ‘are you bored?’, the crowd’s excitement is palpable. In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, the music in the venue cuts off, cheers erupt, and the members jump on, cutting through the noise with the song’s suave guitar apergios and muffled synths. The opening of each show is Cha’s favourite moment of the night. “The moment when the whole lights black off, and then we just like, boom,” he says, gesturing with his hands while trying to fight a smile.
For Dong Q, the highlight of the night is the sultry ‘slow dive,’ a slow-tempo, funk-infused number from their most recent project ‘play with earth! 0.03’. For Kim, it’s ‘annie’ which plays after the group’s customary jam session where all the magic happens and the members let loose on stage. “When we find a good melody, we all look at each other, nod our heads, and then we try to take it in that direction naturally,” says Dong Q.
While on stage, the key priority for wave to earth is having fun. “Trying not to lose joy. I think that’s the most [important thing],” Cha says. “If you do several shows in a row, it might feel like [proper] work, but there’s some way to find an inspirational moment, or an interaction with fans, or interactions with [the group] that kind of lifts up in some sort of a unique experience.”
wave to earth’s shows are also a communal experience. While playing ‘light,’ Kim’s mic malfunctioned in the middle of the song. The crowd soon picked up on it and chanted the lyrics back as Kim took it in stride. It’s those lighthearted moments that make wave to earth’s shows a safe space where room for error and experimentation is welcomed rather than feared.
Lately, the band has also played with shifting away from Korean lyrics into more of an English discography. “The band scene in Korea is quite small so in order to do music for a long time, which is our goal, we felt that we needed to become quite well-known,” Kim explains. “We realised that a lot of the music that we listen to, we don’t really care which country it comes from…we wanted to write lyrics in English so that everybody could understand. We’re not necessarily trying to hide the fact that we are Korean, but our listeners don’t need to know that we are Korean. That said, we’re very grateful that we are considered [key players] in the Korean indie scene,” he says.
