July 13, 2019

Concert Review: Bailey Wiley – Galatos, July 12, 2019

Bailey Wiley brought neon R&B Soul sugar to Galatos last night, celebrating her self-titled EP and love of music alongside dreamy collaborative supporting acts.

There was an irresistible charm to Bailey Wiley last night who, despite taking to the stage at Galatos later than expected, made it seem as though she’d been present since the doors opened three hours earlier. Bright LED butterflies decorated the walls of the venue, leading to the fluid neon lighting that dominated much of the stage, which felt fitting for the mellow and dream-like supporting acts.

Soraya, Imugi, and Miloux entertained the crowd before Bailey Wiley arrived, all complementing the pleasant and placid feeling throughout the night. In the context of the show as a whole and its length, it made sense to retain that same consistent, positive groove throughout. The only downside to this was in not feeling you ever saw the full expression of the supporting acts, with both bubblegum rapper Imugi and soulful vocalist Miloux sounding as though the volume, and energy, had been dialled down a notch.

Despite this, both artists shared incredible moments to display their talent – Imugi’s spoken-word rapping and Miloux’s vocal depth in the second half of her set were simply both highlights in these pleasant and enjoyable supporting acts. This softened energy did make the wait between Miloux and Bailey Wiley seem to stretch for an eternity, though once the charismatic singer took the mic this immediately vanished.

As a recording artist, the singer recently released her self-titled EP, which brings together six solid, precise R&B hits to make her voice truly shine. The true beauty in Bailey Wiley’s performance is in her physical stage presence, her immediate connection with the crowd, and how this magnifies that already enjoyable musical talent. The singer addressed the crowd and proudly beamed at the news of her recent pregnancy, briefly enjoying the room’s applause before saying she’d keep it brief as ‘the night was about the music.’

This same, effortless charm poured through on her performance of DWN4U and the catchy grooves of Afford This Love, both highlighting the strength of her supporting band, before dedicating the trap-R&B lyrical showcase, Still On My Mind, to her family in attendance. With much of the crowd celebrating, singing along, or shouting praise toward the stage, Bailey Wiley and her supporting acts delivered something that felt consistently upbeat – a neon-washed R&B celebration of why these varied artists love to make the music they do.