Nocturnal Souls didn’t just perform. They arrived.
Namibia’s first-ever all-girl band made their debut and left the crowd in awe.
From the first note, the young women played like seasoned pros. And they didn’t play it safe either. Nocturnal Souls took on classics that even established bands shy away from, and they owned them.
Their repertoire sounded like a love letter to music history, featuring Roberta Flack’s ‘Killing Me Softly’, Bill Withers ‘Just The Two Of Us’, Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’, The Beatles ‘Let It Be’, and the soulful OJay’s ‘She Used To Be My Girl’ – to name a few.
Bob Marley would have approved the way they improvised ‘Three Little Birds’, which he apparently wrote for his three backup singers known as I-Three, which included wife, Rita Marley.
Also worth mentioning was the beautiful, upbeat way in which the band remixed ‘Let It Be’, which brought worldwide fame to the Beatles.
Although it started with a slow solo intro, the song switched into an uptempo beat, which had the crowd up and dancing.
Lead guitarist Mary Ishola struggled for a little beat with her presentation, but there were also a few moments when it was impressive.
Bassist Vera Mingo also appeared a little nervous toward the end of the show, but overall, she did an excellent job to drive the rhythm of the band.
Lina Kwenani enjoyed herself on the drums, and she directed her band mates beautifully while expressing herself freely.
She was particularly impressive during the reggae songs and showed why she was trusted to dictate the tempo of the band.
Melissa de Klerk had a field day on the first piano assisted by Lela Iiyambo. She had a flawless show while handling the ivories with breathtaking ease.
Gessica Ngoma and Phoebe Amupembe shared the vocal responsibilities.
Ngoma is the lead singer of the group while Amupembe, who is the regular bassist, chirped in whenever the former was a little nervy.
The vocals, although smooth on some songs, turned out to be one of the areas that need a little polishing
It was one of those shows you’re grateful you saw live. The girls were brave, tight, and clearly masters of their craft. Those long hours of practice paid off, but they are evidently still a work in progress.
Band manager Amakhoeb Gaweseb says: “I am very happy and proud of my girls. Despite it being their first time playing in front of an audience, they made a very good account of themselves. The nerves will settle down gradually, and it happens to the very best.”
The crowd was small, but the cheers were loud, proud, and enthusiastic. History was still made: Namibia’s first girls-only band has officially debuted.
After the show, the girls admitted it was nerve-wracking and although a few songs were shaky toward the end, the show was top-notch.
