Throughout the various acts that performed at Art Attack 41 on Friday at Xfinity Center, Tinashe’s eclectic performance of “Nasty Girl” was the single unifying moment for the audience as the artist moved through complex choreography with her backup dancers.
The night was a highly anticipated moment for many University of Maryland students, who gathered to see some of their favorite artists perform in the unique setting of their own university’s campus.
Freshman public health science major Isabella Canlas said the show inspired her to listen to more music from the performing artists.
“I wasn’t that familiar with the artists before, but after seeing their performances, I think I’m going to start listening to their music, because their performances were really good,” Canlas said.
The event, hosted by Student Entertainment Events, kicked off at Xfinity Center. Teezo Touchdown and Tinashe headlined the show with a guest performance by Ravyn Lenae, showcasing various musical shades — from R&B slow jams to upbeat, bass-laden rap.
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Lenae opened the concert with harmony-infused hits like “Love Me Not” and “Genius,” dancing across the stage as screens behind her played footage of forests and galaxies. The song “One Wish” showed footage from the song’s music video of Lenae driving, setting the tone for a more intimate performance before the headliners.
“I was especially excited for Ravyn Lenae, so seeing her in person was cool,” said Hannah DeHarde, a freshman enrolled in letters and sciences. “I don’t think I would have done that if it wasn’t here.”
Lenae rose to prominence right out of high school with her 2018 EP Crush, produced by prominent R&B artist Steve Lacy. She has since collaborated with industry names like Doechii, Rex Orange County and Smino, who headlined last year’s Art Attack.
Taking the stage after Lenae, Teezo Touchdown completely flipped the tone of the night, with bass lines that shook the arena’s metal barricades. He sported a prop bouquet of red roses, which held his microphone as various flashing lights and a white background imitated an onstage photoshoot. He also wore a tank top printed with the phrase “Is somebody gonna match my freak,” a lyrical reference to Tinashe’s song “Nasty Girl.”
Teezo Touchdown found popularity as a collaborator with rapper Tyler, The Creator, on his albums Call Me If You Get Lost and Chromakopia. He performed his feature on the song “Darling, I,” which came out in October and propelled the artist into newfound fame.
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Paulina Strunnikova, a sophomore information science and linguistics major, said Teezo Touchdown’s collaborations were a large draw to the concert.
“I like Teezo Touchdown’s features on a lot of rappers’ songs,” Strunnikova said.
In between songs, the artist told the audience about his work on an upcoming album after a comedic mix-up between Maryland and Saint Louis University, his most recent concert venue before the event. His performance showcased the relationship between music and memories, as the artist and his stage crew gave audience members disposable cameras to take pictures of the concert.
The concert’s climax came with Tinashe’s explosive entrance, but sudden technical issues disrupted the performance after her first song. While there were still some difficulties after she returned to the stage, Tinashe remained positive, at one point taking photos with front row fans while the stage crew attempted to solve the issue.
Although the show was able to continue as planned, audience members such as DeHarde were unsure whether Tinashe would be able to return to the stage.
But her performances were meticulously choreographed, with Tinashe’s backup dancers mirroring her complex movements and footwork. Also known for her Dancing with the Stars appearance in 2018, Tinashe’s performance showcased her interdisciplinary work.
She apologized for the difficulties before performing her last few songs, by far the most powerful moments of the night, as the entire crowd sang along to “Nasty.”
Tinashe finished on a strong and energetic note, amplifying a night of outstanding musical talent.
