British Spoken Word Artist Kate Tempest Makes U.S. Debut at The Echo

Sandra Miska

British singers Kate Tempest and Shura both made their Los Angeles debuts Saturday night at The Echo in Silverlake.  For Tempest, a spoken word artist, this exhilarating performance was her first in the United States.

Tempest, a 29-year-old native of East London, performs what can best be described as spoken word/poetry set to music, somewhat similar to rap/hip-hop.  She kicked off her set with “Marshall Law” and proceeded to play other high-energy songs such as “Circles,” “The Beigeness” and “Lonely Daze.”

“I’m not here for me, I’m here for you,” Tempest told the crowd.  “I’m here to make you happy.”

The politically-conscious artist reminded everyone to not put their heads in the sand when it comes to injustices in the world.

“More empathy, less greed,” she said.

Tempest is on tour in support of her debut album “Everybody Down.”  Already a published poet, her first novel “The Bricks That Built the House” is to be released this spring.

Opening for Tempest was Shura, a singer who was born in Moscow and raised in West London’s Shepherds Bush neighborhood.  Dressed in a denim jacket with her blonde hair in her face, the seemingly bashful artist performed her aptly-titled song “Too Shy,” as well as her viral hits “Touch” and “Just Once.”  Her set also included a dreamy cover of the Fine Young Cannibals classic “She Drives Me Crazy.”

Kate Tempest and Shura made their L.A. debuts at The Echo on March 14