Black Music Month is finally upon us, and as they have done for a few years now, NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series is celebrating with a month-long schedule of performances from some of the best Black performers of the past, present and future. But this year they’re doing something different by pairing with BET to honor the cable network’s contribution to music and culture. The formidable lineup of artists kicks off with the Tiny Desk of the floetically talented ladies of Floetry.
The duo, consisting of Natalie Stewart aka The Floacist and Marsha Ambrosius aka The Songstress, recently reunited for the successful run of their just-wrapped Say Yes: The Tour, proving that their musical chemistry remains after all these years apart. But in case you weren’t in the number for that tour, their Tiny Desk debut offers a brief glimpse into what the duo brought to the stage.
The set leaned heavily on the duo’s debut album Floetic, starting with the first track (both on the album and of this performance) “Big Ben.” The song speaks to their London origins while showing off the Philly sound that birthed their career and is a fitting opener to their set. They don’t stay there long, though, as they quickly move to the only non-Floetic cut “SupaStar.” The song, from their sophomore project Flo’Ology, is a fun and free love song that pairs Natalie’s lyricism and Marsha’s vocal stylings perfectly.
They slow things down after that with “Butterflies,” which was originally written for Michael Jackson’s Invincible album and included as a bonus track on Floetic. The momentum from that then turned steamy as they delivered their signature bedroom jams “Say Yes” and “Getting Late.” Both songs, which were staples on the playlists for those looking to get it on in the early 2000s, got the crowd feeling a way as the ladies and the band (which included our boy DJ Aktive) grooved along in slinky lockstep. The selections also allowed each lady to showcase their sensuality.
The Floacist and The Songstress bring it all home with the song that introduced them to the world, “Floetic.” More than 20 years later, the joy of the song and their mission statement in the lyrics still ring true and have stood the test of time, just like our love of Floetry.
Tiny Desk’s Black Music Month celebration will continue with performances from GENA, Ayra Starr, Joe, The Paradox, Fred Hammond, Eve, 8 Ball & MJG, Shaboozey and Bow Wow throughout June. Make sure you stay tuned to see what they have in store, but first let Floetry take you back in time by peeping their performance below.
