Since I Have A Lover - 6LACK in Montreal.

Shot and written by Eva Lynch

November 11, 2023

Montreal, QC @ MTELUS

The night was abuzz at MTELUS as people were eagerly anticipating 6LACK’s performance in Montreal and first tour following his hiatus, for his latest album Since I Have A Lover.

QUIN

The first opener for the evening was QUIN, who sang us through a series of different projects atop a large lotus flower. Her soft textured voice rang out into the theater as she enveloped the room in a warm and familiar feeling. Her voice was ethereal and its gentleness managed to carry to even the back of the crowd; her runs were smooth and her cathartic lyricism played into her self-described ‘soul fantasy’ sound. On stage, her movements were fluid and entrancing and created a magical eco-inspired environment, covered with glistening blue water, lilies and environmental video projections. She was briefly joined on stage by 6LACK to premiere their video for his feature on her song “Scorpio”, on the anniversary of its release, as a belated birthday gift for scorpio season. He used the moment on stage to say hello to the crowd and say he would be periodically checking in with the show, which proved true as he connected with the crowd at every stage of the show.

Jordan Ward

Next to the stage was Jordan Ward. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to see him earlier this year, when he was opening for the Luv Is 4Ever Tour, and his energy was as infectious as ever. He sprang onto stage and began his set with a bang. He shared an elaborate handshake and dance with his DJ, while jumping around the stage singing tracks off his debut album Forward. The mixture of his falsetto runs and his rhythmic flow made for a captivating performance, packed with momentum, and got the crowd more-than ready for the rest of the show. The camaraderie between artists was on full display as Jordan Ward brought out 6LACK for the second time that night, yelling “Grammy Nominated!” as he took to the stage to perform their collaboration MUSTARD. He shared his profound gratitude on stage, shouting out QUIN and 6LACK as well as the whole crew, and made sure to mention the fact that with everything going on right now it meant a lot to have everyone gather under one roof and choose to come together through music. He kept the energy high and chose to end the show with his heartfelt hit, ‘FAMJAM4000’ where he repeats the chorus, “Can we bring the love back?” as the set came to a close.

6LACK

And now for the main event: 6LACK has had both a triumphant yet understated career. His soothing voice is one we are all familiar with but may not always know who to put a name to, yet if this tour and album are indicative of anything it’s that a change is on the horizon. Since I Have A Lover shows the phenomenal growth and artistry of 6LACK as he only continues to rise. The performance came the day after 6LACK’s grammy nomination, and imbued the show with extra energy and gratitude. It was one of the longest shows I’ve seen in a while, as 6LACK played over 30 songs, until the late hours of the evening, not wanting the show to stop. At one point he even joked about booking a hotel and waking up early to get to Toronto instead, to even stay just a few more hours and keep the energy going. When thinking about his time in Montreal he said it’s not a temporary type of city and it’s not a temporary type of love he feels from the crowd. He reached everyone in the audience, where even the people at the very back of the venue were screaming along to every word. He played songs from every era and album, and even let the audience pick one of the songs.

He emerged from the smoke flanked by two patches of cattails, among his wetland-esque set, covered in moss, ferns and rocks. The show began with home videos playing behind him as he launched into the show. One stage, he’s very grounded and open, and seems at ease being vulnerable. During his hiatus 6LACK realized that through his career and music, he had created a persona. He would come on stage and not talk much, or even make eye contact, and would consequently avoid places where he would have to confront this disconnected persona. His latest album and performance shares a new and more-sincere side of 6LACK, as he is now energized and ready to bare himself to the world with open arms. The shift he’s undergone the past few years is clear through the environment he brings to the performance. Constantly checking in with the audience, he is full of gentle affirmations about being present and thankful for the people around you, which has been his biggest joy as a musician — finding the people he now surrounds himself with, both as an artist and a person.

Echoing this theme, the show was full of duets and covers 6LACK chose to sing alone, from his version of Jessie Reyez’s ‘Imported’ which he features on or Khalid’s ‘OTW’ which garnered massive rounds of applause, to a cover of Snoh Alegra’s ‘I Want You Around’ or ‘OTW’ Claiming the greatest joy as a musician is to sing with friends and share work. He takes a moment to pay homage to the person who’s been his biggest inspiration during his time off, QUIN, who he brings out once more to perform one of their many songs together, and the chemistry between them was palpable. His connection to and relationship with QUIN unfolded on stage, and its deep foundations of friendship and creative collaborations were seen in the way they flowed together -- while many know them as a couple after their song ‘Chocolate Mushroom,' years before any collaboration they grew close as pen pals, and snipets of their relationship can be picked up in the inspiration for both of their music and deep appreciation for one another.

His voice is tender and each song was performed with such intention and precision. His soulful lyrics and relentless energy, where as well as making appearances with both openers, and his almost 35-song set, made for an incomparably conscientious show. 6LACK left every fan giddy, head spinning as they headed home at the end of the night, after such a huge and impressive performance. He ended the night by slowly paring down until it was him alone, with a spoken word piece fading out of the titular track “Since I Had A Lover,” gracefully leaving the stage with a promise to be back.