TAMINO AT LA BELLE ELECTRIQUE IN GRENOBLE, FRANCE

After hearing so many good things about Tamino’s shows in the past few months - like his amazing performance at Le Point Ephemere in Paris last year - and having listened to his first album, Amir, since the day it came out I was pretty excited to finally see him live. The Belgian singer is a UFO in the pop sky. Tamino mixes influences from Egypt and modern Belgian rock with his striking voice, one of those that stay in your mind forever.

The night started with a short set from the young Elia. With poetic texts in French and heart-warming electro and pop melodies, she did a solid job as the opener for the night. She’s still a bit shy and quiet on stage but she will surely grow in confidence in the next few years.

When the lights went out in the venue, the whole audience seemed to already be under the spell of the singer. Tamino has this charisma and powerful presence on stage that gives so much intensity to his voice. With soft and subdued lights, a very simple stage set up, and only two musicians - keyboard and drums - everything about him tells simplicity and humility. He seemed almost embarrassed by the warm reaction of the crowd between each song - like he was surprised to be this welcomed in the small French city. His voice’s agility is beyond amazing and if he didn’t tell us that he’d been sick and unable to sing the day before we couldn’t have guessed that. After a short break, he came back for a short encore, alone with his guitar, for the greatest joy of the public.

Tamino really is a unique character in the pop industry. Quiet and humble yet very charismatic on stage, he’s the new proud representative of melancholia and a beautiful synthesis between the Western world and the Middle East.