Contributing Writer: Matt Payne
Music at the Williams Center doesn’t follow genre labels so much as bend them. The multi-faceted artists featured at the center’s upcoming R&B Night on October 1 incorporate pop, alternative hip-hop, house, dance, and even affirmation into their music. But the result is the same: Sunnie, ByHaze, The IZM., Kingsley Ibeneche, and GROOVY will each uplift the audience with their powerful vocals, music, and movement.
Jersey-based artist The IZM. says, “The audience can expect vocals and vibes beyond belief. The vocals and vibes that have been missing in the mainstream and thriving in the underground pulse.”
GROOVY, Kingsley, and Sunnie all hail from Jersey as well. And each incorporates different disciplines into their work—Nigerian-American Kingsely pulls from his background in dance, Sunnie is a recording engineer as well as performer, and GROOVY considers himself an entertainer who “provokes emotion on the dance floor.”
“Upbeat funky grooves, crowd interaction, and dancing are inevitable at a GROOVY show,” he says. “Even if the crowd has no idea who we are, they’re going to have a good time.”
Perhaps the most well-known performer of the evening is ByHaze. This Top Ten artist on iTunes’ R&B Chart was born and raised in New Jersey but now calls LA home. He is best known for his “Repeat After Me” affirmation TikTok series (currently 120K+ followers) that teaches audiences about the power of manifestation.
Each of these artists is a force on stage, drawing audience members in with their intimate performances. As the booker for the night, Joe Kelly, says, “They all deserve your attention. Each artist is hungry, working hard at their craft. The audience will feel that.”
The night will include music that makes you move as well as music that makes you feel and deepens your spiritual awareness. When Sunnie tells you to “take me high,” you’ll feel obliged. When Kinglsey sings he’s “been crumbling down,” you can feel it. It’s that odd mix of subtlety and intensity—perfectly reigned in emotion—that makes for the perfect, head-nodding, eye-closing, lost-in-the-moment R&B.
These are artists who can make the most of any space they play in—how will the Williams Center transform their sound? Joe hopes people, especially Rutherford residents, will come to find out. Not only because the music is so authentic and soulful, but because these are the earliest days of the Williams Center’s revitalization—and your voice should be heard that night as well.
“Come and be a part of the conversation,” says Joe.
More information about this and all Williams Center events can be found here. More music from each artist can be found on Spotify
This was an awesome evening! Thank you for bringing these great artists to Rutherford!