XPN Fest Recap: Nilüfer Yanya opens the River Stage with an effortlessly laid-back vibe

Nilüfer Yanya | photo by Ashley Gellman for WXPN

As the afternoon sun heated up the waterfront, Nilüfer Yanya brought her refreshing blend of musical influences to kick off the day’s River Stage lineup. Though Yanya is a classically-trained pianist, for her solo project the London-based singer-songwriter has assembled a backing band of keys, sax and drums. She leads her pop and indie rock influenced songs on guitar, an instrument she taught herself, with an effortlessly laid-back vibe.

After releasing her debut full-length album Miss Universe this past spring, Yanya is stateside kicking off her first headlining tour of the East Coast — and according to the artist, XPNFest is close enough to Philly to count as one of her first shows in the city. Yanya brought a selection of songs from her new album, plus a few from her previous EPs, to the waterfront. Introducing “Paradise,” Yanya looked around at the eager festival-goers reclining on their lawn chairs as the river glittered behind her — I’m sure many would agree when she noted that the song’s title “could apply to now.” Check out photos from Nilüfer Yanya’s set and listen back to the performance below.

Setlist
The Florist
Golden Cage
Paradise
Unordained
Angels
Heavy Weight
In Your Head