Ivy Sole and her band bring smooth hip-hop and R&B sounds to KEXP’s Live at Home series

Ivy Sole made her KEXP Live at Home debut with a performance from the Paul Robeson House and Museum om West Philadelphia. A smooth five-song set, her soulful hip-hop and R&B was mesmerizing. Playing a few tracks from her latest EP, SOUTHPAW, she also threw in a cover by SiR and delved into some of her older releases.

Ivy Sole performed accompanied by a graceful backing band, it was her velvety vocals that truly stole the show. Transitioning effortlessly from silky runs to seamless rapping, she would switch it up in a matter of seconds. On tracks like “Rollercoaster,” her voice glided elegantly despite the turbulence of the on-again-off-again relationship she was singing about. On “Dangerous,” the first single from her upcoming album — which features fellow Philadelphia scene fave Kingsley Ibeneche and released last month on Bandcamp — her rhythmic vocals possessed the fluidity of water. While the majority of her records contain samples, the stripped-down version relied on jazz chords and polished percussion.

During her set, Ivy Sole also seemed to channel the spirit of Robeson. An artist and activist in the mid-20th century, he was blacklisted for his political beliefs. Before playing “Heavy,” Sole took a moment to pay homage to him. “Paul Robeson once said that the artist must take sides. He must elect to fight for freedom or for slavery. He made his choice. He had no alternative. Now we have to make our choice for ourselves.”

After the set, Sole sat down for an interview with Gabriel Teodros. The two discussed how the events of last summer shaped her music, boxing, and the power of healing through community.

You can watch the full set and interview below, and check out “Dangerous” via Bandcamp. Ivy Sole plays a free set at REC Philly on Friday, October 8th as part of the Philly Music Fest. Advance RSVP spots have sold out, but more tickets may be released closer to the date of the show — keep your eyes on the Philly Music Fest website for more.