Moustapha Noumbissi performed a raw and powerful set at NON-COMM

Moustapha Noumbissi held nothing back this evening. Foregoing any introductory speech, the Philly singer-songwriter dived into a raw and compelling acoustic version of his newest single, “Layla.” The live version was somehow even more heavenly than the studio recording, and the audience was spellbound as Noumbissi’s powerful voice carried through the room.

“We don’t have a lot of time so we are going to do a lot of playing and not much talking,” declared Noumbissi after his first song, and that’s exactly what he did. The rest of his songs picked up where “Layla” left off, continually building in strength throughout the set. His next song, “Stumble,” was full of funky bass and guitar licks, growing from a bluesy tune into a head-nodding rock song.

Born in Belgium to Cameroonian parents, Noumbissi is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter whose cultural background shines through in his music, with elements of R&B, rock, pop, and soul. He burst onto the Philadelphia indie scene in 2022 with his debut “Stumble,” and since then, he’s released four other singles, each lyrically poignant and passionate, establishing himself as a voice to watch. Indeed, he was practically buzzing with energy during his set, infecting the audience with his spirit.

Accompanied by Will Brown on guitar, Keaton Thandi on drums, and Manny Roach on bass, each musician worked together beautifully to accompany Noumbissi’s delicate yet powerful vocals. They saved the best for last, with the highlight of the set coming in the form of an extended outro; the band came together on “Gold,” to jam out, ending the set with a bang.

Noumbissi will be playing at XPN’s XPoNential Music Festival later this year, you can find more information on the festival here. Who else can’t wait for September to come?