Solange Knowles Takes Saint Heron to New Heights with Eldorado Ballroom
PHOTO of kelela BY BRE JOHNSON (BFA)
Solange Knowles, multi-hyphenate creative and cultural tastemaker, created Saint Heron as a way to preserve the work of Black practitioners and express her reverence for their contributions and creative process. Saint Heron has entered a new chapter with the latest debut music series titled “Eldorado Ballroom” hosted at the legendary Brooklyn Academy of Music. This unprecedented series showcased performances by musical icons past and present across a multitude of disciplines for what we can only describe as a masterfully curated sensory experience. Eldorado Ballroom is a historic Black music hall in Solange’s hometown of Houston and where she credits her love for performance started. Bringing two iconic cultural institutions together: the figurative Eldorado experience to life within the physical BAM space is a beautiful blend of her Houston roots and her experience as a Brooklyn based creative for many years.
Scroll below for photos and highlights from the unprecedented music series featuring the likes of Res, Kelela, and the Clark Sisters.
Photos of Kelela by Bre Johnson (BFA)
Opening night brought in a packed house with Solange’s fellow cultural innovators like Telfar Clemens and Renell Medrano spotted in the crowd. The much anticipated series opening focused on the impact and innovation of R&B from the black female lens across generations. Performers keiyaA, Res, and Kelela moved the crowd in their own unique ways highlighting the versatility and evolution of R&B. Solange has cited Res as an early musical inspiration because of how she pushed genre-bending boundaries in the 90s and early 2000s, while Kelela has appeared on previous Saint Heron projects, including the beloved compilation album released in 2013.
“I’m in awe of all of these ladies and what they’ve accomplished sonically...All of these women have brought so much innovation to the genre, and it’s going to be real cool to create a timestamp of that through these performances.”
Photo of Res & Kelela by Bre Johnson (BFA)
Another unforgettable moment for the Eldorado Ballroom music series was witnessing The Clark Sisters in all of their glory for a very fitting title of performances: Glory to Glory: A Revival For Devotional Art. Twinkie Clark warmed up the crowd with her magnetic organ playing which was the perfect invitation for the Spirit to move through the crowd once her sisters arrived on stage. The Clark Sisters shut down the Gilman Opera House with thunderous renditions of their classics "Jesus Is a Love Song" and "Is My Living In Vain." They took a moment to thank Solange not only for her curation and inviting them to be a part of the series but also for styling them in custom Issey Miyake pieces, an ode to Solange’s impeccable taste and knowledge of not only music but fashion as well. Glory to Glory was the perfect start to Easter Weekend and an essential reminder of how devotional music continues to be not only a force for personal redemption but an undeniable influence on black creative innovation.
“We are so thrilled to have their work featured in this performance and grateful for the opportunity to bring the power of devotional music to life.”
Eldorado Ballroom beautifully paid homage to the many facets and layers of black musicians, black innovation, and black creativity which is so often replicated without proper appreciation and praise. Hopefully these experiences continue to highlight how essential black creativity is to the pulse of mass culture as a whole.
Photos of Twinkie Clark & The Clark Sisters by Rafael Rios
The majority of Eldorado Ballroom performances have now wrapped, but there is one more closing performance scheduled for September 22nd titled On Dissonance: AN EVENING OF CLASSICAL AND OPERA WORKS BY JULIA PERRY FEATURING DAVÓNE TINES. Visit BAM for more information on tickets.
Learn more about Saint Heron here.
Photography by Nabila Wirakusumah
NYALLAH is known for blending elements of neo-soul, R&B, hip-hop, and West African rhythms while exploring themes of self-expansion, transformation, and love. With their latest project, R+B, recorded in phases spanning a near-death bike accident and an eye-opening trip to Costa Rica, R+B navigates relationships, desirability, and self-awareness from a black queer perspective. Through enchanting vocals and vulnerable lyrics, NYALLAH reminds us that desirability is not love and our liberation lies in de-centering ourselves and prioritizing collective care.