The creative space that Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey occupies thrives on mind-body duality. Alongside producer Lucas Goodman, the duo released their sophomore album, Cosmic Wind, this past March, and it picks up from where 2016’s Begin left off. As the title implies, it’s saturated with ethereal melodies and artful ambitions but is more fully realized and expansive than Lion Babe’s debut.
Cosmic Wind is a dreamy invitation to Hervey’s emboldened brand of passion. From the smoldering delivery of “Anyway You Want To” to the precocious funk of “Hit The Ceiling,” she utilizes her vocal prowess with extreme care and tenderness. This past Friday night (June 7) at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, she brought her lusty brilliance — in all of its vertiginous glory — to an audience that was more than eager to consume it.
Hervey was breathtaking in the purest sense of the word. From the moment she appeared onstage, she communicated with her own physicality just how domineering her presence really is. Her effervescence was astounding; her larger than life persona filled with venue with light and whimsicality. Cosmic Wind magically came to life as Lion Babe breathed reverence and ardor into a record that was already transfixing.
Hervey masterfully floated through songs like “Honey Dew,” “Sexy Please” and “Different Planet” with ease. Her energy is a highly addictive mixture of sultry and choreographed moves with spontaneous and impulsive surges –she was a complete and utter pleasure to watch. Hervey’s golden braids flowed down to her yellow corset and added to her aura of sheer beauty and decadence that made a 75-minute performance fly by in a flash.
It was cathartic to watch her imagination run wild during Lion Babe’s set and to see how much she received simply from being able to express her artistry on her own terms. Hervey proved that she is truly from another realm.