Image by Dana Trippe //

The the Zimbabwean-born, Australian-raised, Los Angeles-based artist’s ascension continues.

Having spent the last couple of years as a tour favourite for some of the biggest artists in the world – see Billy Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Lizzo – Tkay Maidza’s global presence is blossoming at a rapid pace. Dropping a string of singles along the way including Flume collab ‘Silent Assassin’ and the infectious ‘Ring-a-Ling’, she now returns to plant her flag as Australia’s (assuming she still calls Australia home…) most exciting export.

Sweet Justice, despite the title, feels like it’s less about vengeance and more about empowerment; as if she has risen above the people her songs are about, unconcerned with pettiness and calmly waiting for karma to do what karma does. That kind of enlightened indifference rings out the album’s opener ‘Love and Other Drugs’ as she sings “Love, sex, drugs, pick your poison if you must”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGaw5HtC7A8

The record feels like it’s constantly vibrating at a high frequency, with Tkay’s immaculate flow layered over Crazy Sexy Cool-era TLC grooves and punchy funk numbers. Even the “slowed down” neo-soul number ‘WASP’ is still venomous, with energy still coursing through the track as she tells the story of a lover who underestimated her.

Tkay Maidza will be hitting the road (or perhaps taking flight is more fitting) in the coming weeks, performing in the US and Europe before heading Down Under for Spilt Milk festival. Check out the dates below and be sure to give Sweet Justice a rinsing this weekend (buy/stream it here).

TOUR DATES

Thursday, November 2 – Racket, New York, NY, USA,
Sunday, November 5 – Oakland, CA, USA, The New Parish
Tuesday, November 7 – The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA, USA, The Roxy
Friday, November 10 – Pitchfork Festival, Paris, France
Saturday, November 11 – Prachtwerk, Berlin, Germany,
Monday, November 13 – Paradiso (Upstairs), Amsterdam, Netherlands
Tuesday, November 14 – Scala, London, UK

SPILT MILK

Saturday, November 25 – Exhibition Park, Canberra, ACT
Sunday, November 26 – Gold Coast Sports Precinct, Gold Coast, QLD
Saturday, December 2 – Victoria Park, Ballarat, VIC *SOLD OUT*
Sunday, December 3 – Claremont Showgrounds, Perth, WA

Artist of the Week presented by Boost Mobile.