By: Emil Jraissati
Y’all ready to turn up?! The answer was a resounding ‘yes’ at the Mariah the Scientist concert on Monday, May 6th, at House of Blues. In a sold-out venue, fans crowded the floor, adorning red accessories and articles of clothing—red cowboy hats, red purses, and red t-shirts—anxiously waiting to see her take the stage. Promoting her album of the same name, Mariah the Scientist brought love and good vibes to her To Be Eaten Alive Tour in Houston, Texas.
After an hour's delay, the scientist herself appeared amidst smoke and lights, wearing a red velvet mini dress and matching heels (can’t forget the matching bedazzled microphone). The crowd, impatient at this point, let their energy out through an eruption of cheers as she meandered across the stage, almost coyly. As she burst into her first song, Good Times, from her latest album, To Be Eaten Alive, the audience sang along word for word while she stood in place and delivered a somewhat disconnected performance, appearing to fiddle with her in-ear monitor throughout the song. She performed another song from the album called Bout Mine, where her smooth vocals and catchy rhythms got the crowd hooked.
Revenge was next, an instant hit that had the entire audience singing in unison, “I’m only human; I want revenge.” A feeling that is universal, and when harnessed through art, can be an empowering statement. What I found so interesting was her ability to flow effortlessly between heartbreak ballads and midtempo serenades, like IDGAF, which might normally feel like whiplash, but in this case the crowd was on the same wavelength as her. They went wherever she led them, and in that way, I felt an abundance of love in the room.
She called out to the crowd to get a head count of who had a man and received a mixed response of cheers and moans. Always n Forever was the next song, a dedication to her longtime lover Young Thug and to all the lovers in the audience. She serenaded us and pointed the mic at the crowd, giving us the opportunity to send the love right back to her. She sang hits like 2 You and Only Human and ended the night with Heaven Is a Place on Earth.
Where the show lacked in production value, it succeeded in good vibes and a strong connection. One might ask, what does Mariah the Scientist specialize in? Perhaps it’s the science of love. If that’s the case, I think she’s on the right track. With less than 10 shows left in North America, be sure to check her out on the To Be Eaten Alive Tour in a city near you for an extra dose of love.
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