Anita Baker fans rapturous over the songstress’ new tour (and it has a stop in L.A.) But what made Baker do it?
When music-watching is nothing new, the new Anita Baker tour was a hit. The singer-composer-music producer’s concerts were packed with fans who were there in droves to hear her music. Her latest tour, which kicked off last night in New York, has three sold-out shows tonight in Long Beach and Los Angeles, and all are sold out, according to her website.
The New York shows opened with an emotional performance Wednesday night. Baker was upstaging a few other artists in the intimate concert stage, and she got emotional as she thanked her family, including her two oldest sons – who were there for the show as she sang the title track from her recent album, Love You More. She thanked them for giving her the ability to make music and be happy. They have also been supportive of her music, but she said it in her own way, with the lyrics to that album about the love between a father and daughter. Her father died earlier this year.
“This is a celebration of life,” Baker said to a crowd of 8,000. “This is a celebration of life. And that’s why you’re here. This is a celebration of everything that I have learned along my life journey.”
Then, about halfway through the set, Baker’s voice dipped a couple keys, and for those of us who know her, we knew this would be the moment that she would perform “Love You More” to the sound of “Oh, by the way.”
She started off with the song that was part of her last album, Love You More. She didn’t use the drum and bass track for “Love You More,” but instead a piano and acoustic guitar.
“And if I want to have a life, then I need to be in love,” she said.
She also told the stories of how her father had died, and the song’s meaning.
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