Genre-bending rapper/singer Aries brought the first night of his Believe in Me Tour to a sold-out August Hall earlier this month. Packing the night with everything from mosh pits to heartfelt stories to a cover of Linkin Park’s “In the End,” the young artist has yet again demonstrated his remarkable versatility and creative skill.
Though the 23-year-old’s genre is most often identified as emo rap, Aries’s style incorporates influences from across the musical spectrum. With a heavy reliance on vocal layering, guitar hooks, and soulful lyrics, the wunderkind has found a niche somewhere between alternative, rap, rock, and R&B that suits his voice perfectly.
Aries’s lyrics tightrope between nonchalance and sincerity, imbuing themes of insecurity and youthful discontent with confidence and swagger–and his live show is no different. During songs like “RACECAR” and “DITTO” the rapper/singer/producer jumped with seemingly endless energy as strobe lights flashed and the crowd shook with excitement. Yet between songs, he met his audience with all the quiet earnestness that grounds his songs firmly in truth. He recounted sitting in his room as a teen with debilitating anxiety, with creating music as his escape. In his own words, “this music is my purpose,” and after seeing his ease onstage and undeniable connection with his fans, we couldn’t agree more.
Aries in San Francisco
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