For two weeks, Sydney’s CBD has been illuminated thanks to a little something called Vivid. It’s that time of year when the city turns into a set from a Joel Schumacher film. Out of all the light installations and cutting-edge projections, none shone brighter last Friday than Ella Mai.

The R’n’B songstress’s return has been eagerly anticipated since her last performance at the Sydney Opera House in 2023. Three years later, Ella Mai has touched down on our shores in support of her latest album, ‘Do You Still Love Me?’ (DYSLM). The new record finds Ella Mai in her grown-up love era. Over 14 tracks, she explores the adoration, disillusionment, and everything in between that come with a relationship that has matured from puppy love to true companionship.

The night opened with Kaiit (‘Miss Shiney’ still sounds just as fresh as when it came out)  before Elle Mai made her way on stage, kicking things off with the bouncy ‘Tell Her’. From there, she smoothly weaved her way through a setlist of DYSLM highlights and classics. Tracks like ‘Somebody’s Son’ and ‘First Day’ were imbued with a new gravitas thanks to her live band (shout-outs to them!). Meanwhile, R’n’B anthems, ‘Boo’d Up’, ‘Trip’, and ‘Whatchamacallit’ had Sydney singing along to every word while wrapped around Ella Mai’s tattooed finger.

To answer the question posed by Ella Mai’s latest album title, Sydney does indeed still love her. By this writer’s estimation, it’s a love affair that won’t be ending anytime soon.

Thanks to Ella Mai’s team, Vivid, and all the good people at Carriageworks who made this possible. All photos are courtesy of Ravyna Jassani. You can find her work and contact details here.