As the cool change set in after another stinking-hot day in Melbourne, folk-pop fans rolled up to Thornbury's Croxton Bandroom to see emerging Boston trio Tiny Habits.
This show (3 December) marked the final performance of the group's Just A Little Down Under tour, and the crowd really gave their all for the young performers.The first support act was the smokey-voiced, boy-next-door singer Vinnie Brigante, accompanied by an acoustic guitarist. He engaged the audience well and had an appealing energy, but the performance lacked some emotional depth and left the crowd wanting a little more.
The second support act Sidney, however, blew the audience away with her angelic voice, impressive guitar tone and confessional songwriting. Her song 'Tried' was especially powerful and the audience went nuts for the soaring vocals of the chorus.
Sidney's final tune – a slow, folk-inspired cover of Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' – was a genius choice, and provided the perfect precursor for the main event.
After meeting as peers studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Tiny Habits' three core members – Cinya Khan, Maya Rae and Judah Mayowa – originally earned a following on TikTok by posting videos of their impressive vocal covers. This effort eventually evolved into their current folk-pop outfit, which has been an official band since 2022.
With a seriously solid touring line-up of two guitars (one played by Cinya), drums, bass and keys, Tiny Habits had all the support they needed to let their golden voices float over the crowd in an ethereal cloud.
The musicians' arrival onstage was soundtracked by Belinda Carlisle's classic 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth', the energy in the crowd clearly one of excited anticipation.
They started their set with 'Circling', the first tune off the new album 'All For Something', and continued to play through the album with a few changes in song order. The nostalgia-driven 'Mudroom' received an especially warm response.
While many of their songs cover vulnerable terrain, the track 'Wishes' was the most emotionally raw, as the three singers came together in the middle of the stage to sing about their secret wishes and the burdens they often feel themselves to be. This tune elicited a very strong response from the audience, as many fans sang-along with a sense of palpable release.
In the middle of the set, each member of Tiny Habits had a chance to sing their solo original from the album and pull the focus for a while. This gave the audience a chance to absorb each singer's unique sound and storytelling style. Maya's vocal runs were especially captivating, however Cinya and Judah also gave flawless performances.
The group played a few tracks from their 2023 EP 'Tiny Things', including a gorgeous folk cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Landslide'. The other cover they chose for the night was Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know', leaning into the campfire sing-along vibes and allowing the (highly capable) audience to take over the vocals for a while.
They brought Sidney back out to sing Lizzy McAlpine's feature in their new track 'For Sale Sign', which was a great way to tie the show together and satisfy the audience with a guest appearance. The sound mixing was great throughout the show and there was not one perceivable technical hiccup.
With an undeniable warmth in both energy and vocal blend, Tiny Habits and their touring band bewitched the audience, proving to Melbourne they're a serious outfit with huge possibilities ahead.
