Junglepussy Live at the Middle East
Seeing Junglepussy live convinced us, above all, of one thing: she is a prophet. We had previously listened to her music and were impressed by her confident references to her own sexuality, but attending her live performance showed her in an even more phenomenal light. Junglepussy loves herself, and it’s obvious. She tells us. She also loves her fans, and in between songs preaches messages about confidence and self-love. Seeing her run around on stage, dance freely, and make some frankly hilarious faces showed just how much the power of positivity could elevate someone’s self-expression.
Her opening acts burst with the same confidence in self and sexuality. The first opener, Hopeadope, filled the room with her bubbly energy. She wore a unicorn horn, talked with audience members while on stage, and pulled people up from the crowd to dance with her. She danced, it seemed, not to perform but just to have fun. Fun was a theme of the whole concert -- relaxing, dancing, singing, and having the time of your life. After Hopeadope finished her act, she weaved through the floor, distributing stickers and compliments. She was followed by Brandie Blaze, a woman overwhelmingly proud of her queerness and blackness. A local Boston hip hop artist, she flooded the room with her confidence.
Junglepussy’s music delivered a similar message to every other aspect of the show: one of independence, self-love, and self-knowledge. She knew exactly how to engage the audience with this message, singing to us and with us, and demanding our attention. Pretty much every one of her song contains the word “pussy,” and, in this same vein, pretty much every song is an ode to owning, caring for, and proudly displaying one’s body. Her songs also embrace her black womanhood. She talks about the ways in which she’s been mistreated, but recenters the focus around the idea that her awareness of her mistreatment comes from her knowledge of her own worth.
Junglepussy had us dancing, singing, laughing, and reflecting. Her performance was fun and uplifting, and we think that she’s a powerful black female artist on the rise.
- Dani Pergola and Rachel Hodes
