Asake made history as the first African artist to headline the U.S. edition of Red Bull Symphonic, bringing his Lagos street energy to Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre alongside a 33-piece orchestra.
The full performance, now streaming on YouTube, captures a sold-out night that stretched his catalog into orchestral territory without losing the bounce that built his name.
The setup itself was a statement. Conducted by Glenn Alexander II, the orchestra wrapped strings, cellos, and brass around Asake’s Fuji-infused cadences, so hits like “Lonely at the Top” and “Sungba” carried a cinematic weight they never had on record. He opened with “Dull” from his debut album, then moved through “Sunmomi,” “Joha,” and “Nzaza” before pulling from later projects like “Worldwide”. That sequencing felt scattered on paper, yet it worked because Asake treated each song like a fresh story rather than a greatest-hits run-through.
The guest list turned the night into a proper event. Wizkid walked out for “MMS” and sent the crowd into a frenzy, while Gunna joined for “Happiness”. Central Cee, Tiakola, and Fridayy also made appearances, so the stage kept shifting without the show losing momentum. Even Burna Boy’s absence from “Sungba” did not dull the performance, because Asake carried the record alone with the orchestra behind him.
What made this performance worth revisiting is how Asake handled the format. He did not let the symphonic setting soften his delivery. Instead, he performed his already-released songs as if they were new, adding dramatic pauses and crowd chants that kept the room engaged. He also previewed unreleased material, including a record with DJ Snake, which gave longtime fans something to chase beyond the live set.
If you have not watched the full Red Bull Symphonic set yet, the YouTube upload is the place to start. Let us know in the comments which orchestral rearrangement hit hardest for you.
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