Even among the chaos surrounding the end of the semester, the opportunity to visit The Ryman Auditorium is not one that I’m likely to pass up on. More than that, the opportunity to see not one but two of my favorite singers at The Ryman on an easygoing Saturday night in Music City seemed almost too good to be true.
I’ve been a fan of Zinadelphia since one of her most popular songs, “Love Over Glory,” snuck its way onto one of my Spotify-generated playlists. At just 25-years-old, originally from Philadelphia, her bold lyrics set to unreliable rhythm blur the lines between genres for an incredibly unique listening experience.
Zinadelphia opened with “The Magazine,” the title song from her EP released late 2024 of the same name. She wore a slate blue skirt textured almost like a shag rug under crimped hair, transporting the audience to “Cosmos” which then followed under a furious fuchsia spotlight. She continued to sing songs both new and old, including a cover of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and originals, “Love Language,” as requested by an audience member, as well as “The Seamstress,” an unreleased track comparing modern-day dating to the ambiguous thrill of thrifting.
“This is such a dream come true,” Zinadelphia said about her Ryman debut.
“Love Over Glory” — the first song of Zinadelphia’s discography I was exposed to and my personal favorite — was the perfect track to conclude the opening set. An upbeat feminist ballad, it empowers all individuals to take control of their own stories.
Excitement was evident in the audience for the main act — many stood up, cheered and hollered as the lights dimmed for Sammy Rae & The Friends. I’ve been a fan of theirs for over a year now — having photographed the band at The Ryman on their previous tour — I’ve been a proud, loyal Instagram follower ever since. Their Instagram is where I found that night’s theme was pearls. This became abundantly more clear through the star-studded instruments and opalescent costuming.
The band opened with “Thieves,” a full-circle moment for me as it had been a song teased on their prior tour and released as the second single on “Something for Everybody.” After raising the energy, bandleader Sammy Rae took the microphone to lay down the ground rules of the evening — for all audience members to be good to themselves, to the space and those around.
“Anything you might be feeling, it’s all good,” Rae said.
This transitioned the band into “We Made It,” another dynamic track originally released as a single with prompts for audience members to chime in throughout the chorus. Rae took hold of the microphone once more to discuss the various companies the band had partnered with on the tour — Eco Solutions for environmental sustainability, The Ally Coalition in support of local LGBTQ+ youth and HeadCount to promote democracy for die-hard fans and casual concert goers alike. It fills me with great hope and joy that artists and bands can use their platforms not only to bring people together in trying times but to make a true difference in the world through the individual communities they touch.
In Music City, many bands enjoy bringing guest stars onstage or adding acoustic songs to their setlists for Nashville shows only. For Sammy Rae & The Friends, this included an appearance from local drummer Petar Janjic as well as two songs later played with an unplugged guitar and a cowboy hat atop Rae’s head.
With aspects of jazz, rock, country, folk and everything in between, the “Something for Everybody” tour truly did live up to its name. I also found it heartwarming that the lights came up in the house whenever the band hoped that fans would sing along, highlighting both appreciation for a full crowd and the interactivity within the concert. Rae made a special point as the concert neared its closing to thank all audience members, whether they had been to see the Friends time and time again or if it was their first night.
The band wrapped up their set with nods to their very first EP, “The Good Life.” Released in 2018, it includes some of my all-time favorite Friends songs, such as “Kick It to Me,” “Talk It Up” and “The Good Life.”
All in all, my night with Sammy Rae & The Friends, accompanied by Zinadelphia, could not have been more uplifting and inspiring. Taking the time to bring joy and hope to your own life, especially as a busy college student, is underrated.
