Select Showcase

May 26th 2022 // Tulsa, OK

Mercury Lounge

Written by Alyssa Brown // Photos by Emma Watts

Thursdays are an appetizer to the weekend. It’s the day before Friday and it’s too far from Monday. In most places, Thursday could seem a bit droll compared to the livelihood of the weekend. For Tulsa, however, this is not the case. Tulsa’s music scene is blossoming by the minute with killer artists and vibrant personalities to match. I attended the most recent Select Showcase hosted at Mercury Lounge and was pleasantly entertained with a collective of dedicated musicians who gave it their all on a Thursday night. 

The red lights of Mercury Lounge enveloped the crowd in a warm haze as local DJ, Dr. View, spun deep, bass-filled tracks. The beats blended with the buzz of the crowd, who were very hyped to be in the space. The bartop was full, every individual wore a giant smile, and cheers were heard throughout the entire evening. 

The host of the evening was Keoray Taylor, an upbeat and positive individual who was incredibly excited to be there. She kept the night’s energy up, cracking jokes in between sets. The Thursday crowd was so hot, she kept asking us to simmer down. 

The first performer of the evening was Krisheena Suarez, a performer who owned the stage with a purposeful presence. As soon as she grabbed the mic, she serenaded us with a honey-voiced tune about what it means to be a woman and how no one can take that title from her. Krisheena’s husband, I Am Des, joined her on stage to perform the final song of her set together. She gushed on his day being the day before the show – we love a Gemini. They vibed together very well on stage, a true Yin and Yang. You could feel their love and support for each other. 

Next up was Tea Rush, a dope artist with a very funky feel who threw it back to the late 90s with her music. Tea’s style was Anderson .Paak meets Lenny Kravitz, repping Black Wall Street with her monogrammed jacket and eyes covered with a pair of groovy frames. She exuded confidence, immediately starting her set as her hand grabbed the mic. You felt like you were transported back in time to a house party in the 90s as each song flowed effortlessly, eventually leading into a remix of The Black Eyed Pea’s popular song “Let’s Get It Started.” Tea is a seasoned performer. She guided us through her set and took us on a journey that flowed beautifully. The lyric of the night that stood out to me was pulled from her self care anthem: “I need my me time right now/I’m feelin’ fine in my own space.”

The third performer was Hakeem Elijuwon, a rapper with a ton of charisma and talent. You may have heard of Hakeem through Fire In Little Africa, where you can find his flows on the album. Hakeem Elijuwon brought a modern energy to the stage, his act mirroring modern-day rappers and pulling great inspiration to make the audience vibe the entire set. Hakeem interacted with the crowd like a natural and left us wanting more. 

Our final performer of the evening was St. Domonick. If you are a Tulsa local, you are most likely a fan of St. Domonick's work. You can find him on the Fire In Little Africa album as well, one of his hit songs being Reparations, where Hakeem Elijuwon is also featured. St. Domonick’s height matches his talent as the crowd vibed with his songs. Each song moved into each other with ease and the beats to each song made the entire room vibrate. You could feel the overwhelming support from the crowd for these artists.