Greentea Peng’s much-anticipated ‘Tell Dem It’s Sunny’ tour lands in Newcastle this April, a tour that’s sure to be bountiful with psychedelic R’n’B delights.

With longer days on the horizon, the aptly named ‘Tell Dem It’s Sunny’ album – and extensive tour from South East London’s Greentea Peng – marks the perfect transition from dreariness to light. The neo-soul singer and songwriter Aria Wells (alter ego Greentea Peng) is influenced by stellar artists such as Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill, and that’s particularly evident in her vocal. That cadence! Her experimental reggae-induced tunes have garnered 1.4 million monthly Spotify listeners who, no doubt, are enraptured by her hazy, sage-infused vocal and introspective vision. The new album was teased with ‘Stones Throw’, a track that showcases just how deftly she manages to wrap emotion up with an otherworldly vibe to give us pure psychedelic rapture. ‘Tell Dem It’s Sunny’ – the follow-up to her 2021 debut album ‘MAN MADE’ – also sees Peng really taking hold of the creative reins, playing bass on multiple tracks. With an emphasis on the elusive and the spiritual, Greentea Peng is an artist dedicated to the art of storytelling, and that really comes over in her performance. And within the intimate environs of Boiler Shop, that performance – full of passion and vulnerability – is sure to thrum with real ‘Green tea type riddim’. AJ

Greentea Peng, Wednesday 30 April, Boiler Shop, Newcastle, 7:30pm, £25, boilershop.net