You know how you have those Spotify or Pandora artists that you find? The ones that not too many people know about, but you love? The ones that often have a smaller fan base and don’t tour often/at all, or are unlikely tour in your area?

One of my Spotify stumble- upon gems is 25-year old St. Louis (via Chicago) artist, Smino, who graced New Orleans with a sold-out show to remember at the Gasa Gasa on Friday, May 12, 2017.

Smino has a larger fan base than he thinks, as the Swanita Tour is selling out multiple shows, according to one of his tweets.

Outside of a “Music Nerds” GroupMe that I am a part of where we share new music finds daily, Spotify and Pandora playlists are sources which I discover the majority of the music I listen to.

I have a rule: if I hear a new song on a playlist and find myself peaking to see who the artist is, I have to exit Spotify or Pandora, switch over to Apple Music or YouTube to search and listen to more of them.

The rule applied when this song came on and I found Smino last November, according to my tweet.

I remember when I peaked to see who it was and recognized his name from one of my favorite songs from Noname’s album, Shadow Man (you can find her featured on Chance the Rapper songs).

So I thought, “Okay, yeah, I love her. I’ll probably love him too.” And I was right.

Smino is one of those artists that when you get passed the aux cord and put him on, everyone asks, “Who’s that?”I have probably recorded 50 snaps of me lip syncing his songs on my snap and I always get side messaged the same question.

He’s a soulful lyricist who Complex Magazine predicted to be “one of 2017’s most promising rappers".

Indeed, fast fowarding to 2017, I was so excited when he dropped his album, blkswn, which had me instantly hooked.

And then I almost had a heart attack when he released his tour dates and announced he would touring in New Orleans.

And then I had another heart attack when I saw that tickets were $10 at the Gasa Gasa, a music venue walking distance from my house.

I took off of work THAT DAY and purchased my ticket. I also decided that same day that I didn’t care if I didn’t find someone to go with me; I would go alone.

I purposefully didn’t try too hard to find someone and that’s what I did: I went alone and it was probably the best time I have ever had at a concert.

I thought maybe it would be awkward being alone at a concert. I even introduced myself to the people around me in case I needed a friend for the night. Well, it wasn’t awkward at all and I didn’t turn around once to talk to those people again after introductions.

It was actually so refreshing being alone. I got there about an hour early and after v-lining to the bar to get my double-screwdriver with pineapple, I stood at the front of the stage and danced to music played by the DJ of the show while I waited until it started.

I know if I would have taken a friend, who would not have been as big of a fan as me, I would have been concerned that they were annoyed arriving so early and standing in one place for so long.

It was also refreshing to not be concerned if someone else was "into" the show/having fun, or vise versa, get clowned for being “too into” the show (which I so was). All I had to focus on was Smino and my fun.

Concerts are my happy place and from this point forward, I really want to start seeking artists that perform at smaller venues. If you connect with an artist by just listening to them, imagine the connection between an artist and the audience in a 200-person venue like the Gasa Gasa when they are only feet away.

In a massive sold out arena or music festivals with engulfing crowds that make you feel like an ant, you don’t get that same connection.

New Orleans is filled with cool, intimate music venues, and being that I enjoy any and every sound with the exception of Country and, like, heavy metal rock, I am on a mission to find as many new artists and shows as I can to go to this summer.

So thank you, Smino, for introducing me to how fun concerts can be with just me.

I never buy merchandise from shows or concerts, but I had to remember what I learned from the #Swanitatour.