Genesis Owusu, the acclaimed Australian-Ghanaian artist, returned to the US for the first time in three years to support his new album Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge. As soon as the new album was released, I vowed to catch him live this year, but with only six sold-out US shows, and none of them near my hometown of Austin, planning my annual San Francisco trip at the same time as the show at Rickshaw Stop, was a no-brainer!
AFTER LOUISE
The evening opened with a striking set from After Louise, the solo synth-pop project by Los Angeles artist Sofia Carrillo. She’s built a following on TikTok, which led to her first EP, Nothing’s Accidental, coming out in June. Her 30-minute set featured layered, looping melodies paired with Carrillo's gorgeous, ethereal voice, and after seeing many similar synth-pop projects recently, After Louise’s sound stood out as lusher, more relatable, and catchier. The project is skyrocketing, as she is set to release a second EP and headline shows in New York and Los Angeles in early 2027 After Louise is definitely a project to watch in the coming year.
GENESIS OWUSU
Genesis Owusu stepped onto a bare stage, with just a giant boombox banner as the backdrop. The night’s theme was “Red Star Wu’s Pirate Radio,” inspired by the lead track from his new album in which he conducts a rogue broadcast from an old-school pirate radio.
There were no other musicians or backup dancers—just Owusu and a backing track. He wore a sharp military jacket, a beret, a colorful sarong, and bouncy athletic shoes for the hour-and-a-half of jumping ahead. He kicked things off with “Pirate Radio”, then “Stampede”, keeping the energy high before slowing things down with the nostalgic ballad “4LIFE”. One of the night’s most memorable moments was when he left the stage while singing “4LIFE” and stood in the crowd, surrounded by dozens of phone flashlights as he spun around, singing to everyone.
Sticking with the theme of the pirate radio broadcast, he would interject between songs and share his frustrations — the worldwide scourge of bombings and bullshit — while also acknowledging the recent US elections as a sign of change. He didn’t stay still for long, leaving the stage again to dance with the crowd before moving into a more hopeful song from the new album.
He introduced “ONE4ALL” as the track that means the most to him. “ONE4ALL” is about perseverance and supporting each other, even with the “worldwide scourge” going on. While singing “Yeah, we gon' be alright 'cause I got you, friend,” he held hands with people in the audience and sang right to them. For the last song, he brought the energy back and ended the show with the explosive electronic punk track “Leaving the Light”.
Genesis Owusu continues his sold-out tour overseas and will return to the US for Coachella in 2027.
