LOVE ON DIGITAL TOUR

Destin Conrad, the Grammy nominated R&B super star, brought his “Love On Digital Tour” to New Century Hall. This was just his second show in Manchester. The last time he was here, he opened for his friend Kehlani at O2 Victoria Warehouse in 2022.

With rising R&B artists Mack Keane and CARI joining him, fans were in for a special night.

Mack Keane

The show kicked off at 8pm with a strong opening set from Los Angeles R&B artist Mack Keane, who wowed the crowd with his smooth vocal riffs. I’ve been a fan for about a year and a half, so when I saw he was supporting the UK dates, I knew I had to be there.

He started on piano under dark red lights, and the audience was drawn in immediately. The highlight for me was when he performed his latest single, “Candycrush.” It’s one of my most played songs of 2025, but hearing it live made me like it even more. Mack’s stage presence stood out. Even with only a 20 minute set, he kept everyone’s attention. It’s easy to see why he’s rising in R&B, and I think he’ll be selling out venues like this on his own tour soon.

CARI

Next up was another rising star, CARI. She started her set on guitar, and her smooth voice caught everyone’s attention right from the start. She’s been on my playlists a lot, and her debut EP “Flux” is one of my favorite releases this year, so hearing those songs live was a real treat.

Cari’s vocals were amazing; she moved easily between high notes and deep, bass filled tones. I was really impressed.

Near the end of her set, she surprised everyone with a cover of “Closer” by NeYo. It was a great way to get the crowd excited for the rest of the night. I liked how she made the song her own. It was so unique that it could have been one of her originals. I loved it.

DESTIN CONRAN

Then it was time for the main event. Destin came on stage with a glass of Aperol spritz, wearing a sharp white suit. He started with “Mr E,” and the crowd was hooked right away, singing along to every word as his soft, soulful vocals filled the room.

The second verse has an island or Caribbean vibe, so Destin danced across the stage, and the crowd loved every second.

I’ve seen him live a few times now, so I knew we were in for a great show. He followed with “PARTY WIT U,” one of my favourite tracks from the album, and mixed it with Beyoncé’s “Party.” He moved confidently around the stage, getting lost in the music and letting the crowd sing along to the chorus.

Next was “JUMPIN,” which had the crowd doing just that. The lighting for these songs was minimal, so Destin was hard to see at times, but he kept the energy up.

One thing I love about Destin is how open he is about his queerness and how he embraces his sexuality through his music and performance. He gives nods to past experiences with boys and shares stories behind the songs, mixing in some cheeky banter.

Since this was technically his first solo show in Manchester, you could really tell he loves everything about R&B music. This wasn’t just a concert; it felt like a masterclass in the genre. With a discography full of songs that remind me of early Destiny’s Child and Aaliyah, he really knows how to work the crowd.

The standout moment from the first part of the show was Destin’s performance of “Bad Bitches,” which features his long time best friend Kehlani. Even though she wasn’t there , the crowd made up for it by singing her verse back to Destin, which left him grinning and got everyone excited.

The night before in London, he brought out Sasha Keable and KWN, so fans wondered if we’d see a big guest star in Manchester since it was the last night of the tour. There were rumors that Kehlani might show up, but she was performing at another event in the US that day, so she couldn’t make it to the UK.

My favorite moment of the whole show was the tribute to R&B legend D’Angelo, who we sadly lost earlier this year. Destin has always talked about how much he’s influenced by those who came before him, so it was special to hear him cover “brown sugar.” Mack Keane joined Destin on keys and backing vocals for the whole set, but his vocals on this song honestly gave me chills. The two of them sounded flawless, riffing and running effortlessly. It was truly breathtaking.

Earlier in the set, Mack and Destin talked about their journey writing songs together, and it was great to see them support and encourage each other.

The rest of the set included songs from Destin’s EPs “SUBMISSIVE,” “SUBMISSIVE2,” and “COLORWAY,” which he’s played at previous shows, including two headline shows at Koko in London last year for the SUBMISSIVE tour. These projects have fan favourites like “LUV N DEVOTION,” “MARIPOSA,” and the classic from COLORWAY, “In the air,” which many fans say is his best song ever.

The show concluded with the song everyone had been waiting for, “KISSING IN PUBLIC.” Destin joked that he wouldn’t sing it because he’d been nonstop singing all night, but the audience was prepared and sang every word back to him as he strutted and danced about the stage.

The venue turned into a party in this last half, everybody was dancing and having the time of their lives with their friends and other supporters in the crowd.

Prior to this, he spent around five minutes interacting with the audience, signing vinyl records onstage and receiving gifts from fans. Then he called out his stylist, Sophia Nieser, to sing her a happy birthday and blow out the candles on her cake in front of everyone. It was gratifying to see an artist who genuinely cares for his crew and treats
them like family.

This show was truly incredible, but unfortunately, the lighting took away from the experience for me just a little. I think they wanted a moody atmosphere, and I’m not sure if it was the venue layout or just the stage setup for Destins tour, but for much of the show, Destin was barely visible, which made it hard to see what was happening at times. Still, he more than made up for it with his stage presence.

I can see him playing venues twice this size on his next tour, and I can’t wait to be there when his career really takes off, especially now that his debut album “Love On Digital” has been nominated for a Grammy!