A tiny tour for a tiny band

June 24th, 2023 – PHILADELPHIA

Tiny Habits, made up of Cinya Khan, Judah Mayowa, and Maya Rae has opened for artists like Gracie Abrams and Ingrid Michaelson. Until last week, they had not yet embarked on their own headline tour. They kickstarted their Tiny Tour in Illinois and are traveling to just six lucky cities over the next few weeks. With only a short EP and a few straggling singles released, fans in these cities get to hear various unreleased tracks and covers sung in breathtaking harmonies.

“I’m feeling filled at the Fillmore,” Judah Mayowa exclaimed to a crowd of Philadelphia fans on Saturday night. The band said they came in with no expectations for the night, but the vibrant crowd exceeded anything they could’ve hoped for.

Electricity ran through the audience, starting with the opener, Grace Gardner. Only a few people sang the words in unison but every face lit up when she sang or cracked a joke mid-song. With heartbreaking songs like “Deny Me” and “Scorpions Don’t Live Forever,” Grace made sure to lighten the mood with a witty smile and laugh here and there. She also played “Cleanup Dive,” an unreleased Carol Ades-inspired song. In Carol fashion, Grace strayed from her usual sad girl anthems to write a more hopeful one. In her eight-song set, she covered the spectrum from utterly depressing to fan-favorite covers like “My Girl” by The Temptations.

Velvet curtains, ornate rugs, and not-too-bright spotlights set the stage for Tiny Habits. “It’s a big fear of mine / thinking I’ve left behind / something good,” they sang in unison, opening their set hauntingly and beautifully with “Hemenway.” When the first chorus hit, it rippled through the crowd, every person singing back to them with their phones in the air, trying to capture that moment forever.

The trio dressed in elegant yet simple outfits that were only complemented by the yellow and blue lights.

A roar of voices emerged during the more upbeat second song of the show, “One More.” Hundreds of Doc Martens pounded into the floor, creating a beat of their own. Not to worry, as they could never drown out the wondrous honey-like voices of the three singers.

Each of their voices melts into one another. It’s difficult to tell where one voice starts and another ends. That’s the beauty of this trio: their mellow but smooth vocals carry listeners on a peacefully satisfying journey. It’s not until the second listen that you might notice the words they’re singing.

But the next track in the setlist features impassioned and tender lyrics that are only accentuated by their ethereal live voices. “Lots of love in tiny things / All we have is all I need,” they sang with light smiles overtaking their faces. The room filled with love. Everyone felt “happy to be standing” right there, surrounded by love.

That love never faded. In their cover of Harry Styles’ “Matilda” and their unreleased songs “For Sale Sign” and “Mudroom,” the trio toyed with the idea of home. In a room full of people connected by music, they sang about growing up and finding a home away from home. “We’re all sequels to our parents’ lives,” they sang in “Mudroom.” By this section of the show, it was clear that this was a meaningful night for everyone. The three of them formed tears in their eyes, trying not to let them fall.

After a few water breaks and a beautiful rendition of “Pennies,” the band livened up the sweltering hot room with their cover of “You Were” by Field Guide. The audience added a cheerful clap section during the chorus that eventually Judah continued on stage, creating a syncopated whirlwind of percussion. By the end of the song, Maya joked that she thought she “could pass out right now” while singing. They urged everyone to keep drinking water and made sure to check in with a thumbs-up scale. “Why don’t I see all your thumbs up,” they yelled.

Although they encouraged us not to hug each other because of the temperature, it was hard not to grab for some human affection during their next performances. After a celestial guitar solo, they played two unreleased tracks, “Circling” and “Planting Flowers.” In a rhythmic motion, the crowd swayed back and forth as the two songs bled into each other.

They finished the main set with a zestful cover of “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane, sending an overwhelming feeling of joy that reached the last person standing in the back of the room – the kind of joy that almost makes you blue. They waved their faux goodbye as the audience chanted, begging for an encore. And Tiny Habits delivered with the saddest encore known to man: “Some Things (I’ve Learned).”

“I wish I had impact / On all my surroundings,” the three sang. The whole room hung on their every word, hoping they would remain on stage forever. Standing in The Fillmore, I didn’t spend one moment “doubting connection.” After a soul-fulfilling night, I slipped on my new Tiny Habits t-shirt and replayed the memories in my mind.