Written by At some point in one’s life, you’ll get to see an artist who will remind you of what great , or near- perfected music will sound like. If you’re lucky like myself, you’ll get to witness this genius at work in your own hometown of Athens, at a tasteful venue like Gazarte. A polymath of sound, Judith Hill is a force to be reckoned with: she sounds like someone whose message is to reawaken what unites us as people , through her voice, guitar and keys. Her sound is magnetic, and frankly, if she decides to come back to Athens, my dancing feet will fully appreciate her in an outside venue ten times the size. That is to say, I’m glad Gazarte made that first step- and the audience was not prepared for her. I’m not sure they ever will be.
“I’m super excited for the show tonight, it will be a special show. Actually it’s my birthday today, so it will be a birthday celebration. I’m looking forward to seeing you all in Gazarte”Judith Hill
Photos by Stephen Giannoulis
When Judith and her stellar ‘family’ band took to the stage, I knew I was to witness a story of triumph and energy used to fuel joy out of sorrow, release through grief, seamlessly through a tone which can only be described as funky- gospel. Her mother Michiko Hill on keys and father Robert Pee Wee Hill joined by drummer extraordinaire Shadrack Oppong delivered that Sunday Service like nothing Athens has seen , and the message was clear: sing through your troubles, and let music be your medicine.
Dressed in sunset gold, Judith turned to the audience and said “ We have one mission tonight, I want everyone to have a good ol funky time “- then she tore into a setlist that had the audience riding along the coattails of high energy numbers such as “ Angel”, “ Runaway “ and the show stopping ( well one of them really ) “ We are the power “ whilst cleverly interweaving social and personal stories such as the ballad of “ Dame de La Lumiere “, and “Give your love. I found it incredibly hard to sit there and write about Judith ; all I wanted to do was get up and dance, or stand still and hold my jaw from dropping unto the floor when she busted out solos on guitar and keys that made me wonder why on earth isn’t this woman not winning every singly performance and production Grammy.
Photos by Stephen Giannoulis
Granted, Judith’s story is one of those artists who has experienced career stardom people can only dream of, whilst enduring devastating blows one would only hope to encounter in a nightmare. She went from strength to strength from being the protege of non other the legendary Prince who had produced her debut album Back in Time , to being chosen as Michael Jackson’s vocal duet partner on what was meant to be his “ This is it Tour”, to winning a Grammy as one of several artists on best documentary feature featuring the unsung sheroes of backing singers “20 Feet from Stardom”. She was also there for the losses, but Judith’s story is one of showing up , and going back to music , before algorithms and mass production: to be performed live on stage in an experience that will transport and uplift you .
Photos by Stephen Giannoulis
The dialogue she displayed with her phenomenal band was something of a masterclass is musicianship ; one particularly both endearing and mind blowing moment for me was watching mother and daughter on stage exchange a fearsome solo trade in “Turn Up” – Judith literally asking her mom on stage to play ‘something funky “- that kind of stage dominance is rare to witness. Not to mention Judith’s phenomenal vocal agility from the second she hit that stage with ‘Angel’ through to ‘Cry ‘. Judith’s bassist Robert Pee Wee Hill had two jobs that day : meandering between delivering astounding bass- slapping dexterity to watching his daughter in awe: could you blame the guy ? Let’s not forget the glue that held the groove of the whole sound – drummer Shadrack Oppong’ keeping it cool but playing like a wizard. The frequent rhythm change up during the ‘fire themed’ numbers like “ Burn it all”, “Fire” and “Pepper” was one such masterclass in perfection of one’s instrument: and needless to say, the whole band delivered that, and so much more.
Judith Hill’s artistry is an experience to be lived and beholden to one’s own betterment. Speaking as a musician; I know firsthand how much energy and work is needed to keep an audience engaged, and I relished in Judith’s infinite energy and side glances to encourage the Athenian audience to join her vibe. Thankfully, as she came back on stage at the end of her show with “Cry”– slowly but surely people started to rise and give a standing ovation. There’s something to be said here about the Athens live music scene: it’s come a long way , so this is all part of the need for audiences to really appreciate the artists that have shaped their playlists. Do I personally wish they would have danced more? Sure. Could it be that they were stunned and Judith simply blew them away? That goes without saying. That’s what music does: it educates you, and Athens sure needs more education from Judith. For what it’s worth: we thank you for blessing us with your talent.
Last modified: September 30, 2025
