Sled Island 2025 Day 2: BAWAH and Yaya Bey stir the crowd at Commonwealth Bar and Stage
By Hannah Caparino, June 21 2025—
Commonwealth Bar and Stage is a staple venue for performers to grow, and for Calgarians to discover up and coming artists. Sled Island 2025 has welcomed artists both local and beyond to build an exciting line up that is filled with soul, hip hop, and R&B. On Day 2 of Sled Island, Commonwealth Bar and Stage hosted Zenon and the 64, (un)decided, BAWAH, and Yaya Bey.
The Calgary based band (un)decided is an eight-piece band that writes songs within the jazz and funk genre. Basked in red and blue lighting, each musician has a moment to shine while the lead singers trade between songs that are high energy or low and funky.
Songs like “I Bet” is a guitar led song with notes of R&B and soul leaving the audience members swaying from side to side. The band included a trumpet player which continued to add another layer of musicality and ambience. Many of the songs include strong bass lines with the drums continuously building up to a final chorus. The final song called “Watch Out” is bouncy and has the audience participating in a typical call and response, ending their set list with a soulful and animated performance.
BAWAH brought the energy up in Commonwealth as he started his set with a reverberating backing track and bass. BAWAH was accompanied by a trumpet and trombone player who provided back up music and added character to the performance. BAWAH’s lyrics are thoughtful and represented through the afrobeat and hip-hip melodies.
Similar to (un)decided, BAWAH included some call and response elements with his songs “Oh My God” and “Pray for Me” garnering a lot of energy from the crowd. His stage performance was strong as he was also able to integrate a simple dance that everyone could take part in, with him leading with various hand gestures to represent his lyrics. The final song of the set list was called “Africa Sounds Like This”, an experimental and hip-hip fused song that got the crowd moving as he came down to the floor to dance with the audience.
The final performer of the night was Brooklyn based singer and musician, Yaya Bey. Her performance took place the night before the release of her sophomore album, do it afraid. Yaya Bey’s stage presence displays her comfort and familiarity on the stage, seamlessly transitioning between songs and banter. Her low and smooth voice resonates across the room and both the bass and the keys support her performance. The set was a compilation of songs from her debut album from 2022, Remember Your North Star, like “when saturn returns” and her new album.
She took a brief moment to explain a story about her song “Raisins” and how the song was a result of being broken up with during a tumultuous time, and her relatability added to her overall vibe as an artist. Yaya Bey proved herself to be a seasoned performer who understands that storytelling fuels the music and connects everyone.
Sled Island will continue to highlight both local artists and others that hail from all over the world. The festival will continue until June 22 and ticket information can be found here. Information on the performance schedule and venues can be found on their website.