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Turi Tharma’s performance at Howler on January 17 offered a compelling snapshot of an artist confidently shaping his own lane within Australia’s evolving R&B and hip hop landscape. Australian-born and deeply connected to his Tamil roots, Tharma’s sound draws from a blend of hip hop, R&B and Carnatic influences, resulting in music that feels both contemporary and deeply grounded in personal history.
From the outset, Tharma commanded the room with a quiet assurance. His vocal delivery moved effortlessly between restraint and release, carried by melodic choices that felt deliberate and emotionally informed. There was a sense of patience throughout the set, with songs allowed to build organically rather than rushing toward obvious climaxes. This control gave the performance a depth that kept the audience engaged from start to finish.
A clear highlight of the night came with “Found Myself,” which quickly revealed itself as a crowd favourite. As the track unfolded, phones were lifted across the room, capturing a moment that felt instinctively shareable. The response spoke to the song’s emotional clarity and Tharma’s ability to connect without spectacle, letting melody and sentiment do the heavy lifting.
The crowd at Howler met the performance with focused attention, allowing softer moments to sit comfortably in silence before responding with warm applause as songs reached their peaks. Visually, the set remained understated, with minimal staging and subtle lighting shifts ensuring the focus stayed firmly on Tharma’s voice and compositional ideas.
By the end of the set, it was evident that Turi Tharma is not simply experimenting with genre, but thoughtfully expanding it. His Howler performance felt less like a singular moment and more like an early chapter in a longer artistic trajectory, one driven by intention, cultural influence, and a growing sense of self-assurance.
Words and images by Monique Pizzica
