Kali Uchis brought a captivating blend of sensuality, activism, and musical prowess to Camp Flog Gnaw 2025, held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on November 22-23. As a last-minute, much-needed addition to the lineup following the festival’s postponement due to severe weather, her set resonated deeply with the intimate crowd, highlighting themes of immigrant resilience and personal empowerment.
Key Highlights of the Triumphant Set
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Electrifying Stage Presence: Uchis appears in a glittering silver two-piece outfit with heels and angel wings, commanding the stage with dancers, psychedelic lighting, and props like a giant teacup and a motorcycle.
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Activism and Emotion: Midway through, she shared a poignant video montage of her Colombian-American family’s immigrant story, addressing economic hardships and calling out ICE for “terrorizing our community.” This emotional interlude silenced the stadium before erupting in applause, underscoring the set’s intentionality and emotional depth.
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Musical Versatility: Her hour-long set features a mix of sultry R&B, Latin influences, and tracks from her albums Sincerely and Orquídeas . The “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY Remix” stood out as a high-energy crowd-pleaser that blended reggaeton rhythms, seduction, and empowerment.
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A Pithy Absence: While Uchis performed her hit collaboration with Tyler, the Creator, “See You Again,” and another collaboration, “After the Storm,” she did so solo, with the rapper disappointingly absent from her set.
Festival Context and Childish Gambino’s Emotional Performance
Camp Flog Gnaw, curated by Tyler, the Creator, was originally set for November 15-16 but delayed by a thunderstorm, resulting in lineup changes. Uchis was added alongside Blood Orange and Geese, filling gaps left by dropouts. The festival successfully drew a dedicated crowd, with clear skies replacing the storm.
Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) was a headliner who closed out Saturday night (November 22) with an extensive and emotional set. His performance was marked by a stunning, candid reveal: he shared with the audience that he had suffered a stroke in 2024, which had caused him to cancel his tour. He closed his heartfelt statement with a powerful mantra: “everybody has two lives… and the second life starts when you realize you only have one,” giving his performance a sense of vital, redemptive energy.
While both Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis delivered high-impact sets on the same day, there is no direct evidence that Childish Gambino was “speechless” following Uchis’ performance. The phrasing seems to reference the overall high quality and emotional resonance of the musical acts at the festival, especially when compared to Gambino’s own intense, comeback performance.
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