“Soul Sista” overlooking the Hudson River on a cozy summer night might be enough to fall back in love. At least Bilal hoped so when he performed his 2001 babymaking classic for a free show last Thursday, Aug. 8, at the new and improved Wagner Park in Battery Park City.
The Philly-born artist seemed just as keen about showing off his new music as simply falling back on his Soulquarian pedigree (although he did shout out to the legendary J Dilla, who produced his longing “Reminisce”).
Bilal (full name Bilal Sayeed Oliver) took the stage after 2024’s “Adjust Brightness,” his first album release in eight years and a departure from his earliest works, with bouncy electronic soundscapes inspired just as much by Aphex Twin and Jai Paul as his church and jazz roots.
“I wanted to create music that challenges the digital age — music that confuses the algorithms and speaks to our humanity,” said Bilal in a press release. “‘Adjust Brightness’ is about love, warmth, and intimacy. It’s an intimate, human record that speaks to the heart in an era of cold, digital sounds.”
A Bilal performance had long topped the wishlist of Maril Ortiz, Battery Park City Authority parks programming director. She pointed to early exposure to his work dating back to her time at a Brooklyn jazz club that he and his friends frequented. Ortiz later came across Bilal’s post-pandemic renaissance, including the “Bilal: Live at Glasshaus” documentary, which she watched during a flight.
“ I just called his management and the days worked out,” said Ortiz over the phone. “I told them that it’s a new park and it was really special and right in front of the Statue of Liberty — that it would be very welcoming. They loved it and it worked out really well.”
Like Bilal’s two-decade-plus discography, lower Manhattan’s Wagner Park remains a work-in-progress. A $296 million renovation that kicked off in early 2023 aimed to keep up with climate change-fueled coastal flooding after Superstorm Sandy devastated the area in 2012. Wagner Park reopened in late July; included in the 3.5-acre green space’s facelift are flood barriers and stormwater drains, as well as a new pavilion that will open in phases (a classroom will come this fall and a dining spot will open next year).
“The reopening of Wagner Park is a powerful reminder that investing in climate resilience can — and must — go hand-in-hand with creating beautiful, inclusive public spaces,” said City Comptroller Brad Lander. “Resilient design, environmental responsibility, and community access are not trade-offs, but the blueprint for a fiscally and socially sustainable city where all New Yorkers can thrive.”
For more info about upcoming programming at Wagner Park, visit bpca.ny.gov.