Pete Tong

Sananda Maitreya resurfaces in Liverpool after 23 years—says he was out for smokes

He once declared himself a genius and was touted as the next Prince, then vanished into anonymity after a critically panned second album. Now, Sananda Maitreya—formerly Terence Trent D’Arby—returns to a UK stage after 23 years, bald but grinning, joking that he simply stepped out for cigarettes.

Backed by the Sugar Plum Pharaohs and soaring backing vocals, his voice veers from raspy to piercing sweetness. A falsetto note in “Delicate” earns its own ovation, affirming his presence, even in a not-quite-full Liverpool Academy.