Joaquina Kalukango – 'Let It Burn' (75th Tony Awards Performance)

Joaquina Kalukango's full performance of "Let It Burn" (from "Paradise Square") during the 75th Tony Awards on June 12, 2022. Her final note is 18 seconds long, and the audience's reaction is truly incredible. She took home the award for Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical later that night. Icon.

All video credit goes to CBS.

[ryebread]

Cynthia cheering her on is incredibly powerful.

[yourmidnights]

just when you think she’s barely holding onto that note, she comes through with that power. good god.

[Disturbednumfan]

Hearing Cynthia in the croud, cheering for her, knowing exactly the mental, physical, and emotional tool a role like this requires.. let alone a 18 second belted final note - with vibrato

[bsusak]

This is what Broadway is missing now. Everyone is having their actors sing as high as they can and have all these crazy vocals but forget that the most moving thing is watching someone going through an existentially emotional moment.

[Melissa-twgp]

I think nine times out of ten, trained singers like this become “pitchy” on purpose. That’s the beauty of acting and singing coming together. You can’t just be technically perfect, you have to portray a human being experiencing emotion.

[v-ickydoesart]

She felt that, she really did feel that. That wasn’t lack of talent or skill, that was raw emotion

[tferg]

I keep coming back to this performance. It fills me with such pride. As a black artist seeing another black artist command that stage. To see that crowd spring to their feet with adulation gives me the feels every time. What a powerful, raw, and relevant piece of theatre. Joaquina deserved that Tony.

[ILikeTallMen]

“we were safer separated, but love left us no choice.” wow that’s profound.

[justiceall]

She held that note and pulled a new one out with the same note. That is pure talent.

[dannysimion]

Holy moly she was in character deep in this performance. Gah, those tears and the passion and the release of notes one after another until we reach that finale - the notes just kept on blazing. Reminds me of Idina's Defying Gravity. Oh what a a special performance this was from Joaquina! Worthy of her deserving win here at the Tony Awards. You better stand and applaud and ovate this woman. Now I wanna watch the play.

[Soulstonelifelived]

that slow clap with a sly but genuinely proud look on that womans face along with Cynthias "YES! YES!" in the back thats a core memory.

[ILikeTallMen]

I think the pitchiness adds to the genuine “natural” feel.

[PinUpGurl]

the way that Cynthia hopped up to applaud her gave me chills
to think that she would be the first to cheer you
Joaquina truly is a force of nature

[JayAaron]

She embodied ALL the emotions it took to deliver this song…it translated so well.

[rainlandproductions]

As someone who has Chromosthesia - I can see sound - this is the most painfully beautiful performance I have ever witnessed. It is so powerful that I actually couldn't see properly the first time I watched it.

This is now the 50th time I have watched it and the more I do so the more I realize that this performance can change the world.

I wish this could be performed in Congress - it will change the way we experience division and hatred.

A voice and a performance that could unite the world.

[charliedickerson]

You can tell, she had something to prove to many people in that audience. This touched her spirit as well as others.

[JerkyPuck]

This will go down in history as one of the most powerful Tony performances ever.

[kevinwebb]

I'm not a critic, I loved her "pitchy" sound... Do you know how it feels to know you were nominated for an award to sing in front of your peers? And knowing that the show you performed in was closed due to mismanagement of money... Now listen to her again, and see who she's talking to at this moment... Feel her passion and why it means so much to her. And why her peers cheered the way they did. I don't think any of us on this side of the stage should criticize her performance... She won the award... We're listening to her! WELL DONE Ms. Kalukango... Well Done.

[kjag]

I remember getting up and having to shake out the chills I got when I saw this on Broadway. She did that 8 times a week yall. So sad how this show ended literally only weeks after this performance.

[waynephillips]

Mere human beings aren't supposed to be able to hold a belt that long with that much raw depth. She is SUPERHUMAN. I can't watch this enough times. This was historic.