Nick Mulvey Saw Laraaji Biking in New York City — And Then Performed with Him at a Sold-Out Concert

Nick Mulvey has only been listening to Laraaji for the past month. That made bumping into him in Central Park even more special. Here’s what we know about the music crossover we didn’t know we needed at New York City’s Mercury Lounge.

Nick Mulvey bumped into the ‘magical’ Laraaji while in New York City

Central Park is a pretty magical place. It’s where Santa Claus’ sleigh broke down in Elf and where Giselle sang “That’s How You Know” in Disney’s Enchanted. It’s also the place where Mulvey spotted Laraaji on a bike ride.

Laraaji, a musician specializing in piano, zither, and mbira, is the artist behind “Quiet Space (From Celestial Reiki).” His song “Introspection (Edit)” holds over 18 million Spotify plays, with two tracks also included on Spotify’s official “Atmospheric Focus” playlist. 

As a New York City-based instrumentalist, Laraaji is also considered one of the pioneers of New Age music. Mulvey, an unapologetic Laraaji fan, “did a U-turn” on his bicycle to speak with the artist — the rest is history.

“We did a gathering on Saturday night,” Mulvey said. “We had people from the music community [and] music industry meet with climate world — climate journalists, activists, scientists — in a panel discussion… on how to make actual change. Laraaji accepted the invitation, and he was there. He was on the panel, and it was such a perfect thing.”

Mulvey continued to speak on his long weekend with Laraaji, saying he attended the artist’s headlining show and “had [his] mind blown.”

Laraaji appeared as a surprise guest at Nick Mulvey’s New York City concert

In addition to attending the climate change panel, Mulvey appeared as the headlining artist at New York City’s Mercury Lounge, hosting two concerts on July 11. After starting the performance with “A Prayer of My Own” and an acoustic version of “Fever to the Form,” Mulvey announced his “surprise” to the audience. 

“There’s a musician I’ve been listening to a lot lately, his name is Laraaji,” Mulvey said, introducing his guest to the crowd. “If you know, then you know — or you’re about to tonight.”

Laraaji appeared onstage, taking a seat next to Mulvey. The duo performed “In Your Hands,” even if Mulvey accidentally began in the wrong key, asking the audience to “edit that out of [their] videos when [they] post it.”

Nick Mulvey released his album, ‘New Mythology,’ in 2022

Aside from biking in New York City and attending climate change-driven events, Mulvey spent time creating his album, New Mythology, in 2022. This collection featured songs “A Prayer Of My Own,” “Mona,” and “Mecca.”

Thanks to Mulvey’s 2022 tour, this songwriter is scheduled for other performances in North America. That includes two Los Angeles shows and one upcoming concert in Toronto, with more information on the artist’s website. 

For those who can’t see Laraaji performing in Central Park, music by the New Age pioneer is available on most major streaming platforms.