It’s rare for an artist who’s still establishing their voice in the mainstream to attract a line of people wrapped around a city block just for a chance to hear their music. Rarer still — virtually unheard of — for that same artist to take a half-decade sabbatical between releases, and expect the crowd to be waiting for them on the other side. But most artists aren’t Choker.

Much of the buzz around the acclaimed singer-songwriter's gradual, yet potent, return has focused on the seven-year gap in his discography — an aspect that, while relevant, remains only a fraction of the larger narrative. How he’s choosing to show up in the present in the wake of that substantial hiatus — both artistically and personally — is what gives this story its unique substance and depth.

Acting on desires to be more “forthcoming and honest,” the usually subdued vocalist delivered an impassioned performance for an intimate audience this past Friday night on the main floor of 66 Greene. After a fan-focused pop-up at the Soho locale earlier in the day — a moment that drew an almost unimaginable turnout for an artist in his position — Choker was greeted by some of the same visibly eager admirers as he emerged from behind the venue’s stone slab walls.

Marking his first live appearance since the release of his third studio album, Heaven Ain't Sold, the enigmatic lyricist curated a medley of six songs that instantly captivated the room, turning the buzzy chatter into mindful engagement. Accompanied on the keys by long-time collaborator Rahm Silverglade, Choker channeled palpable emotion into every resonant note over the 30-minute set, conjuring an energy that joined each individual in a meditative trance.

Fittingly, the performance began with a rendition of the album’s opening track, “Geppetto,” a ballad that gave Choker the ability to flex his vocal prowess as he climbed higher and higher toward nearly imperceptible octaves. From there, he seamlessly flowed into stripped-down versions of “Proof” and “Universoul Circus,” two tracks whose rhythmic cadence elicited collective head-nodding and foot-tapping from the attentive onlookers.

At the halfway point, Choker paused to fully absorb his surroundings, coyly expressing his gratitude and admitting the nerves he felt as he reacquainted himself with the stage. “I was definitely spacing out up there — in both good and bad ways, probably,” he shared afterwards. “ It was nerve-wracking at first for sure. But I could feel everyone’s positive energy in the room, and that kind of brings it out of me. I don’t think I’ll ever actually have the right way to frame my gratitude.”

Reimagining the melodies of “Radio Freestyle” and “Uneven,” Choker reached a noticeable flow state as he neared the end of his time at 66 Greene. The set’s undoubted peak came at its conclusion, though, when he performed a personalized cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” A song whose core message is ever-present amid the world’s troubling times, the artist paid homage to the original version with his own spirited interpretation, concluding with a dignified optimism that lingered throughout the space.

Speaking with those who spent their Friday in musical fellowship with him, Choker’s grounded demeanor radiated warmth in each interaction, suggesting that the reclusive musician has evolved into an open, receptive auteur ready to be recognized and celebrated for his work once again.