A dose of modern soul and fun was bought to the iTunes Festival when Jessie J graced the stage last night. Sheer hysteria swept through a packed out Roundhouse with gaggles of doting teenage girls screaming throughout the 90 minute set and the fellas appreciating the 24-year-old’s talents.
The audience were left transfixed as she powerfully belted out track after track from her debut album Who You Are declaring it would be one of the last times she’d be performing material solely from it.
Kicking off with one of her biggest hits ‘Do It like a Dude’ was risky but set the tone for the rest of the evening with the crowd screaming lyrics at her as she contorted herself and jumped to electric guitar riffs. Entertaining with a blasé sense of humour she kept the performance ticking along nicely putting on a solid show. Animatedly singing her beat-the-bullies hit ‘Who's Laughing Now’ a glimpse of the quirky Jessie that burst onto the scene shone through.
Reading a brief excerpt of her new book she sat onstage, joined by her 2 backing singers who had their arms round her. She read, clearly emotional as she thanked fans for getting her this far.
After wishing her parents a happy anniversary and dedicating ‘Mamma Knows Best’ to them she launched into a strong rendition shimmying across the stage to the track’s big brassy beats.
Slowing down the pace for slushy ballad ‘Casualty of Love’ and a heartfelt rendition of ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ she effortlessly toyed with ridiculously high notes unreachable by your average human. Fans in the frontline threw heart shaped balloons at her and arms were swaying in unison revelling in the intimate moment.
Confessing she popped her ankle out a few weeks ago due to something thrown onstage she spent a moment collecting all the things adoring fans threw her way.
A standout moment came when Chipmunk unexpectedly came onstage to rap B.o.B’s verse on ‘Price Tag’ and as a way of thanks Jessie gave him a smooch on the lips, fuelling a cheer from the crowd.
Chatting away as though she were amongst old friends she managed to charm her audience and have them hanging off her every word. Highly energetic and expressive she spent most of the night bounding around with a limitless supply of oomph and gusto, barely slowing down. Treating the audience to a spine tingling cover of Usher’s Climax with so much passion she was singing on her knees, and Luther Vandross’ classic Never Too Much.
She even took to playfully singling out a lone guy from the audience who tried to avert her gaze when she asked everyone to lose inhibitions and enjoy the thumping track ‘Laserlight’.
Just before the last song she showcased her individual band members and singers’ talents giving them all solos, thanking them all for “being amazing”. She also promised fans that it wasn’t the end but only the beginning, nodding to her career.
The crowd reaction was insane as Jessie got the venue jumping manically to mega hit ‘Domino, drawing an electric evening to a triumphant close.
