On November 20, artist Jessie Reyez played to a sold-out crowd at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer. She is currently on a sold-out tour and recently dropped her incredible, critically acclaimed EP, Being Human in Public. She is nearing the end of her tour, which will end in her hometown of Toronto. Fellow Canadian artist Savannah Ré opened the show with a bang, and had the crowd especially enthralled with her single Best Is Yet To Come.
With the crowd energized from Savannah’s performance and eager for Jessie to perform, it was time for her to take the stage. I haven’t seen someone command a stage quite like that in some time, with equal levels of vulnerability and power. The crowd hung on to her every story, song and movement. Perhaps her most powerful performance of the night was of the haunting and heartbreaking Gatekeeper, which she opened with a story about the misogyny and intimidation she experienced at an early age within the music industry. It’s a must watch video and song. Her set list featured a variety of musical genres, from acoustic performances, like Figures and Sola, to R&B ballads, like Apple Juice. From a vocal standpoint, Jessie has an impressive controlled, powerful voice which can transition seamlessly from chest to head voice.
If shows like this are any indication what’s in store for Jessie Reyez, only big things are certainly to come. Her fan base is extremely strong, and will continue to grow from here. Plus, any artist who gets into the pit with their fans makes me an automatic fan, as well.
Thank you Island Records for having me!
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