Stomp stomp, she’s arrived. Pop princess Jessie J has been onstage at Cornwall’s Eden Project for roughly two minutes and she’s already got the crowd in the palm of her hand. Opening with Price Tag (arguably her best-known song) might have helped – having a sold-out crowd screaming your lyrics back in your face is bound to put even the most surly of superstars in a pretty good mood, and might just have taken Jessie’s mind off the fact that tonight’s gig is being watched live from around the world via the magic of YouTube.
Jessie quickly blasts through a selection of hits that would put any stadium-filler to shame – Abracadabra, Who You Are and Nobody’s Perfect are all wheeled out in quick succession, causing the crowd to go absolutely crazy. Who’s Laughing Now was a favourite of ours – the delight on Jessie’s face as the crowd screamed her name was plain to see, and we can only apologise to anyone who had to endure our (slightly out of tune) ‘singing’…
Support act A*M*E did a fantastic job of warming up the crowd with her unique blend of vibrant pop and soulful vocals. The teenage prodigy has already scored a number one single with the infectious Need U (100%) and her rapid rise to superstardom shows no signs of slowing down – new single Heartless is an absolute belter, and a few of the other tracks she showcased at the Sessions were bouncing around our heads for a good few days. We’d be surprised if she isn’t absolutely huge within the next year or so.
The bouncy pop sounds of Jessie J genuinely couldn’t be more suited to the venue. The Eden Project has a reputation for being one of the most stunning concert venues in the world, and it’s not hard to see why – as the sun sets over the breathtaking biomes more than a few of the crowd were heard to remark that they couldn’t think of a better setting for this gig. Jessie’s Eighties Medley provided the perfect soundtrack to the sunset – her soulful take on Aerosmith’s I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing proved exactly how versatile her voice really is, and even the harshest critic would have to admit that this girl gives it her all on stage.
Closing her set with an ecstatically-received rendition of her new single Wild and a deafening run-through of stomp-rocker/set highlight Do It Like a Dude, Jessie J again proves why she’s among the most sought-after live acts in the UK today – her stage presence and charisma are unquestionable, and it’s a testament to her talents that she doesn’t need a huge light show to impress her fans in a live environment. Despite her oft-intimidating stage persona, Jessie still lets her true personality shine through – from reminiscing about her past experiences to frequently referencing Cornish Pasties, Jessie’s naturally bubbly personality is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. She came, she rocked and she conquered – Jessie J is here to stay.