by Desiree Ng
I popped by concert cherry at Jessie J’s, and I have absolutely no regrets.
After a short wait (everyone cheered every single time a mysterious figure emerged on stage), Jessie J finally walked out in a sparkly dress.
Her powerhouse vocals are unmistakable. She wasn’t going to just grace the stage; she was going to make sure that she brought the house down. She was the kind of singer who would explain to the audience about her tired voice, asking for our forgiveness if she slips up, then go on to belt out ‘I Have Nothing’ by Whitney Houston.
Everything about this woman felt very inspiring. The mantras she talked about would have been cliché if not for the heartfelt way that she spoke for them. I never knew that so much emotion could rush up to me as she injected some forgiveness for myself into me, with ‘Masterpiece’. She wanted us to take away whatever we needed to – whether it was a good sob, a hearty laugh (we sure had plenty, with her cheeky jokes) or a great time dancing to the music.
Jessie J was very charming as a person, and incredibly captivating as a performer, always reaching out to the people in her audience. One time she asked if anyone had questions to ask her, so somebody yelled, “What is the best part of being alive?”
Slightly taken aback by the serious and deep question, she pondered for a short while and replied, “The best part of being alive is being able to feel… everything.”
She went on about the little things in life that makes it worthwhile including, for her, being able to make music, then ended off by chuckling and making a comment about how everybody’s faces got very serious quickly, to lighten the atmosphere.
It wasn’t just the British accent and sparkly eyes. She is a two-in-one package of a sexy, sassy stunner and a sweet, unostentatious girl-next-door – plus some extra good vibes.
by Hidir Koh
Up-Close with Jessie J was an initiative brought to Singapore by Samsung and Singtel to provide customers with music that knows no borders. Held at the Indoor Stadium, the acoustic experience connected the audience through feelings of camaraderie.
Before the star’s appearance, the anticipation was palpable. Crowds swelled, and grew increasingly boisterous as the organizers teased them by playing with the speakers and lights. All hell broke loose when, finally, gold lights flooded the stage and Jessie J skipped onto it.
From the moment she appeared, Jessie J oozed charisma. A weapon as powerful as her vocals, her empathic charm provided audiences catharsis from their deeply personal struggles. Tears streamed down the faces of some, as their souls resonated with the meaning behind the melodies. This was extremely evident when she welcomed an aspiring singer onto stage to sing “Masterpiece” with her. After belting out half the song, she momentarily relinquished her spotlight, allowing all ears to fall onto the young guest.
Besides her empathy for pain, her fun side also endeared her to audiences. “Burnin’ Up” was one of the more upbeat songs and she danced her way through it. Her liveliness radiated through her amusing facial expressions, most notably her signature “tongue-in-cheek” side glance. Speaking of hilarity, there was even a moment when she censored herself to keep things PG 13, but the audience echoed the profanity anyway. To which, she promptly replied, “I didn’t say it”. She even put a Jamaican spin into the song “Pricetag” making the dance inducing song more mellow.
Her commitment to the singing craft was also apparent during the performance. Despite her sleep deprivation, she fervently refused to lip-sync, claiming to “only sing live”. Although she was constantly joking that her voice was half asleep, her mastery over her voice was evident, as she often made impressively rapid trills and turns. She also displayed strong freestyling abilities, when she invited yet another audience member by the name of Dwayne to freestyle a duet with her. Their harmonies seamlessly weaved into one another, creating a truly enchanting performance.
