Jessie J, Glasgow review: 'overwrought ballads'
When Jessie J wasn’t over-egging the delivery of her songs or unpacking the baggage behind the lyrics there were still opportunities to have fun at this Glasgow show, writes Fiona Shepherd
Jessie J, Armadillo, Glasgow ★★★
Jessie J’s No Secrets tour is well named. After coming through breast cancer treatment, on top of new motherhood and a car accident which injured her voice and hearing, she was in no mood for obfuscation. “Look at me, not through the phone,” she instructed a fan within seconds of making her surprise entrance in the venue balcony. This was not her only foray into the crowd during a show where she appeared determined to elicit a reaction from an initially subdued audience.
The all-acoustic backing on guitar, bass and keyboards did not favour the stylized likes of early single Do It Like a Dude, which was delivered almost as a scat, but did allow her the flexibility to ad lib with impunity while her musicians noodled quietly in the background. Despite her concerns that her voice would hold up, there was no doubt about her technical chops on the contrite but mighty Nobody’s Perfect. She continued to push and over-egg her delivery through a succession of overwrought ballads, many accompanied by full disclosure of the personal inspiration for the lyrics.
This tendency not to let the music do the talking for her ironically got in the way of the pure connection she sought with her audience. Instead, she got the fans onside with her fleet ability to alter the set on a whim and accommodate requests - even one to join her onstage in a duet - without derailing the show.
The opportunity to have some fun with the swagger of California, the testifying rock urgency of Threw It Away and the airy, uplifting Price Tag provided some light relief from the life coaching interludes. In the end, the simplicity of her final petition felt the most genuine: “If you ever need me, turn on the music and I'll be right there.”
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