After playing five shows in five days, you could be forgiven for thinking Katy B might not display the kind of vigour the Peckham girl is known for. But you’d be wrong.
The packed room at Manchester’s Academy 2 suffers no such woes, as Katy belts out hit after hit with the kind of enthusiasm of someone who is clearly in love with her craft.
A BRIT school graduate, her recent album Little Red is a mix of dance-floor fillers and softer electronic ballads.
As she marches on the stage she declares she wants the last show of her UK tour until October to go out on a high.
The crowd respond in style, with people dancing from the first song and carrying on as they emptied out into the streets of Manchester afterwards.
Katy is a ball of energy on stage – she doesn’t stop bouncing from the moment she starts bellowing out the hits – transferring that same kinetic energy into her adoring fans.
She is unflappably cool, clad in disco pants, a high-heeled paired of Adidas trainers and a huge pair of gold hoop earrings.
The bass-line and electronic drum beat from Katy B’s backing band compliments her vocals perfectly, but the star of the show is undoubtedly Katy’s voice. Boy, can she sing.
The stripped down version of her recent hit Crying for No Reason, where she is backed by a piano track, is a stunning vocal performance
While some of her slower ballads can feel slightly out of place, the dance numbers really up the ante.
5am gets a huge reaction, with the song’s lyrics about not wanting a night to end particularly appropriate given the buzz in the air.
Katy on a Mission – her breakout single – gets the entire room jumping, as does her encore number Lights On, her collaboration with Ms Dynamite.
The highlight of the night is Aaliyah, a tribute to the RnB legend who died in 2001.
Though it may be a little premature to make comparisons with the late iconic singer, like Aaliyah, Katy B has made a significant impact in a relatively short space of time.
Although Aaliyah’s star was doused by tragedy, the impact she has had on her peers can still be felt to this day.
Katy B will no doubt hope that she can have a similar kind of lasting impact, albeit in a far longer time-frame, as this particular shooting star shows no sign of slowing down for anyone.
Image courtesy of NRK P3, witht thanks.
