Seraphina Lotkhamnga on December 17th, 2012

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As Mercury Prize nominee Jessie Ware walked onto Bootleg Theater stage during the opening measures of “Devotion,” she was greeted by an overwhelming sense of glee. No shock there – Ware’s L.A. debut was a highly anticipated show. What was pleasantly surprising, however, was how Ware’s personality shone throughout the evening.

“Nice to see you all. Hi. How are you? We’ll just get into this, then we’ll chat,” the South London R&B singer told her fans before she dove in to the title track off her debut album. Poised with sophistication and armed with a down-to-earth sense of humor, Ware crafted an enveloping set that literally made the crowd sway as one, and at one point, bounce with a groove so hard the entire theater floor shook.

And with the end of the first song, she kept her promise: “I’m sorry I’m late. I forgot my trousers!” Her anecdote of going to the hotel to go grab her special trousers (but being blocked by security because of a synchronized swimming show set to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” going on) was one of the many stories that made the show as fun as it was sensual. After proclaiming “L.A. is weird!” Ware engaged the crowd with questions like “What exactly is a Valley girl?” and “Does anyone here know Larry David?” The sold-out room was sold on her voice and her charm. A diva? No.

However, her skills as a vocalist could definitely warrant her the label, even without the higher-than-thou attitude. As her set progressed into smooth songs such as “Night Light,” Benzel’s “If You Love Me,” “110%” (which is now called “If You’re Never Gonna Move” due to legal actions from Big Pun’s people in regards to the sample) and “Sweet Talk,” Ware’s fans hung onto every refined note she belted out. The funky “No to Love” almost received as big of a reaction as “Night Light” got, and “Wildest Moments” turned into a gallant sing-along, but the night had to end at some point.

“This is our last song,” Ware announced as her band begun “Running,” the single that started it all. Predictable but good-natured boos permeated throughout the room, which made the Sade of today’s generation a bit teary-eyed. But when she playfully shouted, “Come on, Valley Girls!” and giggled at her own joke, the crowd couldn’t have been happier to continue making her first L.A. experience a great one. As Jessie Ware finally sang her simple yet brilliant lyric, “All I wanna know / Is it mutual,” the answer was obvious.

Photo by Stephen Paul Stocker