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Live Review
by SashaS
7-7-2004
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More on: Natasha Bedingfield
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| Natasha: eyeballing the world's takeover |
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Live: Natasha Bedingfield
Scala, London
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
Natasha Bedingfield: new star’s maiden London show
Bouncing on stage already occupied by four backing musicians and a duo of back-up singers, Natasha Bedingfield launches her debut London show with such energy the crowd is instantly and completely smitten. You may be under the impression that her debut hit, 'Single' [No. 3 in the UK], has established another pop-babe but you couldn’t be more wrong.
The Daniel’s little sister - who, fortunately and for all concerned, doesn’t share his looks - is a self-assured performer sounding like a veteran. She appeared stage frightless [having recently opened for Sheryl Crow in 20-times larger venues obviously helped] apart from having a slight misquote of her debut album’s title track, ‘Unwritten’, when introducing the song. She also explained that it was written for her younger brother, Joshua, who was at the gig and must have been blushing.
The album, released at the end of August, displays that this woman is not aiming to specialise her creativity and can do Dido as well as Britney and then outdo Joss Stone before delivering a ballad to interfere with your heartbeats. ‘I Bruise Easy’ makes you wanna embrace her, erm - your partner, ‘I’m A Bomb’ wrestles limbs out of your control.
Her carpe diem song, ‘If You’re Gonna Jump’, makes us do it as told whilst the hit-single has been turned into this monster-funk Prince would applaud. All delivered in a voice that travels from one side of spectrum [confidential, husky, erotic] to the opposite [loud, shouty and rocking].
Dressed simply-but-chicly in black skirt and red top that enhanced her shapely form making this eye-pleasing as much as soul fulfilling. She didn’t employ, nor she needed, any aids and very rare props were a rose and a bowler hat for ‘We’re All Mad’. Perhaps she could have dedicated the song to Macy Gray, a seasoned soul-diva who was reduced to performing naked after dropping fandom and discharge from her Sony obligation. [It reads better as a desperation move rather than being done for Elton John’s Aids charity, which is the truth.]
Almost perfect evening ended with a tad of a mishap when, during the set's last song, she slipped and fell on her booty but, like a trooper, she got up and carried on. For encore she did two songs - one being a cover of Coldplay's 'The Scientist', but she appeared to have trouble recalling the words.
Against the factual backdrop of some 300 female singers being launched this years, Nat has a long-term future ahead of her. Ms Bedingfield is an artist who remind us that “life is a blank page and you hold the pen” and can certainly sing solid songs entertainingly and that’s where it’s at presently.
A star is born, yet again!
SashaS
7-7-2004
Natasha Bedingfield’s album ‘Unwritten’ is released 28 August 2004 Photogenic/BMG
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