Nov 152 min read

JESSIA Takes Over New York City!

by Holly Van Ness

If you had told me that the Be Here Now Tour was JESSIA’s first headlining tour, I wouldn’t have believed you. Despite previously touring with OneRepublic and Dean Lewis, headlining is a whole different ball game from supporting–there’s a new level of responsibility, a new intensity in performance. But JESSIA made the transition look effortless, handling it with the poise and confidence of an artist who’s been leading her own tour for years, not just a few weeks.

Opening for JESSIA was Alexa Capelli, a talented singer-songwriter who gained recognition on The Voice. Similar to JESSIA, Alexa was a natural on stage. Her energy and presence was electrifying and it was impossible to not see the pop-star potential in her. Alexa performed a mix of upbeat pop tracks and heartfelt ballads, even engaging the audience by prompting them to finish the line, “If I’m going to love somebody new, [I need to]...”

After a melodic introduction from her live band, JESSIA made her grand entrance to the Baby’s All Right stage. The moment she stepped onto the stage, confidence oozed from every pore. She launched straight into “I Should Quit,” and kept the momentum high with fan-favorites from her entire discography. Fans gathered around the stage, singing along to every word, completely immersed in the joy of live music.

The venue was intimate but that didn’t phase JESSIA. She approached the venue with the energy and poise of an artist performing in front of thousands at Madison Square Garden. It quickly became obvious that, for JESSIA, the size of the venue didn’t matter to her–what mattered was sharing her music with her audience and giving them an unforgettable show.

At one point, JESSIA played an unreleased track that, in my opinion, is one of her best songs yet. Another point, she took a moment to honor the moms in the audience, performing an acoustic version of “The Woman You Are.” The song originated as a beautiful homage to her own mother and her voice tenderly filled the room with that emotion.

JESSIA is an extraordinary artist–she always has been–and it’s more evident than ever that she truly has a deep love for performing. Her stage presence, especially for being so new to touring, is unmatched and effortless and as the night came to a close, it’s obvious that JESSIA is just getting started.

The Be Here Now Tour may have been her first headlining run, but if November 1st was any indication, it won’t be her last.

All photos of Alexa Capelli and JESSIA were taken by Holly Van Ness.

Alexa Capelli