Jessie Ware, iTunes Festival, review: Singer rockets into soft rock diva stratosphere

Ware presents a sleek show at London's Roundhouse

Alison King
Friday 19 September 2014 10:40 BST
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Jessie Ware performs at the Roundhouse as part of the iTunes Festival 2014
Jessie Ware performs at the Roundhouse as part of the iTunes Festival 2014 (Getty Images)

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Two years since the release of Jessie Ware's lush and mature debut album and the London singer presents the follow up to 'Devotion' tonight with support from Swedish electro band, Little Dragon.

It's a highly anticipated show tonight as Ware only performed once in the UK this year as she wrote and recorded 'Tough Love', dispensed vocals for SBTRKT and Chance the Rapper and even got married.

With the album set for release next month, Ware presents a sleek show tonight that follows the stately expressions of 'Devotion's' passion with exuberant 80's pop synths and echo-laden percussion, continuing the previous album's sense of restraint with the odd kicks of Whitney Houston's “Wanna Dance With Somebody” and even (on “Pieces”) something of Michael Jackson's “Earth Song”.

New single, “Say You Love Me”, produced by BenZel, (Benny Blanco and Two Inch Punch) is just one of the many new collaborations that present stronger vocal work from Ware, while Miguel produced 'Kind Of... Sometimes... Maybe' sees some steamy whispering to sultry 90's R&B instrumentation.

BenZel produced single “Tough Love” is an enticing introduction to the album while Ed Sheeran- collaborated song, “Say You Love Me” and Dev Hynes-produced “Want Your Feeling” are breathtaking ventures that sees Ware rocket further into a soft rock diva stratosphere.

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