Sinead Harnett, Oslo, London, gig review: Sincere and charming

'She Ain’t Me' singer proves her worth

Sinead Harnett: Not just another pop diva

It would be easy to dismiss Sinead Harnett as another pop diva on the British music industry’s already over-crowded roster.

But from building a name for herself through collaborations with Wiley, Rudimental and Disclosure, the 25-year-old Londoner’s one-off show at Oslo suggests she has enough talent to do something different.

“She Ain’t Me” – Harnett’s latest single – is a soulful, melodic piece of pop with some barbed wire hidden beneath lilting vocals. 2014’s “No Other Way”, the video of which has racked up over a quarter of a million views on YouTube, recalls Jessie Ware with elements of reggae and old-school hip hop.

Tracks like “Dollar Bill” are harder to pull off; they feature clichéd lyrics that are borderline insipid, and “Soldier” is catchy but forgettable. “Paradise”, on the other hand, is a gorgeous slow burner with a neat hook that showcases Harnett’s impressive vocal range, and “Do It Anyway” has the same fiery attitude of Rita Ora and Charli XCX.

Her rich voice refuses to be drowned out by the heavy breakbeat, and in between songs a chirpy, down-to-earth personality is sincere and charming. Expect to hear a lot more from her.