LIVE REVIEW: Jain @ Brighton Music Hall – 04.05.17
The most recognizable international pop stars need only one name to be recognized – SIA, Adele, Sade – are just a few of the renowned singers who’s talent has taken them all over the world, reaching levels where one name is all they need. Perhaps the next to join the ranks of those artists is French pop singer Jain. At just 25 years old, and with only one album under her belt, Jain is already making waves internationally. In her native France, her debut record “Zanaka” is already certified Gold with the album’s top single “Come” peaking at number one on France’s charts. “Zanaka” also cracked the top 100 in over 5 countries, and “Come” achieved platinum status in Italy.
This spring Jain finally arrived stateside for a mostly sold out North American tour, including a highly anticipated show in the French speaking Province of Quebec. Last night, Jain made her first ever appearance in Boston, MA where she played to a sold out crowd at Brighton Music Hall and it didn’t take long to see why she’s already attracted so much international attention.
Playing primarily from her debut album “Zanka” Jain thrilled a packed house in Boston performing songs such as “Come,” “Dynabeat,” and the ultra catchy “Makeba” which was performed twice – once during the main set, and once in the encore. Jain is a natural born performer, appearing alone on stage with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a vocal effects/looping console the singer is made for the spotlight. At no point in her 15 song set did she look anything less that perfectly at home on stage, showing off a presence that it takes decades for some artists to achieve.
Encouraging her audience to dance at nearly every turn she already has mastered the art of turning a live music performance into an experience. She performed two new songs, one unnamed to open the encore, and one titled “Paris” penned about the city where she perfected her art. Whether she was dancing, singing or playing her acoustic guitar Jain does everything with the flair of a superstar in the making. On her song “Heads Up” Jain sings lyrics that any performer, or any artist in a creative field really can relate to “Time for me to see how much beauty this can be / If only I wasn’t so scared of how people can be. / It’s time for me to try to keep all of my dreams awake. / Away from the fear, from the hate we’ve made.” Chasing your dreams can be intimidating for any 25 year old, let alone one doing it on a public stage all by herself, but if there is any fear in her, she leaves it backstage.
Jain is the type of artist not afraid to go out on a limb and take risks to better her art, and so far it’s taking her on quite the ride. The crowd inside Brighton Music Hall was as diverse as any I’ve ever seen, people of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities coming together for one reason – music. Jain is still in the earliest stages of her music career but with the potential she showed on the small stage in Boston, her future is incredibly bright and you shouldn’t be surprised to see her become an international super star sometime in the not too distant future.
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