When you see new artist and their performance remains a fresh memory weeks later, you know you’ve seen something special.  Kelli-Leigh did just that with her at times spellbinding acoustic set at The Session Sessions a few weeks ago.

Kelli-Leigh (the most Google friendly name in the whole world) is a Souf Londoner R&B/Soul singer (who looks freakishly like the tall one from The Saturdays) with a dynamite voice and already has a killer set of songs.

Playing with a few guitars and a man with a box (there must be a technical term for it) she treated the passers-by in St. Pancras to a set worthy of any gig they would have paid for.  She kicked off with a few funky numbers, setting the tempo and didn’t look back.  Your Playing Games, Hedonism (???) and Jerry The Milkman were vibrant and fun.  The contrast between the bounce of the guitars and her flowing over the top was like apple pie with ice-cream; two distinctly different elements coming together to create an explosion of taste.

She slowed it down on a few numbers and the music discovered a sense of urgency, you had to listen, like you were being captured in a moment.  Can’t Get You Outta My Mind was a great example of this, you felt lost in Kelli’s desire to get her lover back.

Yeah, I am gushing… however it was great little set, and restored a little of my faith in the UK R&B/”urban” scene – which has seemed to have lost its way in the past year or so.

Seeing Ms. Leigh and her band play a full show is a definitly on my radar now because the acoustic starter has really whet my appetitie, and I’m in need of the full course.

Soulside Funk

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…for an encore try