Jazmine Sullivan puts the Harmony in Heaux: Concert Review
January 31, 2021 | Long Beach, CA
By Denicia Dixon
A lovely running heaux harmony is the perfect way to describe Jazmine Sullivan’s Tiny (Home) Desk Concert.
Sullivan effortlessly sang four hits off her latest project Heaux Tales for the NPR audience back in the beginning of January.
Unlike any of her other albums, Heaux Tales speaks boldly about women’s sexual desires and toxic relationships. Clearly, Sullivan used this album to get something of her chest.
We usually don’t hear too many new projects from Sullivan too often, but when we do, she shows us there is no other artist in the R&B industry like her.
Draped in her sleek beige trench coat, the Philadelphia singer songwriter kicked off the concert by harmonizing her intro. After hearing her hit that first note, we already knew the rest of the concert was going to be one for the books.
Sullivan started the set off with the first song on her new album, “Bodies (Intro).” After singing about her forgettable promiscuous nights, “The Other Side,” was smoothly transitioned in by a slow tempo piano solo. The singer then picked up the melody with her voice and began to sing about her rich life fantasy.
The dim lit corner wasn’t the only thing setting the mood, her band also helped by jamming so passionately to her natural harmonies. Chills continued to run up and down my spine as she ran up and down the melody.
Sullivan slowed the concert down with her early released single, “Lost One.” She used this tune to showcase the range, rasp and power her voice projects. She then threw it back and sang one her fan’s all-time favorites, “Let it Burn.” I couldn’t help but groove to the jazzy beat her band played.
Ms. Sullivan invited one of everybody’s favorites artist H.E.R. to the stage to close the show with their duet, “Girl Like Me,” which was the perfect way to top off the entire performance. Jasmine Sullivan, her band, and H.E.R. might have performed one of the best Tiny Desk concerts I have ever seen.