Joss Stone. Photo / AP
You could be forgiven for thinking last night's Joss Stone concert would be a low-key affair.
On record, the 20-year-old's husky voice is soulful and controlled, accompanied by a melodic but restrained jazz band.
On stage, is another story entirely.
The diminutive singer, who is positively waif-like in
person, arrived on stage to a sound explosion, belting out songs with more power and finesse than singers twice her size.
Opening with Girl They Won't Believe It, Stone warmed up her audience with a couple of lesser known tracks before pausing for a chat.
Disappearing back stage, the barefoot singer emerged with a cup of tea, confessing, "I woke up maybe 10 minutes ago so this is my morning tea."
Hearing Stone speak in her little girl voice only makes one marvel even more at her powerhouse vocals.
"Thanks for havin' me. I really appreciate it," she giggled. "I love your accents."
After a soulful medley of Jet Lag and Arms of My Baby, Stone had elated fans dancing in the aisles as she roared Super Duper Love.
From then on, the number of dancing fans grew with every song until eventually the entire theatre was standing for the explosive finale Tell Me 'Bout It.
During the 10-minute track, Stone introduced each of her bandmates and backing singers, who showcased their talents with a mini instrumental.
Special mention has to go to Stone's exceptional back up singers, who appeared to be straight from Motown, with their choreographed dance moves and pitch-perfect harmonies.
While Stone certainly has the talent to carry the show alone, her band and singers added a glamour factor that would otherwise have been missing, as the singer skipped around in a plain black singlet and long denim skirt.
After a brief reprieve, Stone returned for an encore with a second cup of tea, asking a young man in the front row if he had a special request.
As she bent down to exchange words with the boy, she teased him and said: "I'm not sure I still know that one..." before singing an acapella intro to the 2004 hit You Had Me.
Ending the night with a final crowd pleaser, Right to Be Wrong, Stone sang with such raw emotion it sounded as if she were really crying.
But as she skipped across the stage handing out pink roses to her fans, it was obvious she was happy as ever, proving once again she truly is a master of deception.
