Representah: A close up with Joss Stone
So we didn’t get to go to Live Earth and apologies to our readers for not being able to cover it. MAAR! One of our Representah’s Sheena got invited to get close up and persoonlik with a gorgeous Ms Joss Stone at the SABC with about 100 other lucky peeps. She soul’d them down the river:
All flaying arms and unbelievably long legs, Joss Stone certainly knows how to put on a concert – albeit one that only about 100 lucky sods had the opportunity to attend. In South Africa for the Live Earth concert this past weekend, Joss allowed her arm to be twisted for an impromptu gathering of die-hards in the underbelly of the SABC on Sunday afternoon. The gig was recorded in a tiny studio for MTV Base and 5FM Live and was cosy and sublime.
She was in and out, belting out just five songs that nevertheless rounded off perfectly what every Sunday should have – laid-back, smiley good vibes.
Joss started off slowly with ballads from her new album Introducing Joss Stone, and then nearly, almost had the crowd on their feet with Super Duper Love from The Soul Sessions, released in 2004. Tell Me ’Bout It completed the solidly soulful mini-concert.
Backed by the recently departed James Brown’s unbelievably funky band, her backing band of choice on tour – the performance was a true treat. Seems the SABC, however, really scraped the bottom of the barrel with the crowd. They missed all her queues for the “woo hoos” normally expected on a live recording and it took much effort from her off-stage team to get people to show their appreciation with their hands. It was slightly embarrassing – but seemed to waft right past her ear-to-ear grin.
Barefoot and with her hair Japanese-straight, she happily kicked her heels outside the venue waiting for her team to get the sound set-up just right. But it was clear who the boss was when minutes into the first song her tour manager ran to the front frantically waving his arms for her to stop and start again. Seems the two keyboards tracks were not being recorded. With a flick of her recently purple highlights, the manager was sent meekly into the shadows as Ms Stone made it clear that this Grammy and Brit Award winning artist wasn’t about to stop.
The team laid down the missing keyboard tracks after the gig.
Wearing a baby-doll top emblazoned with fairies (coupled with THAT short skirt from the Tell Me ’Bout It video) Stone lived up stylishly to the “neo hippie” style she apparently embraces. She told us her new love interest was music – a restrained response to her recent break-up with former boyfriend Beau Dozier.
“Music is my new man – there is absolutely no human involved. Music doesn’t disappear in the morning,” she confided.
Clearly protecting her voice for the many T V appearances this week listed on her website, she took sips from a mug a hot water throughout the performance. But even so, the girl rocked it hard.
Having performed and recorded with the likes of Gladys Knight and fellow Stone, Angie, Joss’s voice sometimes smacks you in the face it’s so overpowering. It crescendos repeatedly in waves of pure bliss that send shivers down the spine. And that at just 20 years old. Come back, Ms Stone. How we love you.
