Our favorite cybergirl proves the buzz ain’t just hype, and none of the acts that followed cleared the bar she set.
You know you’re winning when you stagedive, people catch you and allow you to crowdsurf. Which is exactly what happened at the end of Janelle’s excellent set yesterday. She’s got the goods, she played to win and she owned the afternoon.
Janelle is an example–like Game Rebellion and Dragons of Zynth (who I hear from some peeps I respect crushed again at the Siren Festival)–that other artists should take to heart. Her energy is off the hook and, like those bands and many others, she clearly gives it 100% every time. I mean, truthfully, there are a lot of artists out there who have great songs, great voices and display an incredible level of mastery of their instruments. So what separates the good from the great? A winner from an also-ran? The live performance. It’s the proof, the rubber, all that.
Now, take a great performer and add a band that’s burnin’. Guitarist Kellindo provided a lot of nice color as well as some rock grit to the sound. Drummer Young Pete kept the beats bouncy and insistent.
What those performers who rise to the top understand, if only on an intuitive level, is that every performance is a chance to convert an audience member into a fan. I believe that when they come to a show, most people want to be engaged. At worst–particularly if they don’t know you–they’re indifferent. Indifference is deadly because it means that you haven’t broken through the clutter and grabbed their attention in any meaningful way. So, you should take their showing up as a challenge. They’re saying, "Impress me." And, yes, that’s your job every time you step on stage. Janelle is one of those artists who understands that people are not doing her a favor by showing up. She earned our admiration, adoration and respect.
A special edition of her EP, Metropolis: The Chase drops on August 12. Get it.
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