On Thursday, June 18, fans of all ages gathered into the Theater of the Living Arts to watch up-and-coming pop singer Tori Kelly take the stage – and it quickly became apparent to those in attendance that “nobody loves” the singer more than the city of Philadelphia!
Kelly’s warm-up acts included Gavin James, a singer whose name everyone was searching on their smartphones before the concert began; but by the end of his set, fans were screaming it. The self-proclaimed leprechaun took to the mic with only his guitar in hand, drawing comparisons to Ed Sheeran instantly. The crowd roared when James hit the high notes, and everyone joined him in his rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World,” trumpet impressions and all. He invited concert-goers to meet him outside the show afterwards, and a large group of new fans took his offer and followed. We’re hoping that James’ songs play on the radio sometime soon, because we would definitely turn them up and sing along!
It wasn’t long after James took his bow before the crowd began chanting Kelly’s name, and soon after the 22-year-old singer appeared, her trademark golden curls bouncing with every step. She grabbed her guitar, asking the audience, “How you doing, Philly?” and the crowd erupted. Kelly gave the audience a preview of her debut album, Unbreakable Smile, which hit store shelves June 23, interspersed with songs from her EPs Handmade Songs by Tori Kelly and Foreward. Whether the audience was familiar with the songs or not, they cheered her on. Perhaps the crowd went the most crazy when her band left Tori on the stage by herself, and as her own personal thank you to her fans, she created a melody of Justin Timberlake’s “Suit and Tie,” Michael Jackson’s “PYT,” and Frank Ocean’s “Thinking ‘Bout You.”
Recently, Kelly performed at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards as Kia’s Artist to Watch. It won’t be long before Kelly will be performing sold-out shows at the Wells Fargo Center, and rather being an artist to watch, she’ll be a household name. As she took videos of the crowd, shook hands, and accepted a t-shirt from an audience member, we were all made sure of the fact that Kelly will remain grateful to the fans who stood by her since day one.
While introducing her new song “City Dove,” Kelly sat down and talked to her fans about how she believes everyone has a purpose in life that is bigger than us. “Maybe you haven’t found your purpose yet,” she told the crowd. But it was clear to everyone in the audience that Tori has indeed found hers.
Have you listened to Tori Kelly’s newest album yet? Let us know your favorite new track in the comments!
