Jay Kent shines under the spotlight
Filipino pop-R&B artist Jay Kent may have been just an opening artist this weekend, but she is a star in the making. Excited fan reactions and passionate singalongs from admirers in the crowd filled her show at the Echoplex. Along with Ireland-based artist Oisin and Toronto’s Ethan Low, Jay Kent opened up for South Korean singer-songwriter GSoul on Sunday evening. Her exhilarating, high-energy performance, invited a positive response from the groups of supporters who attended the evening’s show to support GSoul and his fellow artists.
The Philippines-based musician is known for creating compelling and invigorating art through a luscious combination of soul and R&B in sound waves of melody. At the end of March, she dropped her first release of the year with “Texting,” a sultry, sexy R&B track that maintains a romantic aura, yet is complicated by lyrics speaking of conflict, pain, and an unbearable lack of communication in a fading relationship.
Sunday’s show was filled with passionate, emotional, nostalgic energy and a crowd of adoring fans. The artist’s performance was soothing and serene - an iconic duo that left listeners riveting in the joyous sonic interludes.
When she performed “Texting,” fans sang back to her with almost immediate recognition. Every song elicited similar responses, as audience members raised their phone-holding hands up high for the opportunity to take a photo with the artist.
Jay Kent played a wide range of music, from covers like “If I Ain’t Got You” to other originals like her brand new track “N-QUIL,” that just released this week, as well as “Just 2 Luv U,” a song about wishing you could “unlove” somebody. The rising R&B artist was confident and her vocals were near perfect – if she was nervous, you wouldn’t have been able to notice.
The venue was electric and overcome with emotion and sound. During the show, Jay Kent even handed her phone to fans to record their own videos. Audience members excitedly reached out for the chance to leave their own personal mark on the artist’s performance.
GSoul takes the stage
Following Jay Kent, Ethan Low performed, followed by a highly-anticipated performance from GSoul. He brought the crowd home with hits like “Can’t” while fans sang along, enamored with the budding artist whose talents lie in combining dance music with rap, hip-hop, and pop in an effervescent and smooth fashion. GSoul’s DJ was an asset on stage, bringing positive energy and vibes that saw the house erupting in cheers and dance upon every riff and run.
Fans had come far and wide to witness the sparkling lineup, from locals of L.A. to fans from New Orleans. This is GSoul’s first show in L.A. in two years, but fans seemed to already be excitedly awaiting his return, practicing the lyrics to his newest single as they anticipated a sequel to that soulful Sunday evening.