The cold weather was no deterrent to the hundreds attending the sold out Chrisette Michele show Friday night presented by Centric at BB Kings. Once safely nestled in the warm ,dark space, the largely standing room crowd was undaunted, they stood rapt for the nearly two hour set. For someone like me, new to her music, it was surprising to see fans spanning such a wide age range for such a young singer.

After a couple of opening acts, the audience roars when the golden voiced 27-year-old makes it to the stage. They roar even louder when she begins with break-up anthem Epiphany, the title track off her sophomore album on Island Def Jam. Chrisette is clad in a liquid silver dress and white top and with the sweet face of a cherub she’s almost angelic. Her love for touring is obvious, she certainly knows how to capture her audience. At once coquette, comedienne, sage and girl next door, she flirted, emoted, radiated and boy did she sing! She even led the crowd in an enthusiastically received scat lesson.

Backed by the 5-piece band, New Genesis, the first half of the show consisted of mainly urban pop  like Epiphany and Mr. Right, the second was firmly rooted in her background of down home gospel and classic jazz with Fragile and Love is You. There aren’t too many artists that this can be said about, but this girl has an old soul. She takes you to another era evoking Ella and Billie, their legacy pouring out of her and through the room. Her fans feel it, too, as they sing along completely immersed in the moment.

TAGS: BB Kings, Chrisette Michele, New Genesis