‘Where has Joss Stone been hiding?’ I was asked that question many times upon telling work colleagues that I had nabbed one of the final tickets for Joss Stone’s solo debut performance at the gorgeous Royal Festival Hall along the Southbank. The British soul singer rose to fame at only 16 years of age but has somewhat drifted from the public consciousness. Although still a recording artist, and a very well-respected vocalist, Stone opts for the more intimate and less commercial venue.

Upon entering the stage barefoot (as usual), Stone performed a series of Burt Bacharach standards, soulful classics, and a scattering of her own original material. Stone was certainly in fine voice throughout with the setlist allowing her to showcase the versatility of her instrument. On her Bacharach covers, Stone used her bright and feathery head voice. On the more raucous soul numbers, her sharp and gritty belt was unleashed. Stone’s style remains highly stylised with a focused intensity that still impresses as much today as it did in her heyday.

The highlights of the concert were the delicate ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’, the cathartic ‘Landlord’ and, of course, the blistering ‘It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World’. When Stone becomes immersed in a song, she performs with a fiery passion that enraptures the audience. She is at her best when shredding a song to pieces with her growly adlibs.

Yet the setlist did fail at times to capitalise on the exquisite live band. Crowd-pleasing songs with sing-along choruses – ‘You Got the Love’ and ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ – felt like perfunctory excuses to get the audience out of their seats. In addition to some slightly contrived audience participation, there was perhaps a hint of restraint throughout some of performances (Stone herself admitted to being nervous).

While the concert was not quite as dazzling as desired, Stone remains one of Britain’s finest contemporary singers.

Grade: B+