“I’m basically indulging myself,” joked Cynthia Erivo, thrilled to make her BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall performing songs recorded by her most adored vocalists. But, in choosing to sing the music of Etta James, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight, Shirley Bassey, and Aretha Franklin, Erivo invited upon herself a considerable challenge: the challenge of delivering renditions that can at least stand up to the source material.

A Tony, Grammy and Emmy-award winning performer, Erivo – best known for her star turn in Broadway musical The Color Purple – sings with impressive technique and poise. But it was perhaps an abundance of the latter which weighted down several of the performances. In the first set, her Nina Simone-inspired take on ‘I Put A Spell On You’ lacked bite, while her rendition of Etta James’ heartbreak ballad ‘All I Could Do Was Cry’ felt curiously understated. Closing number ‘Feeling Good’ was strong, though more an outlet for the splendid BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Edwin Outwater. Orchestral renditions of ‘Love Me or Leave Me’, ‘La Vie en Rose’, and ‘(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story’ went down a treat.

The second set saw Erivo reach greater heights both vocally and emotionally. Her belty and dramatic ‘I (Who Have Nothing)’, with unexpected jazzy melismas, contrasted with a pristine reading of ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ (popularised by Roberta Flack). The latter’s a cappella opening and sensitive string work, courtesy of arranger Rickey Minor, were enchanting. Erivo’s original song ‘Glowing Up’, from her debut album Ch. 1 Vs. 1, also worked well with the orchestral oomph.

The audience saw Erivo at her most uninhibited when tackling Aretha Franklin’s ‘Ain’t No Way’, written by Franklin’s younger sister Carolyn. Backed by Phebe Edwards’ soaring soprano vocals, Erivo sung to the rafters. Of all the songs to nail, this was the one.