Rhian Benson concert review

Ronnie Scotts London - June 6 2004

The invitation to see Nu-Soul artist Rhian Benson perform live was definitely a chance not to be missed! Giving an unforgettable performance at London’s Ronnie Scotts, the Ghanaian star relished in the excitement of her first solo UK gig.

For those of you unfamiliar with the delightful talent of Benson, her profile reads like a Christmas wish list come true. Born to a Welsh mother and Ghanaian father, the young singer began writing poetry as a child whilst growing up in West Africa and India. Later adapting the poems into songs with accompanying melodies, the singer started performing at open mic sessions in London during her degree studies and soon caught the attention of label bosses at DKG Music. Backed up with musician skills from playing the piano and guitar, her eclectic sound - described as a fusion of ‘R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and reggae with a timeless style’ - ensured a record deal and future stardom.

Gold Coast is the debut album due for summer UK release and reflects 3 years of work in the US where Benson is now based. Singing the inspirational up tempo tracks Invincible and Gold Sky, Benson took the crowded audience on an autobiographical journey of her hard times and day dreaming days whilst making it to the top. The ballad Soul Boy gave us the classic heartbreak offering with a twist of jazz and demonstrated how a touch of LA based music production can do wonders for ensuring quality soul. Continuing to mesmerise the audience with her beauty whilst playing the piano, Benson continued the mellow feeling during a rendition of Cindy Laupher’s Time After Time before moving onto reggae favourite We’re Jammin by Bob Marley. Describing the version as a ‘nu-soul and Jamaican flava’ Benson and her 5 piece band got everyone shaking to the beat and confirmed her ability as an all-round performer.

The show’s highlight came during the infectious Say How I Feel, which is currently causing a sensation stateside. The critically acclaimed debut single saw Benson giving it her all before breaking mid –way into the chorus of Tevin Campbell’s Can We Talk - much to the delight of female audience members who sang along to the 90’s classic.

Destined to have the Funk archive success seen by Koffee Brown’s Weekend Thing and Jill Scott’s Gimme, Say How I feel talks about love at first sight and having the courage to turn it into the real thing. No doubt after watching Benson, the audience would have felt this just happened to them - especially the older ones who may recall the first time they discovered Sade. A must for all Jazz/Funk/R&B/Soul lovers, Rhian Benson is already a gifted international artist in the making.

New Single: Say How I Feel and New Album: Gold Coast out in July

Links: www.rhianbenson.com

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