By: Emil Jraissati
JoJo brought the love to Houston on Tuesday night on the second stop of her Too Much To Say Tour, promoting her latest release, "NGL" with support from Emmy Meli. A night of love, heartbreak, and celebration, JoJo delivered vocal acrobatics and a stage presence that I’m sure will launch her into the next big phase of her career (if she’s not there already).
Two platforms connected by an angled bridge took up most of the space on the stage. Her band members took their spots, and as the opening track began to play and the lights started shining on the audience, the music cut out abruptly. After a few moments, the opening track started again from the top, and to the audience’s disappointment, the same technical difficulty occurred again. You could feel the energy in the room bubbling with anticipation and confusion. Finally, JoJo herself spoke via microphone from backstage, announcing they needed a few moments to reset and that she was excited to give us the best show possible. Professional and poised, I thought (I probably would’ve been running around screaming backstage, but that’s not relevant here).
After ten minutes, the show began again, and the crowd was cheering louder than before. JoJo stepped out under the lights, her silver jumpsuit reflecting in all directions, the whole room lighting up as she sang “Nobody.” After settling in, JoJo expressed her excitement to be in Houston and told us, “You could be anywhere in the world, and you’re here with me, and that means a lot.” Her joy was palpable. After dedicating “Gold” to a newly engaged couple in the front row, she moved into the first cover of the night, Drake’s “Marvin’s Room,” where the entire crowd sang along to the line, “And when you’re in her, I know I’m in your head.”
As the night went on, I couldn’t help but notice how intricate the musical arrangement was. Her voice was supported by the instruments, and everything felt so balanced. On top of that, the lighting design matched her performance through texture, movement, and color, a detail that is often overlooked, and as I’ve seen in so many shows recently, has been whittled down to highly saturated washes of color across the entire stage and even on the performer.
She moved onto another section of covers, ranging from SZA’s “Love Galore” to SWV’s “Weak,” where she brought two audience members on stage to sing with her. The second singer, and I say singer because she could sing, took the mic and sang with the band while JoJo watched in amazement. The entire crowd was on their feet cheering and singing along. It felt magical and spontaneous—the power of music. She sang my favorite from her newest album, “One Last Time,” a slower song that really shows off her vocal chops, including a breathtaking key change halfway through the song.
As the set winded down, the audience was waiting for the big hits. So, she gave it to them. “Leave (Get Out)” and “Too Little Too Late” hit just as hard as they did twenty years ago. The arrangements feel fresh, and her delivery seems like she still enjoys performing these hits for her fans. Even I was singing along at the top of my lungs. Finally, she closed the night out with her single “Porcelain,” running around the stage, jumping up and down, and truly basking in the love that was flowing through the room.
JoJo is as fresh as ever with the beauty, grace, and talent that she’s always possessed. The Too Much To Say Tour just kicked off with a full set of tour dates in North America and Europe, so be sure to get your tickets in a city near you before it’s too late.
⎯
