With palpable excitement in the air from the very first minute, the night began with two incredible support acts. The first were British group LZ7, who had the crowd dancing to their energetic blend of gospel and electronic music. Highlights included the aptly named ‘Perfect Duet’ featuring the talented Gracie, and ‘Back In Time’. LZ7 are also key advocates for mental health, and during their set, they encouraged the audience to scan a QR code relating to a charity they work with to help young people across the UK, which was really refreshing to see.
After a short break, it was time for the second support act THERA. The Czech artist, who was reminiscent of Halsey, had an incredible aura that, when combined with her beautiful singing, provided a unique feel to the set. Songs like ‘Do You See?’ and ‘Rain’ provided high octane pop-punk energy, the cover of Charli XCX’s ‘Break The Rules’ was fun to listen to and ‘Guardian Angel’ provided an emotional catharsis as the entire venue put their lights up simultaneously.
The main event began with the drop of a curtain, and the exhilarating visuals and futuristic stage design- which were sensational throughout the entire show - caught the eye straight away. Derulo captivated the audience with slick dance moves and undeniable stage presence, launching straight into ‘Sexy For Me’ - one of the songs off his latest album ‘The Last Dance’.
There is something majestic about the acoustics in the O2 Arena, and they enhanced Derulo’s voice throughout. Alongside being able to gain the attention of a crowd, he has an angelic vocal range, which was on full display as he hit a plethora of different notes with ease. Praise has to be given to the wide range of set designs, which added to the ambience, and the stunning choreography from his dancers, who were excellent throughout, especially his jungle-themed stage for big tunes like ‘Tip Toe’ and ‘Swalla’ .
‘Savage Love’ was a great choice for the setlist and had the whole arena doing the dance that gained the song the social media fame it is renowned for. There was a poignant speech towards the end of the track as the audience listened intently to Derulo about how much it meant for him to be performing at the O2.
Amongst some newer cuts, such as ‘You DJ, I’ll Drive” were some of his biggest hits, increasing the party atmosphere as Derulo rolled back the years with deep cuts from his earlier albums, such as ‘Ridin’ Solo’, ‘In My Head’, ‘It Girl’ and ‘The Other Side’. During the latter, he had a sweet interaction with a crowd member, which speaks volumes about how he cares for his fans.
It was a lengthy but absolutely brilliant setlist, and the finale was magical. Derulo powered through ‘Cheyenne’, ‘Trumpets’ and ‘Talk Dirty’ before closing the show with fan favourite ‘Want To Want Me’. As the chorus of the latter rang out across the venue and confetti fell from the ceiling, it was a memorable ending to what had been a fantastic and nostalgic evening.
Jason Derulo is set to continue touring across the UK, with dates in Cardiff, Brighton, Bournemouth, Leeds and Manchester. Tickets are available here
If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider buying us a coffee. The money from this pot goes towards the ever-increasing yearly costs of running and hosting the site, and our "Writer Of The Month" cash prize.