Alessia Cara, Electric Brixton, London, review: Natural ability to connect keeps audience engaged

The 19-year-old's warm voice can transform even the most uninspiring of lyrics into something far more compelling

Alessia Cara, runner-up in the BBC's Sound of 2016, headlines the Electric Brixton (Sophie Norton)

Recent runner-up in the BBC's Sound of 2016, Alessia Cara started out like many have before her: uploading cover versions of popular songs to YouTube.

Now the 19-year-old singer-songwriter headlines a sold out Electric Brixton as part of the European tour of her debut album Know-It-All.

Dressed in a plain black jacket, worn jeans and luminous yellow trainers, she kicks right into things with her first single "Here", a defiant cry for introverts as she finely describes an excruciating party.

Cara started by uploading cover versions to YouTube (Jason Williamson)

With a phalanx of fans singing along, it is the biggest hit of the night as the antisocial pessimist belts out “I ask myself, what am I doin’ here?”

Cara's lyrics tend to stick to themes of self-doubt and self-affirmation. In songs like “Wild Things,” she declares, “Don’t wanna hang around the in-crowd/The cool kids aren’t cool to me.”

And even the most uninspiring of lyrics seem to be brought alive by her voice- with its instant warmth and character, it can transform even the worst lyrical duffer into something far more compelling.

With some Katy B swagger, a casual gusto and vocal punchiness, Caro fits snugly into Brixton tonight and it's her natural ability to connect through some raw, ugly truthfulness about teenage life that keeps her audience engaged.