This past Saturday, April 30, Tori Kelly took the stage at House of Blues in Boston and owned it. The 23 year old musician is best known for her hit single “Should’ve Been Us,” but she performed a variety of songs, many of which were off of her first studio album, Unbreakable Smile. 

Tori Kelly opened the show the same way she does her album, with the short introductory acoustic, “Where I Belong,” which sets the scene for the rest of the album. As highlighted in the song which doubles as the album title, “Unbreakable Smile,” the young performer is organically authentic. Many are attracted to her for her incredible raw talent, sense of self, and the positive message she spreads.

The way you live your life, depends on you
That’s when I realized I wanna make a difference
Change other people’s lives, give hope, even for a moment
Use my name for good and change the game I could
~ “Unbreakable Smile” Tori Kelly

The energy in the House of Blues was electric, and the happiness was contagious. The crowd was going wild, in awe of Tori’s incredible vocal abilities and performing skills. To say she is just a singer would be an understatement, the girl brings loads of energy on stage, bearing her heart for the audience, all while singing, playing guitar, and even drumming.
The GRAMMY nominated musician played nearly every song off of her Unbreakable Smile album and then some. Staying true to her roots, Tori covered “Suit & Tie” by Justin Timberlake and “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” by Michael Jackson, as tribute to how she launched her career, from uploading cover videos on YouTube. Long time fans also enjoyed songs like “Confetti,” one of her first ever singles released in 2012 which eventually made it onto her first EP Handmade Songs.  After performing “Unbreakable Smile” the crowd went crazy as “Nobody Love” started, one of the most well known songs on her most recent album. Tori walked her way around the stage, jumping up and down, feeding off the crowd’s energy all while belting out lyrics. Tori Kelly is a true artist, who writes her own music and sounds just as good, if not better, live. Not every concert is like that, she is a unique performer bursting with soul, talent, and authenticity. She is already well known but will definitely become more of a household name within the next couple of years. The relaxed, hipster vibe of The House of Blues fit her style perfectly, however, next time she returns to Boston she’ll probably need a bigger venue, as the Boston show of the “Unbreakable Tour” was sold out.

After much anticipation, Tori came back out to sing two more encores. After performing her single “Hollow,” she hopped on the drums, performing a drum solo-battle with her band’s drummer. Of course, she had to close the show with her incredible voice, and her biggest hit hadn’t been performed yet, leaving only one option: “Should’ve Been Us.” Jamming out on her electric guitar, Tori belted out the lyrics, along with her fans, to her most popular song. Celebrating the end of the show, she got down on her knees and finished off the night with yet another amazing guitar solo. When the music stopped and the stage lights went down, no one wanted to leave, but everyone was glad they came. The young performer gave it everything she had, and what she had was more than enough to leave the crowd in awe.