Walking into the Voodoo Room at the House of Blues on a chilly evening, I was excited to see Jordana live for the first time, having only known her through her collaborations with TV Girl. While I was already intrigued, I didn’t anticipate the delightfully immersive evening that unfolded. Jordana, an East Coast bedroom-pop artist, burst onto the music scene in 2018, independently producing music at just 18 years old. Her artistic momentum continued, and in 2020, she re-released her debut album, Classical Notions of Happiness, under the Grand Jury label. The album featured her breakout track “Jackie 15,” which garnered over a million streams. Jordana’s prominence only grew after her 2021 collaborative EP Summer’s Over with TV Girl, an indie-pop triumph where every track crossed the million-stream threshold.
Jordana’s effervescent energy lit up the stage the moment she stepped foot on it. Her adorable cottage-core outfit paired with her playful attitude warmed the crowd up for what was about to come. Though the set began with some technical difficulties, they were hardly vexing, as she entertained the crowd with her witty dialogue. She announced she’d play her touring album, Lively Premonition, chronologically and then jump into songs from the rest of her discography. Starting on a lively note, “We Get By” primed the crowd for her folk-rock, genre-blending set to come. Ever the professional, she played various encapsulating tunes on her violin, its sweet tone blending seamlessly with her songs.
Her excitement and intentional engagement with the crowd were evident, and the audience was receptive. Her flawless vocals paired with perfect shifts between contrasting notes solidified her undeniable talent. The set continued with “Like A Dog,” an upbeat piano-based tune where she whipped out her tambourine, adding a lively sound to the already jaunty track. As the vulnerable musician she is, Jordana admitted her extreme nervousness to the crowd—a personable moment that made her even more respectable. The set progressed with a couple of more mellow songs before heading into the crowd-pleaser of the night, “Multitude of Mystery,” which included her reenacting the conversation from the track. Despite joking about the silliness of the song, she was incredibly endearing, wrapping the crowd into the story embedded in the tune.
Though Jordana shone throughout her set, I couldn’t help but notice her band’s solemn, focused nature—with the exception of drummer Blake Richardson, who was a star in the stage corner, catching my attention throughout the show. Her impeccable humor continued in her banter with her band, redeeming their often serious facade.
As the show continued, I bopped along until my favorite song on the album, “Anything For You,” where I joined the crowd in excitement, winding down for the poetic breakup anthem. She finished up the final two songs of the album before announcing she wouldn’t be doing an encore, humorously saying, “I simply don’t want to! So here’s the encore.”
To begin the encore, Jordana delivered a cover of Steely Dan’s ‘Any Major Dude Will Tell You,’ followed by what she referred to as the “TV Girl trilogy.” While she was keenly aware that many in the crowd were eager to hear her collaborations with TV Girl, she appeared genuinely moved by the enthusiasm and love they showed for her new album. The encore opened with the indie favorite ‘Summer’s Over,’ which lived up to its studio version as the crowd passionately sang along, swaying with the music. Before the final song, Jordana shared a heartfelt moment with the audience, dedicating the microphone to a special announcement. A fan named Gabe revealed that he and his date, Brie, had shared their first kiss to ‘Better in the Dark’ a year ago, before asking Brie to prom—a sweet, intimate gesture that charmed the audience. The emotional high carried seamlessly into the last song, which drew even louder singing and cheering from the crowd. As the final notes faded, the room filled with roaring applause, the energy of the audience lingering long after the band had left the stage.
The evening exceeded all my expectations, leaving me captivated and yearning for more. With her soft, sweet voice and enchanting stage presence, Jordana created an experience that was both intimate and mesmerizing. Nearly every moment of the show had me feeling joyful and deeply engaged, as her charm and artistry effortlessly drew me in. Walking out of the House of Blues, I was still on a high, replaying the magic of the performance in my mind. Jordana’s future in music seems boundless, and I am certain she will only continue to flourish and enchant audiences with her undeniable talent.
-
share this
