An Evening with Laura Izibor

On Wednesday, January 20, 2010, Irish soul singer, Laura Izibor performed live at the historic Birchmere Music Hall. Izibor's band took the stage at 8:24 pm. The beautiful songstress graced the stage dressed in a white mini-dress and black leggings and greeted the city of Alexandria and thanked the crowd for having her back at The Birchmere. The singer opened with "What Would You Do" as the crowd of fans sang along. It was the perfect song to start the show.

Izibor then took to the keyboard for the next song "I Don't Want You Back." Before starting the song, she explained the meaning and motivation behind the song. In her beautiful accent she explained that song is for that person "who left you broken hearted then tells you they want you back." The song was perfectly performed with an amazing trumpet solo.

Izibor continued to wow the crowd with her stunning personality and sense of humor as she performed "Gracefully" and "Carousel", neither which are featured on her album Let The Truth Be Told. Despite being new to the audience, both songs went over well and showcased her ability to effortlessly infuse jazz, reggae, and soul in her music. Izibor also took a few minutes to acknowledge the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. She recognized that two members of her band are originally from the devastated island and dedicated her performance of "Carousel" to the people of Haiti.

Izibor then performed one of my personal favorites, "Perfect World." She announced that the song was for "those in love or searching for love." She then proclaimed "there is hope."

Izibor's performance of the song mirrored the same intensity featured on the album. Upon completion of the song, she proclaimed "I'm singing tonight...releasing the stress." The crowd agreed and applauded as went into the next song "The Worst Is Over."

Izibor then introduced a brand new song that she called a "throwback to Al Green." The song entitled "I Still Be Lovin' You" is a groovy, mid-tempo song that will make a great single from her next album. Izibor then introduced the song "If Tonight Was My Last" and announced that it to be her next single and stated she will be performing the song on an upcoming episode of The Mo'Nique Show. The song was met with applause and the crowd participation reached a fevered pitch as seemingly everyone was singing along.

The singer performed an upbeat, dance version of her song "Shine." Her performance was fun, playful, and coquettish. She then switched gears and performed the song "Don't Stay." She then gave a heartfelt performance of "Mmm." Again, the crowd sang along with the infectious humming that permeates the song.

Izibor then formally introduced the members of her band before going into "From My Heart to Yours." Unmistakably, the song was the highlight of the show. The energetic song was taken to the next level when Izibor transitioned into Mary J. Blige's "Real Love." Surprisingly, the song flowed well and Izibor sounded great on the cover. She ended by transitioning back into "From My Heart to Yours" and finished her song to a standing ovation.

After thanking the supportive crowd, Izibor performed "Yes (I'll Be Your Baby)" for an encore before exiting the stage as her band played on as the crowd funneled out of the music hall.

Izibor proved that she is so much more than just a studio singer. She captivated the audience and commanded the stage for the entire evening. She displayed both her musical talent and a charming personality which adds to her likeability. I personally am eager to see what becomes of Laura Izibor. I think that she has a great future ahead of her in the music business and I look forward to the next time I can catch her in concert.