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There are a few things you should know about Brandy fans. Firstly, they’re die hard enthusiasts of everything Ms Norwood puts her hand to. It’s not hard to see why, given her career spanning across 15 years. There have been some bumps and gaps along the way, but Brandy’s still down for the ride, and judging by last night’s IndigO2 gig, her first UK show in four years, her fans can’t get enough. Second thing you should know about Brandy fans is that their fanaticisms, turn to eccentricities, which turn into hysteria and if you get in their way, they get crazy.

The crazy theory was only supported by the solid boos and ‘we want Brandy’ chants by the Inidgo2 crowd, when after a shoddy opening act and rinsing of the CD ‘Now! This is R & B 1999’ (presumably) Brandy still wasn’t on stage. The boos came in abundance, then she appears in sultry form- 9.10pm looking bold in a black, off the shoulder top complete with blank leather glove (not 2, just the 1) and patent black boots. Ok so she’ll never have the swagg of Sasha Fierce or the style of Rihanna, but she emerges and there’s something so earnest and beautiful about Brandy. The IndiogO2 isn’t packed out, and it’s a bit of a shame.

The Starlet treated the audience to an appetiser of Timbaland produced hit, “Afrodisiac” followed by “What About Us” and “Full Moon”. All of which were performed with slightly dated, at times comedic dance moves (at one point she did the Robotic Vogue. Only Brandy would, eh?). What was refreshing was her confidence, she beamed and though you can fault Ms. Norwood on some areas, no one can deny her vocals. Silky smooth. Utter perfection. I lost count of how many times I shrieked, “She sounds just like the CD”. She really does, effortlessly at that.

*Fan Footage*

Then she took us back, way back to a time where presumably most of her fans began listening to her music. Looking at the giddy audience, it seemed as though all these fans had grown up with Brandy’s music (like me), not forgetting her hit sitcom Moesha (Speeakz’ favourite show!).

With Brandy songs, they’re not throw away pop ditties, her lyrics are brimming with meaning and emotion, usually uncomplicated, hardly pretentious. So she cooked up a medley of her early classics: “Almost Doesn’t Count”, “Sitting On Top of the World” (featuring Ma$e…remember him?) and “Best Friend”, which she dedicated to her sex-tape having-media whore-deviant of a brother Ray J (my words, not hers, obv’). “The Boy Is Mine” is one of Brandy’s biggest hits to date, earning Brandy with her first Grammy Award, perhaps it’s one of those songs that works best as a duet, but still she performed it wholeheartedly as with every song. It’s as if she poises herself to get into the mind frame of the song before she delivers it as honestly as she can manage. The crowd chimed in-out of key- while Brandy perfectly gushed with a coy flick of the hair, “you all really do know the words to my songs”. Normally I’d roll my eyes at faux humility, but there’s a real human quality to Miss Brandy that makes you trust her for no reason at all.

After serenading a fit boy with song “Long Distance” – a brilliant number, with a very Gospel inspired explosive bridge and heavy strings- she performed other new tunes off her aptly named 2008 album ‘Human’

Then it was lights up, and a candid moment of her informing the crowd how we must know what she’s been through (by this she meant, a broken relationship with the father of her daughter including the revelation that they faked their marriage, and the unfortunate death of a young lady Brandy allegedly ran over in a tragic car accident). She thanks the crowd profusely and genuinely appears to be welling up. It’s both sad and endearing. She dedicates the song “Right Here With Me” to London. Promising not to do the same to next city she goes to. She waves, the band wave, and they’re off.

At this point she’s been on stage for like 45mins. So we all wait for the inevitable encore. And wait. And then delicious thoughts of what songs she could do, pop up. Y’know, like “Sittin’ Up In My Room” and “Broken-hearted” – that amazing duet with Wanya Morris a la Boyz II Men. And we wait. People started leaving and the rest of us think they’re impatient fools. So we wait, still. 10miuntes later it was clear there was no encore. No bloody encore? Who does that? Especially with a set so short as it stood. It’s unclear what happened there, it certainly wasn’t through lack of possible material to sing. Word is there was a 10pm curfew set on the gig, why that would have been the case, I can’t explain. Despite the abrupt end, you can’t really fault the show up until that point. She was interactive, sang to perfection and produced an amazing vibe, one of the best audience reactions I’ve witnessed this year in terms of warmth and overall feel good factor.

Brandy taking snaps with long time fan Emmanuel Ezugwu

Brandy did pop out later to meet and greet the audience. That’s another thing you should know about Brandy fans. They’re deprived of an encore, boo when things don’t go their way, but as soon as the object of their affections appears (Brandy) it’s hysteria, hugs and camera snaps all over again.

A stellar show, albeit brief.

Felicia