Halfway through Estelle's show at Highline Ballroom, John Legend, who signed her to his new Homeschool Records label and produced her new album "Shine," turned to the crowd and said, "Now you know why I believed in her."
Yeah, we do. For more than hour, Estelle proved herself to be the real deal.
And all the star power that showed up to help her out -- Legend, reggae star Kardinal Offishall, the great Rah Digga, and Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy -- was a sure sign that the rest of the world will soon find this out for themselves. Her mix of reggae, hip-hop and pop was addictive, as was her stage banter, which ranged from stories about the relationships that spawned some of her songs to philosophical advice ("We've --- up the ozone layer, so if you like someone, have sex. There's not much time.") to some helpful ways to differentiate her from the other British female singers currently flocking to the States ("I don't do drugs. I love Amy, but I don't.")
It's a good distinction since Estelle came across as a cross between a streetwise Amy Winehouse and a lucid Lauryn Hill -- a combination that is pretty hard to resist.
PHOTO: Estelle for Homeschool/Atlantic Records