Itâs fitting that we hear Debbie Ehirim before we see her. Known mononymously as Debbie, the south London artist first appears on stage as a silhouette, allowing her deep, full-bodied voice to trigger a three-piece backing band into action. Tonight (June 9), the capitalâs 320-capacity Omeara plays host to her first-ever headline show; she swoons and delivers both gentle melismas and high notes with little, if any, assistance from a backing track.
Debbieâs power as a vocalist, and her burning, winning charisma, is immense. She grins conspiratorially and twirls around her mic stand as a crimson-toned spotlight adds depth to brooding opener âCherry Wineâ, before âCousinâs Carâ tilts with a giddy energy, equal parts joy and nervous energy. A cover of BeyoncĂ©’s âCrazy In Loveâ, meanwhile, makes for a confident statement of intent.
Before appearing in the NME 100 2023, the 23-year-old rose to acclaim late last year after working as a lead songwriter on Stormzyâs chart-topping âThis Is What I Meanâ; the pair are both signed to the UK imprint of legendary label Def Jam, which takes its â0207â name from the London area code. Introducing a cover of âFirebabeâ â one of the five tracks Debbie has written for Stormzy â her voice cracks with emotion as she thanks her close collaborator for helping her realise her vision. Shortly afterwards, the man himself makes an appearance to duet on the lush âGive It To The Waterâ. The room erupts, even if the surprise is somewhat spoiled by a channel of white light that floods from a fully visible backstage door.
The rest of the night remains all about Debbieâs grab-bag of pop and R&B bangers â all delicious moments of slow-burn euphoria. In an oversaturated space, for newer artists, racking up impressive streaming stats can sometimes feel like an intangible, almost passive form of success â recent single âIs This Real Love?â has already passed the 2 million mark â but Debbieâs career ascent has clearly translated into an engaged and burgeoning following. A videographer has to snake their way through fans raucously singing an acapella intro to âIâm Differentâ; Debbie leaves them to it, laughing as she grabs a sip of water from a bottle discreetly hidden behind a speaker.
Anyone not fully invested in Debbieâs refreshingly understated anthems might find that there are moments where the show lags, at least at first: songs transition seamlessly into one another, with little stage chatter. But strip away the smoky atmospherics and meticulously rehearsed stage routine and Debbie would remain a slick, clever and committed performer. There is power in her potential.
Debbie played:
‘Cherry Wine’
‘You Belong To Me’
‘Cousin’s Car’
‘Rules’
‘Summer In December’
‘Crazy In Love’ (BeyoncĂ© cover)
‘I’m Different’
‘Firebabe’ (Stormzy cover)
‘Give It To The Water’ (with Stormzy)
‘Tony’s Gotta Leave’
‘Stay’
‘No Way’
‘Is This Real Love’
‘All Night Long’
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