Elle Varner's return is a welcome one. The songstress stopped by the Howard Theatre in DC last night to showcase the budding brilliance of her young career. In the year since the release of her debut album, she's run laps around the radio waves of the nation, all while apparently recording new material slated for release later this year. The gravelly vocalist, who is currently working on her sophomore release, debuted her newest material last month in a quiet impromptu open-mic performance at Toshi's Living Room NYC, but the world will doubtless remember last night's rendition. In particular, the mellifluous acoustic-laden new single "Number One" was caught in HQ video by the good folks at DMVsTheMove in performance. Elle also went through a roster of crowd favorites like her hit single "Only Wanna Give It To You," touching every focal point on the spectrum of R&B and hip-hop.
"Number One" is a sweet and heartfelt track, boasting the range of a young artist with unbridled ambition. The songwriter has struck an impeccable balance between raspy urban compositions and sophisticated R&B structures. Her ability to seamlessly transition from an all-out, funked-out break to something so much more intimate and personal is a true treasure in an urban contemporary landscape that can lack dynamism at times. If last night's performance is any indication of what's to come, we can expect Elle to drop some warmth into what is getting ready to be a scorching autumn for female vocalists. For a taste of what's to come, check out her performance from last night, the debut of "Number One" from Toshi's, as well as the ferocious demo track 'Tiny Temper' after the drop.
