A few weeks after the show, I’m still thinking about NAO’s Jupiter Tour stop at Terminal 5 in New York City. It was one of those rare nights where everything - the voice, the visuals, the energy - just clicked.
Back when I worked at Sony Music, NAO was one of my favorite artist discoveries, and finally getting to hear her unique, otherworldly voice live was nothing short of a full-circle moment.
Her voice alone was enough to carry the show, but what really impressed me was how well-crafted the entire performance was. The stage design, inspired by the "Jupiter" album art, was simple yet stylish, and her band brought everything to life in a way that made even the more atmospheric tracks feel dynamic and immediate.
Some songs featured choreography and props, which added a sense of motion and emotional storytelling to the set. The staging and flow of the show were clearly designed with care, creating a seamless and engaging experience from start to finish.
The crowd was with her the entire time, singing along and feeding off her energy. And just when we thought it couldn’t get better, NAO surprised us during the encore by walking up into the balcony - just feet away from me - dancing with fans as she made her way through the venue for the finale of "Drive and Disconnect". It was personal, joyful, and completely unexpected.
Her connection with the audience, paired with that truly one-of-a-kind voice, made this show feel more like a shared moment than a standard concert.
Count me in for every NAO tour moving forward. Here’s hoping the next one takes her to an even bigger stage - because she’s more than ready for it and more people deserve to see her live!
Setlist:
Wildflowers
If You Ever
Make It Out Alive
Happy People
Fool to Love
Adore You
Antidote
All of Me
Elevate
Complicated
30 Something
Light Years
Orbit
Bad Blood
---Another Lifetime
Drive and Disconnect
Concert Review: FLO - Access All Areas Tour - Brooklyn Paramount, NYC
I saw FLO live at the Brooklyn Paramount for one of their two sold-out nights on the Access All Areas Tour - and as someone who had seen th...
Concert Review: NAO - Jupiter Tour - Terminal 5, NYC
A few weeks after the show, I’m still thinking about NAO’s Jupiter Tour stop at Terminal 5 in New York City . It was one of those rare nigh...
Concert Review: Kelly Clarkson - Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, Atlantic City (2025)
On Mother's Day weekend 2025, Kelly Clarkson returned to the stage with a full concert at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic Cit...
Concert Review: ONEW - ONEW THE LIVE: Connection Tour - The Town Hall, NYC
On April 24, 2025, Onew performed his first solo concert in New York City as part of his Connection Tour , taking over The Town Hall for a ...
Concert Review: Sugababes - '25 Tour - bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham
On their first arena tour with the original lineup since reuniting, the Sugababes delivered a slick career-spanning show at BP Pulse LIVE i...
Concert Review: JoJo - Too Much To Say Tour - Terminal 5, NYC
On March 27, JoJo brought her Too Much To Say Tour to Terminal 5 in New York City , and even in a venue known for its acoustical challenges...
Concert Review: HWASA - TWITS Live Tour - Brooklyn Paramount, NYC
On a sold-out night at Brooklyn Paramount, Hwasa brought the house down with a solo concert that was equal parts powerhouse vocals, fierce ...
Concert Review: Diana Ross - Celebrating Timeless Classics Tour - Kings Theatre, NYC
Concert Review: Diana Ross - Celebrating Timeless Classics Tour - Kings Theatre, NYC On March 1, I had the absolute privilege of seeing Dia...
Concert Review: TAEMIN - Ephemeral Gaze Tour - Kings Theatre, NYC
Concert Review: TAEMIN - Ephemeral Gaze Tour - Kings Theatre, NYC
On April 19th, Webster Hall was filled with “FLO Lifers” eagerly awaiting the UK girl group FLO who are currently embarking on their “FLO Live” tour. Formed 2019, FLO consists of Jorja Douglas, Renee Downer, & Stella Quaresma. The group’s style distinctly derives from R&B and Hip-Hop from the 1990’s and early 2000s. For a more in-depth analysis FLO’s sound and trajectory watch here (https://youtu.be/i18hpBoW4EU)/ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i18hpBoW4EU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Before FLO took the stage, Samaria, an Oakland R&B singer, opened the show. Samaria started with a simple backdrop featuring her name, keys, and drums. The audience seemed familiar with her music and if they were not, they were supportive and living in the moment. Samaria interacted with the audience well and related to them on the basis of terrible ex's and a journey through a toxic relationship. Samaria’s songs had interesting cadences, but what was missing for us was backing vocals on the track to delineate verses from choruses. After doing some research we found that the “Out of the Way” singer has a sound also inspired by 00s R&B, with a some tracks tracks full of fun guitar licks and drum patterns reminiscent of Timbaland, but none of those instruments were present in her performance. Her backline consisted of a keyboardist and a drummer. Although Samaria sounded good, at times the keyboard’s volume was overpowering. She worked the stage, nonetheless and good job. 7.5 out of 10 ! ()SCORE
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVI-FMictlA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
https://www.instagram.com/samaria/?hl=en
Next up was the much-anticipated FLO, and the girls opened with "Not My Job." They were all dressed in black with cute cutouts, and their outfits were shimmery (I love sparkle!) which was a welcome change from their wardrobe at the MOBO awards. Their faces were beat (we love a “natural glam”),
their vocals were tight, and their choreography was utilized well to highlight grooves. The chemistry between the girls was undeniable, and their vocal blend was seamless— absolutely chill-inducing. Jorja's thick vocal tone took the songs to a soulful place, and Stella's airy delivery allowed her to float at the top of the group's harmonies. Renee's smooth, warm alto voice added a coolness to their sound and gained a lot more stability in live singing. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention FLO’s band! The band consisted of some past schoolmates, which added another layer of charm to the whole set!
The absolute highlight of the show was "Losing You” In this live arrangement, the girls emoted and connected with the audience on a deeper level. Chris loved harmonized adlibs, brand new bridge and extra outdo including a guitar solo. As a special treat, FLO performed a cover of Jamelia's version of "Superstar" by Christine Militon. Even though a majority of the NYC crowd had no clue who Jamelia was and didn't know the song, the girls did teach the chorus before singing the song, so some fans were able to follow along. Chris and I certainly knew the song and even received compliments on synchronized impromptu choreography.
Speaking of choreo…
The girls' choreography was something we were curious to see, and they did not disappoint. They danced well, and they were given grooves as opposed to sharp movements that really complemented each member's personal style. In terms of technique, they aren’t K-pop idols so we weren’t expecting crazy formations and “point dances,” but you can tell they put in the work to provide another layer of entrainment to the experience. There was even some chair-ography for their performance of "Change," a new track about a lover's inability to "do the work" necessary to improve the condition of the relationship.
The girls did perform their latest single, "Fly Girl" ft Missy Elliot, and although Missy Elliot was present in the audience, she did not join the performance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/flolikethis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@flolikethis</a> big up to Flo out here in the states on the road working hard! Keep doing yall thizzzzle!!!🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flygirl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flygirl</a>💇🏾♀️💃🏾💅🏾 <a href="https://t.co/Qtgr2f2KBl">pic.twitter.com/Qtgr2f2KBl</a></p>— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/MissyElliott/status/1649101483621728272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fans (the FLO Lifers) were absolutely living their best lives! They knew all the words to FLO’s songs—the BGV's and the ad-libs. It was a room full of genuine love and screams! FLO closed the night with their debut single, "Cardboard Box," and this performance featured a heavenly bridge section.
Overall, the show was good, and for this to be the group's first headlining tour, we were impressed with the girls’ improvement from performances like the MOBO Awards, where nerves played a noticeable factor. FLO is worth the hype for sure, and we cannot wait to see the new era of girl groups being led by FLO. For their NYC debut, we rate them a 9 out of 10! FLO Lifers left Webster Hall with unforgettable memories and high expectations for FLO's future performances.