Ella Mai

Ella Mai might be Grammy-nominated and has been the musical act on SNL, but she is still so down to earth here in the UK that she brought her mum out on stage for a hug. Bless!

America has fallen for the 24-year-old Londoner, and now her home country is starting to pay attention. The soulful singer sold out Shepherd’s Bush for two nights, backing up her Top 5 (in the US) single “Boo’d Up” with a variety of chilled out and sparkly grooves.

Ella Mai making her mum proud

Some of you might know the funky “Whatchamacaallit”, a duet with Chris Brown, but the only “artist” making a guest appearance this evening was her mum, a lovely addition to the stage. She had two backup singer/dancers, but Mai was also accompanied by the very enthusiastic fans in the front – who knew every lyric, and proved it loudly, and who didn’t put their phones down for even one song.

Highlights of the evening were the breezy R&B “Sauce”, and the closer, her other US hit, “Trip”, which made us snap our fingers and bob our heads both at the O2 and all the way home.

Mai has been shortlisted for the “British Breakout Act” at this years Brit Awards. About bloody time!