Kelis at St James

Reviewed by REBECCA BARRY

A year ago, a Kelis tour wouldn't have made it as far as New Zealand. Even if she had decided to play here, it's doubtful the crowd would have 80 per cent filled the St James as it did on Saturday night.

The New York 24-year-old had made her name as a classier, cooler R&B singer, working with the likes of Ol' Dirty Bastard and Talib Kweli.

Yet her two critically acclaimed albums, Kaleidoscope and Wanderland, never quite managed to break through to the brash and ballsy world dominated by Beyonces, Jamelias and Ashantis.

Until a new label, a new album (Tasty) and two hot singles, Milkshake and Trick Me, that is. Suddenly the artist also known as Nas' girlfriend has forged her own pop stardom.

And she knew it.

After postponing the New Zealand leg of the tour, she kept the crowd hanging with a long-winded build-up that introduced her band, an excellent rootsy rhythm section seemingly plucked from a jazz festival in New Orleans.

When Kelis did arrive on stage in an off-the-shoulder top and tight blue jeans, she was a picture of sexual confidence, the kind of girl who gets all the drinks but doesn't bother sticking around for conversation.

Which is odd, really, because in many ways she is an unlikely star.

Her voice is faultless yet far from extraordinary, a husky, mellow timbre that exudes feminine charm and push-off street cred.

Instead, it's her style that carries her - edgy R&B based on hip-hop and funky, neo-soul - and an attitude to go with it.

Problem was, the St James is a venue that demands a big sound, and not just acoustically.

Although everything gelled, the songs just weren't that familiar.

And by the time she had meandered into some of the slower, balladic material, a good handful of the crowd had migrated, slightly bored, to the bar.

And when you've got six in your band, you know it is going to take at least 15-20 minutes of obligatory solos. Impressive as they were, they did go on a bit long.

The ending was saved by an energetic blat through her first hit, Caught Out There.

She made the common yet presumptuous decision to omit her two biggest songs, leaving them for the encore. As if she wasn't going to get one.

Still, Trick Me and Milkshake were worth the wait, even if they did show she relies on them.