Live Review: Ojerime

By Resonate | May 17, 2023

Words by Tom Pittard

Originally booked for November 2022, but postponed until February 2023, Ojerime’s first Bristol gig was well worth the wait. Taking place in Strange Brew, a venue with a 350 capacity, the smaller size made the perfect intimate space for Ojerime to showcase her infectious sound, a perfect blend of 90s and progressive R&B. 

I arrived early, not knowing if there was an opening act or the time Ojerime’s set was supposed to begin, the crowd began to fill out. By 9pm the room was fully packed out. Opening with the track Often Enough from the latest album, Bad Influence, the show deliberately started slow, but after a couple of songs and some support from the crowd, Ojerime found her feet and offered up an incredible live set. 

At the time, I was surprised that the set only lasted 40 minutes, but this didn’t diminish the level of quality that the show had. Ending the night with her most successful song Give It Up 2 Me from project B4 I Breakdown, the crowd were left wanting more. Clearly not expecting this reaction from the crowd, the DJ came back on stage to say they were happy to play another song, but it had to be a song they’d already played, this caused no issues for the crowd. Ojerime re-emerged to play Jetset, a hard-hitting tune from her latest album, giving the audience another chance at rematching the energy levels from its previous play. 

First-time gigs in new cities can often be a make or break for artists, but seeing the reaction from the crowd at a sold-out show that left all of us wanting more can only be a positive sign for Ojerime’s future.

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