BET Music Matters brought the London singer Estelle to town and to the Double Door concert venue in Bucktown. This was a lovefest for the diva, who wore her Louis Vuittons as song titles included "Substitute for Love" and covers of "Real Love" and "Is This Love?" by Bob Marley.
She began with a rendition of The Supreme's "Can't Hurry Love" but really took her time on the stage. She rapped, sang and waxed ... well, "poetic" might not be the word—her new favorite word must be "shit." She gave advice on relationships ( "Don't be bitter; be better" ) and how to turn the day around. She talked about giving something to the ladies when the opener, Luke James, returned to the stage to sing and unbuttoned his shirt. But what she gave gay fans were beats—some created by David Guetta. Estelle cut loose dancing to his produced track, "Freak," and samples from Soul II Soul, where she got "Back to Life."
E talked about positivity with the new song "Wonderful Life." Her encore, of course, was "American Boy," her collaboration with hometown hero Kanye West. The crowd had fun and Estelle proved she can party with the best in Chi-town!
Her new album, All of Me, drops Feb. 28. For more on Estelle, visit www.estellemusic.com .
