Joss Stone with Live Orchestra at the Southbank Centre

Devon’s answer to soaring soul music, Joss Stone, has perhaps misstepped of late. Once heralded as the voice of her generation, there have been a few iffy albums and some oddities of behaviour, that can perhaps be explained by her love of the 'herb for my tea', as Sensimilia – a track on her relaxed reggae album, co-produced by Damian Marley – would suggest.

But we are willing to forgive her barefoot romps and adopted Jamaican accent (yes, even ‘plant a lickle seed’). Anything for that gravely, pitching voice that falls somewhere between Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin. Remember Super Duper Love ‘are you digging on me? Cause I’m digging on you’? and her smouldering Right To Be Wrong.


And it looks as though Stone is righting herself – and not a moment too soon – as she makes a solo Royal Festival Hall debut this October. She’ll play all the old favourites, alongside covers – backed by a live orchestra.

Delight in the return of the girl with the big voice – whose best years are surely still to come.