Janessa delivered a slick, groove-led afternoon showcase at Spanish Caravan as part of Sound City 2026, turning a compact festival set into a commanding demonstration of modern R&B vocal agility.
The Performance
Taking the stage at the tightly packed Spanish Caravan, Janessa bypassed standard festival bombast, opting instead to let a heavy, mid-tempo groove establish the room’s energy. Her technical grounding from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) was on clear display, particularly in how she executed complex vocal runs without breaking a sweat or losing the pocket of the rhythm section. Rather than over-singing to cut through the venue’s natural chatter, she pulled the crowd inward, using a crisp, conversational delivery that made the intimate space feel like a headline club show.
Set Highlights
The short showcase was brilliantly engineered to highlight both her stylistic roots and her commercial pop potential, packing a remarkably diverse range of sounds into her limited stage time. A major cornerstone of the set was her marquee single, “Push & Pull”. Played live, the track shed its polished electronic casing for a raw, bass-heavy arrangement that got the entire venue moving, transforming the showcase into a collective, dancing celebration where the crowd sang along with sheer delight.
Her original material sat comfortably alongside a remarkably smooth, jazzy rendition of Just the Two of Us, showcasing her ability to put a sultry, modern spin on a classic. Janessa leaned heavily into her soulful repertoire with the lush, emotive textures of Mon Cheri and a wonderful track that seemed to be called Treat Me Like the Real Thing, which allowed her to flex her upper vocal register against a slow-burning, dream-pop bassline.
Other shining stars on her setlist included the sleek, punchy rhythms of Starstruck – a track that landed with a crisp pop polish – and the nostalgic bounce of her breakout single, Say So. Each track allowed her to shift effortlessly between danceable pop energy and deep, emotional resonance, leaving onlookers breathless.
All photography provided by David Ellitts (@dave_took_some_photos)
