On Thursday night, British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield, hosted by Tulane University Campus Programming concerts, performed at Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse to a sold-out crowd. The “Unwritten” singer brought positive and uplifting energy and connected with the crowd as she sang her various hits, lesser-known songs and some covers. 

Sometimes you decide to go to a concert, not because you know much about the artist or their discography, but because you get a free ticket and know at least one of their songs. Such was the case for me, but after her electrifying performance, captivating stage presence and amazing raspy vocals, Bedingfield gained another monthly listener on Spotify. Not that she really needs it, considering she already has 23.8 million.

The opening act was Wuki, a Grammy-nominated DJ who performed an hour-long set of dance and electronic hits, some of which I recognized from spin class playlists at the Reily Student Recreation Center. He was a great warmup for the crowd of young adults who have probably seen their fair share of rave DJs who wear sunglasses the whole set even though they’re indoors in the dark. He got people to dance in the stands and brought the energy up as the audience trickled in throughout his set, waiting for Bedingfield.

At 9:11 p.m., the lights shut off, leaving only the anticipatory energy in the atmosphere of the arena. Besides someone behind the soundboard, the live band consisted of only two artists — one guitarist who rotated between four guitars and a drummer. As the band played the opening chords to “Love Like This” by Bedingfield, she sauntered onto the stage looking every bit like a rock star, wearing a long green trench coat, white platform boots and orange-tinted glasses framed by her platinum blonde bangs. The trenchcoat was off by the second song, “Pocketful of Sunshine,” and the audience exploded into cheers at the sound of the hit’s opening guitar strums.

At the beginning of the performance, Bedingfield announced, “this is gonna be the best fun party ever,” and it was, as she vocally guided us through a diverse setlist. The crowd favorites were “These Words,” “Unwritten” and “Pocketful of Sunshine,” Bedingfield’s biggest hits, but her imaginative covers also garnered a strong crowd reaction. She performed “Zombie” by The Cranberries and an electrifying cover of “Purple Rain” by Prince which had the audience swaying in unison with their camera flashes on. She also performed some early songs of hers, like “Roller Skate” and “Single.”

Bedingfield is a charismatic and engaging performer. If I had to pick one word to describe her, it would be seasoned. She conversed and took videos with the audience. The stage itself was simple: effective lighting that illuminated the audience and a clear sound system, although at times Bedingfield’s vocals were drowned out by the instrumental. There’s only so much that can be set up in a college basketball arena, but when a performer has raw talent, the lack of visual distraction isn’t noticeable. Her musical humility was put on display when she highlighted her guitarist, who sang a solo during her cover of “Glory Box” by Portishead. 

Another notable thing throughout the performance was her stunning musicality, mastered over her 20-year career. I was surprised to hear her scatting one moment, then singing an Arabian musical scale the next. Her belts were as powerful and clear as her head voice was piercing and memorable. She doesn’t sound just like the record — she sounds better. 

She ended the concert with her biggest song, “Unwritten,” arguably the highlight of the night. People who were in the stands left to dance on the floor. Everyone was singing along, so much so that Bedingfield was able to harmonize while the audience took the melody. She stayed on the stage as the lights went up and her crew cleared the stage to dance with the audience. She told us to look out for new music that she will be releasing soon. After seeing her live, I will definitely be on the lookout for new music — and future performances — from Natasha Bedingfield. 

Her message before she left the stage was, “If you have a dream in your heart, a passion, keep doing it.”