The voice of 90s UK super soul group M People took to the stage of Guildford’s G Live with a six-piece band of drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and two backing vocalists. Small kicked off with Renaissance and the party was soon in full swing with the smash hit One Night in Heaven. She welcomed her regular superfans at the front of the audience who were on their feet from the first number and later dedicated the number Just For You to her goddaughter in the audience. 

Before her commercial success with M People Small fronted the band Hot House which released the magnificent yet little-known 1998 soul album South. With M People she sold over ten million records in the 1990s and her solo career blossomed, with her anthemic song Proud becoming the official anthem of the London 2012 Games.

Small strutted the G Live stage in a sparkling gold outfit, With her powerful voice and striking stage presence, engaging with the audience perfectly and rolling through the M People repertoire. “If I’m 57 and have heels you can dance too!” she joked. The audience willingly joined her and thronged to the front for the last few numbers.

The slow groove of Colour My Life highlighted Small’s ever-distinctive voice to perfection. Closing the show with Open Up Your Heart and the climactic Moving On Up this was a joyful, feelgood performance from a singer who knows how to party. Everyone loved her and she’s well worth catching live.