Yesterday was a big day for ILUVLIVE, all of the acts were massive talent from around the UK and from the offset the buzz was ridiculous.

Beginning with last weeks open mic winners we saw Butchered Beats (3 singers a rapper and a DJ/trumpet player). Perform an ensemble of tunes which warmed up the ILUVLIVE crowd with their energy and presence. Next up was Shanna Songbird who covered Kiesha Coles - I Changed My Mind. She had a beautiful voice and a lot of feeling in the way she performed but I personally wasn't impressed by how unoriginal it was. Next she performed her own song entitled Slow Motion, which was an R&B slow jam sound. This was where she really showed us what she was made of. Hitting every single note perfectly and winning the crowd over with her amazing voice.

As always we had the emceeing crew up in the building as Exploder stepped on mic with his two backing singers. His first performance was a song called "So True" it was my favourite out of the tunes he performed but personally his performance didn't really stand out to me. For his last tune he brought some of his crew on stage and they gave us a hype performance with some real lyrical content.

There was an interval then in which out host Ras Kwame encouraged us all to "spend some money at the bar and don't be stush".

The DJ (Jay Diamond) spun us a couple of tunes and Lauren Masons fan based prepared for her to touch mic. With her own band in tow, Lauren Mason (Who I think has a superstar’s name) stepped on stage. I was already a fan of hers after Rockstar ft Fuda

Guy so I was expecting big things! She performed a song called stronger which really stood out, and seemed to be facing her guitarist which was a bit annoying for those to her left but the crowd loved her and the tune was a hit. Her last song was called Swagger And Soul, which she'd pre-warned us was originally drum and bass. It was fan-tas-tic to say the least. Everyone was impressed! When she'd finished Ras asked her to sing without the band. She performed a bit out of Stronger and completely wiped the floor with it. No offense to the band but it sounded miles better when she did it that time!

Next up was female emcee Lioness who performed 'Where's My Sister' and then 'Cry', both received 'braps' from the audience and the males in the crowd seemed to be very impressed by the lyrical content supplied by this young lady. Her last tune she performed acapella, which told us a personal story.

If you wasn't there then you missed something massive, emotional, real and lyrically astounding on that last tune. Despite the mic cutting out a number of times she was wicked and her backing singer A.L had some lungs on her that made the whole place applaud.

Last but not least was Kele Le Roc, as pure Le Roc style she looked a million dollars in a dress and heels and her confidence really shone. She performed her new single and then Love Is A Drug which was an emotional

one for all those girls who've been heartbroken before. Her backing singer was brilliant accompanying her. They where both fantastic performances as per usual with Kele. Finally she performed her well-known hit "My Love"

and the ILUVLIVE band showed us what they were made of when they completely and utterly took over the tune and made it sound better then the original instrumental! - Quote me!

Singers Kelly and Sammy won the 60-second open mic competition as judged by the audience and will be opening next weeks show along with performers Scor-zay-zee, M9, Lady Chann, Wayne Gidden and Little Dee with Rinse FM's DJ Jay Diamond once again on the decks!!! You don't want to miss it!

WORDS: SIAN ANDERSON