Jessie Murph — Kemba Live! Columbus, Oh
Jessie Murph’s performance at Kemba Live! in Columbus was a striking display of unfiltered emotion and genre-blending daring. She balanced spectacle with sincerity, grounding her set in the raw honesty that defines her music.
Murph’s sound thrives on contrasts. The night opened with “Gucci Mane” and “Touch Me Like a Gangster,” tracks driven by trap beats and swaggering vocals that nonetheless hinted at her roots in pop and country. This defiance soon gave way to the aching country-pop balladry of “Cowboys and Angels” and the brooding soulfulness of “I Hope It Hurts.” What could have felt like whiplash instead revealed the thread running through her work: a seamless weaving of styles that might appear opposed but together form her musical identity. The audience followed without hesitation, swaying, nodding, and singing along as if the shifts in sound were second nature.
The centerpiece of the evening arrived with an acoustic version of “Where Do You Go.” Stripped of production, Murph’s voice stood alone, fragile yet resolute, filling the room with a quiet that bordered on reverence. In that stillness, her role as a storyteller came into sharp focus. The setlist’s structure—brash anthems framing a hushed confession—underscored her versatility, showing that her power lies not only in defiance but also in vulnerability.
By the end of the 27-song set, what lingered most was the bond between artist and audience. Murph’s music, steeped in heartbreak, frustration, and resilience, was met with recognition and release from those in attendance. It was as much a communal outpouring as it was a performance.
With only one studio album and venues already filled to capacity, Jessie Murph has yet to reach her artistic peak. But in Columbus, it was clear she is on that path, and the promise of what comes next loomed just as large as the songs she has already given voice to.
Harry Acosta is a professional photographer who started out shooting concerts. He is an avid concertgoer and loves to capture his favorite musicians and unseen moments we take for granted in everyday life.
