Concert Review: Janelle Kroll Shows The Key Is Presence At Mercury Lounge

What is most remarkable about Janelle Kroll, as a performer, is that she fits onto the stage like a glove fits unto a hand. There is a breezed easiness to her presence that reminds you that stardom is not always machined. Now in the music industry, you have to be the artist you want be before you are even signed. You need have the image, sound, and plan before you get a manager, publicist, and producer. Although Janelle Kroll had all these things in her Mercury Lounge performance, she also had another factor to her benefit that cannot be made; presence.

You can have the greatest team on earth, with millions of dollars pouring into your career to make you look like the second coming of Music, but if you do not have a personality or warmth to you, especially in performance, than you might be stuck in music video and not concert halls. Kroll has a presence that can dominate screens and scenes. She riffs up through songs like “Staycation” or “Barricade” with calm. Usually, when an artists aim to fluff and flutter their notes they turn up their acting skills, as well. Yet, Kroll sings her songs as if she is the sun and they are her rays; they radiate out of her with a cool naturalness. Her presence is so endearing and undramatic, you walk away re-thinking some of your friendship choices. She sings songs like, “Outsider”, that approach feeling backed into a socially, lonely corner, with a glamorous resignation. Like someone who is done fighting the highs and lows of life, and deciding I am just going to go with it. Usually, someone saying, “You look resigned” or “You look like your conforming” is not a compliment, but Janelle Kroll brings grace to the idea that maybe the best they we can do in life to stop fighting it.

There is a difference between fighting for your life and simply fighting Life like it is a Marvel villain. Kroll’s music delves into the emotional backwash and forward thinking of a woman learning to accept that, sometimes, the only option you have in bad situations is to be good to yourself through them. On many occasions, all we can is feel good while things are bad, and Janelle Kroll blooms “feel good” vibes. Hence, she is an artist that a “music machine” or fabulous team can help, but it is nature and heart that breeds a solid foundation for stardom. For More Information On Janelle Kroll Click Here.