For most late night TV musical performances, the host introduces the artist, the artist performs their song, and that’s that. It’s definitely a live performance, but it’s only an approximation of what it’s like to see the performer in an actual concert environment. It doesn’t usually have the same soul, but that wasn’t true to Brittany Howard’s recent stop by Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as her performance of “History Repeats” felt like a snippet from her live show.
Following Kimmel’s introduction, Howard addressed her audience both on TV and in person, ad-libbing and introducing her band before launching into the song. Halfway through the performance, she again spent time talking to the audience and her band. The track isn’t one that really shows off Howard’s otherworldly vocal abilities, but it instead proved that when it comes to commanding an audience’s attention, she’s one of the very finest we have.
Howard is as natural a performer that exists, and she recently proved that during her riveting Tiny Desk performance. With that showing, Howard showed off how she is a magnetic and dominating force regardless of the environment, whether it’s a late night stage or an intimate little office space.
Watch Howard perform “History Repeats” on Kimmel above, and read our review of Jaime here.
