Rozzi is a promising performer

“If you don’t like break-up songs, this show is not for you,” declared the 26-year-old, Los Angeles-based songstress and USC alumna Rozzi Crane to her adoring audience Tuesday at the Peppermint Club. Singing to a crowd of well-dressed 20-somethings and a grandpa decked in his best Rozzi merch, she played an intimate 45 minute set, filled with acoustic versions of her hits and newer songs.

Rozzi told the audience the story behind each song she performed, giving insight into her life and musical career while creating a bond between her and her listeners through these personal anecdotes. Along with her three-piece band and two back-up singers, she opened the show with one of her new songs “66 Days,” telling the audience she had written the song “exactly 66 days after a break-up.” Rozzi sang the first  verse on her own without musical accompaniment, before the full band entered all at once for the chorus in true rock n’ roll fashion, hyping the audience with its beat and catchy tune.

Rozzi switched up the dynamic of the band as the evening progressed, going from full band, to just her voice and guitar, to her voice with piano and drums, as well as other arrangements. While introducing the band, she explained her guitarist and back-up vocalist were also USC alums, having been with Rozzi since her days at Thornton.

Whether it’s writing about her break-ups, her friends’ break-ups or even writing to uplift others, Rozzi’s songwriting and lyrical ability were obvious in her sold-out show. Many of Rozzi’s songs had a theme of heartbreak in both relationships and the music industry, but, toward the end of her set, she presented a song called “Two Minutes,” a female empowerment track she wrote after the 2016 election. Later in her set, she performed a stripped back cover of Charlie Puth’s “Attention” and performed an unreleased, somber song (which she sang and played on the piano) called “Bad Together,” which she says she started writing while smoking a joint after a bad breakup.

Not only is Rozzi a talented songwriter, but she is also a natural born performer. If she was nervous, no one in the crowd could tell. She looked like she was at complete ease and moved about the stage with poise and confidence. Even when she experienced the expected mess-ups that come with playing live, Rozzi played the incidents off easily. She even acknowledged a mistake on her recent hit “Uphill Battle,” caused by the surreality of watching the audience sing along to her lyrics, which resulted in her joyously restarting the song.

When you watch Rozzi perform, her passion for what she does is clear. Her show was entertaining, and her songs stuck in audiences’ heads long after they left the venue and into the next day. She is talented, impressive and can easily win over a crowd, especially in her ability to relate to her audience. Rozzi’s performance at the Peppermint Club was seamless, showcasing the singer as an exceptional vocalist with promise to reach pop stardom. Her album will be coming out later this year, and you can hear her most recent single, “Never Over You,” and other released tracks on Spotify, iTunes or SoundCloud.