I was not quite sure what to expect from Jason Derulo live, but it quickly became obvious that he is a natural entertainer who genuinely enjoys what he does. The show was energetic, playful, generous and enormous fun.
Music producers and DJs can sometimes be overlooked in concert reviews, treated as little more than the warm-up before the main event. As someone who undertakes a small amount of low-level mixing myself, I fully appreciate the work, skill and talent required to create and deliver a set like this. It made me especially aware of the technical ability, musical judgement and creativity behind Fawaz’s remixes.
Josh was the perfect support act for Jason Derulo. A talented DJ and producer, Fawaz delivered a set of clever, energetic remixes that seemed to include something for everyone. Gotye and Kimbra, Usher, Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas, the Pussycat Dolls, Belinda Carlisle, David Guetta and HUGEL featuring Ultra Naté all found their way into a broad, brilliantly recognisable set. The audience sang, danced and joined in enthusiastically. Fawaz did not simply prepare the room for Derulo; he created a party in his own right.
Then came the wait.
There’s fashionably late, and then there’s Jason Derulo late. As the DJ and band encouraged the crowd to chant “Jason! Jason!”, we were treated to a 20-minute montage of Derulo performing around the world. The montage concluded, rather amusingly, with ABBA‘s Gimme Gimme Gimme, making it feel as though we might not see our man until after midnight.
Thankfully, the band decided we were finally ready and delivered another 60-second countdown. Jason then leapt onto the stage with Sexy For Me, and the wait was instantly forgiven.
The concert opened in Derulo Labs, with male dancers in lab coats, female dancers in glittering sequinned bodysuits and two performers confined in cages halfway up the tiered stage. A huge screen at the back and two smaller side screens ensured there was no shortage of close-ups, particularly of Derulo’s bare chest.
The production was divided into bold themed sections, and as the final stop of the Australian and New Zealand run, it seemed determined to use every last pyrotechnic available.
Wiggle immediately got the audience off their “big fat butts” and dancing. Acapulco then offered a completely different moment, with Derulo removing his sunglasses and singing part of the song without backing. His voice was beautiful, controlled and strong enough to hold the arena without the need for spectacle.
Before Whatcha Say, Derulo welcomed the crowd and asked whether any day-one fans were present. The response was enormous, leading him to take us back to the beginning. During Marry Me, he dropped to one knee and proposed to the audience, receiving thousands of enthusiastic yeses.
After Ta Ta Ta, Mi Chico brought a wonderful moment of audience participation. Derulo asked whether the Mi Chico dance had made it to New Zealand, and Spark Arena erupted. A fabulous audience member from Manurewa was invited on stage and completely nailed the choreography, earning the rapturous applause she deserved.
The next transformation was Derulo Jungle. The dancers appeared in leopard print, while Derulo wore a leopard-print and leather overcoat. Swalla came with a simple instruction to put our hands in the air, which the crowd dutifully obeyed. Komasava and Tip Toe followed before a short break.
Derulo returned for It Girl and then moved into a bar-themed section for Complicated. He encouraged the crowd to wave their hands in the air, asked for the single ladies, and spoke about the importance of loving yourself before loving someone else. The section continued with Spicy Margarita, Jalebi Baby and Savage Love.
Savage Love carried a particularly strong New Zealand connection, with its instantly recognisable Laxed beat created by New Zealand producer Jawsh 685, also known as Joshua Nanai. It was another reminder that the people behind the music deserve to be part of the story too.
Following another impressive dance break, Derulo moved through Don’t Wanna Go Home, In My Head and Love Tonight. He then announced that he was heading to The Other Side and walked into the general-admission area, giving audience members the opportunity to touch his very sweaty body while Seven Nation Army played underneath.
Auckland’s hand-washing habits may never be quite the same.
The final major section became Derulo Volcano, complete with fire dancers, flames, CO₂ blasts and yet more pyrotechnics. Let Me Be, Cheyenne, Breathing and Trumpets built the show towards its spectacular conclusion.
There was no encore, but Derulo did remove his top, which was clearly considered an acceptable substitute. He spoke about the importance of making wishes and believing that anything is possible before launching into Talk Dirty and Want To Want Me, accompanied by confetti and more fireworks.
Before leaving, he thanked his band and support crew and gave the crowd one final reminder of Mi Chico.
A great gig from a great man.
Kerrie Evans
Photography by Leonie Moreland
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