It’s 4 PM at Washington D.C’s RFK Stadium as Day 2 of Broccoli City is underway. Only the second act of the day and the crowd is already showing up for her in large numbers. The previous day’s severe weather alerts forced the festival to stop, so it’s understandable why everyone’s eager to make up for lost time and end the weekend on a high note. Unfortunately, the forecast isn’t budging and things are getting off to a rough start.
Attendees at the main stage stand the test of time as they become familiar with the festival’s unfortunate tradition of rain when you least expect it. But even some bad luck with mother nature can’t deter thousands of fans to remain locked in with a drenched yet unbowed Coco Jones as she gives one of the most iconic performances this year. Her vocals are carrying throughout the setlist, but it’s her stage presence that takes front seat like it’s second nature.
Coco Jones performed in the rain at Broccoli Fest the crowd went crazy 🔥
Shot for @HipHopDX pic.twitter.com/bXdNhrWznl— CoreyB📸✨ (@ACoreyBMoment) July 16, 2023
Once storms pick up, she continues to perform “Double Back” from her latest project. Using the bad weather to her advantage, she points to the sky as she begins singing an impromptu version of SWV’s classic “Rain” that feels like clear skies and sunshine as the crowd effortlessly goes word for word with her. Everything about her timing and execution contained a je ne sais quoi that’s hard to explain, but delivered beautifully.
Some can call it natural stardom, others can call it luck. But it’s really just the tenacity resulting from her determination to put on a damn good show by any means. It shows in her pre-performance routine, consisting of watching inspirational concerts from her idols and reviewing past performance/rehearsal footage. The development of her natural crowd-controlling abilities became inspired early on by the likes of Destiny’s Child, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Whitney Houston.
Longtime supporters have been aware of her star power. But it’s those unfamiliar with her game that drives her to go above and beyond. “My favorite thing [about performing festivals] is bringing in new audience members”, Coco explains during our interview. “… It’s a lot of different reasons why people come out to the show. I look at it like a challenge to gain new fans.”
Unwinding backstage with her team of dancers, Coco lets the electricity from an exceptional festival appearance settle in. Pleased with the turnout despite the weather conditions, she sits down with EARMILK for an exclusive interview. “I had a lot of uncontrollable elements around [me]… things can get chaotic, but the show must go on.”
Making adjustments is nothing new to the Tennessee-bred vocalist. If anything, retransformation has been her road to success as one of today’s rising R&B acts. The journey for the singer dates back to her early tenure as a recording artist and Disney star. Despite difficulties navigating through industry colorism and later fallouts with Disney and her label, Coco took on the task of rebranding herself headstrong. Building her newfound audience on social media from the ground up, the consistency did not go in vain. In a year span, Coco Jones secured her current joint venture deal with Def Jam and a role as Ashley in Peacock’s Bel Air reboot. According to the songstress, her biggest win is finding a team as confident as she is in her vision.
“I think the most rewarding thing [is] having that team… the right management around you and creative direction. People who understand me, who aren’t trying to change me, and who can elevate what I already bring to the table.” – Coco Jones
The success of the partnerships speak for themselves, as her last project What I Didn’t Tell You earned the singer her first #1 on Apple Music late last year. Her breakout came at the hands of the project’s standout “ICU”, which became her first Billboard Hot 100 entry.
Showing no plans of slowing down, Coco was featured on Lil Tjay’s album on the soulful collaboration “Grateful”. The day before her performance, she released the “ICU” remix with pop veteran and fellow Tennessean Justin Timberlake.
While her forthcoming album is in the works, she’s preparing to drop some new music before the summer ends. Now solidified in R&B’s current landscape, the singer is ready to showcase her artistry more than ever before.
“Initially, I felt like a freshman in this… But now that I’ve seen the love and support that I have from my community and this culture, I know who I am and what I want to do, and I’m not going to have any second guessing. [This next album] is going to be a lot more intentional, confident, and risky.” – Coco Jones
Judging by her stellar Broccoli City performance, Coco Jones is ready for the challenge. And there is plenty of road to pave for herself along her bright future ahead.
