With a backing track, undeniable stage presence, and a mic that was very much on, James Anderson, better known as JVCK JAMES, opened for British R&B artist kwn on her 2026 tour.
The crowd at Brooklyn Steel on Wednesday, April 8 was locked in, drawn to JVCK JAMES’ impeccable runs, effortless high notes, and a ’90s-leaning R&B sound that briefly pulled the room a few decades back. It set the tone for a night built for kwn fans.
Even with an empty stage and no band behind him, nothing felt missing. JAMES carried the entire set on presence alone, delivering a level of energy that made the minimal setup feel intentional.
JAMES' stage presence carried through the in-betweens, too; at one point shouting out that he’s a Sagittarius, prompting every Sagittarius in the room to scream in unison after he asked if anyone was celebrating a birthday. It flowed seamlessly into his next song.
The room split in two, some swaying, fully immersed, others already pulling out their phones to search his name on Instagram. It had that immediate feeling: if you didn’t know him before, you knew you needed to now.
That’s the beauty of an opener; show up early, get settled for the headliner, and you might end up surprised by the artist who hits the stage first. Sometimes you leave with two obsessions instead of one. It’s a reminder not to write off openers before giving them a real shot.
