Erica Cody debuted her EP Leoness with an intimate and energetic gig at The Grand Social last night.

The alternative R&B singer/songwriter and producer kicked off the show with ‘Runaway’. Surrounded by fog and red light, Erica immediately showcased her impressive vocal chops as she effortlessly glided through a wide range of pitches.

The songstress then performed another song off of Leoness, ‘Good Intentions’. Erica’s charming personality came through in her facial expressions and vocals in lyrics like “Please don’t change, stay the same / It’s that cheeky smile that drives me so goddamn wild.”

After singing ‘Addictive’, she told the audience, “Seeing so many familiar faces in the crowd tonight, this is amazing… If you don’t support what we do, this can’t happen, so thank you for being on this journey with me.”

Later on in the concert, there was a sweet moment when she acknowledged the role her dad played in her music, saying her dad would sit her down and play R&B from the ‘90s, which catalysed her love for the genre. Erica dedicated her next song, a cover of SWV’s ‘Weak’, to her father as he watched from the audience.

For the final stretch of the show, she sang the rest of her EP – ‘Lovin’ On Me’, ‘Over and Over’ and ‘Where U Really From’. Erica prefaced ‘Where U Really From’ with a story about a customer asking where she is really from, insinuating her ethnicity prevents her from being truly Irish.

“I wrote this song and it’s more about self-respect, love, boundaries and just appreciation for where you really do come from,” explained Erica, whose merch has the phrase ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ scrawled on it. “This is so important and this is a conversation we need to start having, to normalise being black and Irish.”

Erica Cody showed up at The Grand Social last night and proved why she is an artist to watch throughout her performance with her incredible vocals and lyrical skills, important message and infectious personality.