T in the Park: Gabriella Cilmi review

Published on Saturday 5 July 2008 22:13

YOU could feel the anticipation at the near-full Futures Stage this afternoon as the crowd cheered for Gabriella Cilmi, the Australian 16 year-old who is currently taking the pop world by storm.

After an introduction from her dreadlocked bass player, Cilmi came on showing her allegiance to the Scottish crowd by sporting a tartan top, and burst into a track from her debut album, Lessons to Be Learned. She had very little stage banter, but did quip, "you might know this one", a massive understatement, to introduce her much-played single, 'Sweet About Me'.

Cilmi isn't exactly groundbreaking, but live her throaty voice is impressive - it's just a shame that at a few points her band drowned her out. She managed to pull off a cover of Justin Timberlake's 'Cry Me A River', much to the crowd's pleasure, and she genuinely seems less contrived than some other female singers who have been tagged 'Winehouse wannabes'. She also uses her arms to dance - a skill that Winehouse, who always seems worried that her underwear will show, is yet to master.