WRITTEN BY ALEX WEST.
Why Don’t We’s European leg of the 8 Letter’s Tour has come to a close. Taking the stage as the first act was a 16-year old British-American rising star Denis Coleman.
Denis’s performance was filled with an unexpected energy that effortlessly won over the crowd. The audience of a boyband is not often an easy one to impress; their focus is often on their idols and those coming before are often overlooked. It seemed to be different for Denis, however. His talent was immediately obvious from the moment he took the stage. The crowd cheered without prompting and their engagement grew as Denis spurred them.
Hammersmith Apollo in London swelled with screams of fans who instantly fell in love with the charm, music, and upbeat pop personality that was in front of them. Denis filled the large stage with a clear sense of his surroundings. He shined with confidence that went above and beyond the average 16-year old and it was received whole-heartedly by the sea of teenagers there.
It seemed clear that Denis’s intention wasn’t just to sing on stage, but it was a full performance. At first, he seemed small and alone on the large, wide stage of the theater, but it wasn’t long before he filled the space with dancing and an inviting charm that captured everyone’s attention. It was impossible to not match his energy, which gave way to an interesting dynamic between crowd and performer where we seemed to work together to create an unforgettable night and, in a way, a playful party.
Denis even made a surprising move by covering Ed Sheeran, which was bold and showcased his ability to take control of a song and captivate an audience, just as Ed does himself. However, what was more impressive was his original music, which, most of the crowd didn’t initially know, but they were all able to jump into seamlessly. It was clear by the end of his set that he had won them over. In fact, I couldn’t help but smile when the girls next to me pulled out their phones to quickly follow him on social media. The future truly looks bright for this rising star.
With the tour now over, we hope to be catching Denis here in America soon. But until then, fans in the United Kingdom still have the opportunity to see Denis on tour this winter.
Denis Coleman Upcoming Tour Dates:
13 Dec – Birmingham
14 Dec – Manchester
15 Dec – London
Featured image via Lucille Khornak Photography.