New R+B voice Jessie Reyez plays headlining show at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live

Orlandoans with particularly long pop memory banks will remember Jessie Reyez as having the unfortunate distinction of opening for Billie Eilish at the Kia Center right before the COVID lockdown kicked in and derailed the tour — and the world.

Reyez used her pandemic time to go quiet, keeping off the radar and writing music that would become her breakthrough album, Yessie. But newest album Paid in Memories just might be her masterstroke: a sprawling and ambitious suite of highly personal alt-R&B via hip-hop that boasts features from the likes of Sam Smith and 6lack and samples Smashing Pumpkins.

She’s taking these songs out on the road for a 55-date world tour which is already selling out all over. If you need further prodding, peep her lethal Tiny Desk performance on your mom’s favorite radio station, NPR.

8 p.m. Saturday, July 12, Hard Rock Live, $40.50-$60.50.

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This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2025.