Paris Jackson plugs in a new sound and lights up Scoot Inn stage at SXSW
Paris Jackson hit the stage at Scoot Inn to flex her new musical muscles and introduce the roaring crowd to a small friend tucked inside her boot laces during a South by Southwest set.
The 23-year-old musician soared during Wednesday night's performance, as the crowd bobbed their heads, swayed their bodies and used their cell phones to record Jackson's high-spirited performance.
Jackson, the daughter of the late Michael Jackson, previously performed in the acoustic duo The Sunflowers. But with a piece of shrimp snuggly fit inside her shoelaces, for reasons she did not explain, she rocked the historic East Austin venue) with songs that broke away from her introspective folk tunes.
“I learned how to play the electric guitar like three weeks ago, so this is all new (expletive),” Jackson said during the show before singing in a new and smokier style that matches her band's stadium-rock drums and blaring guitar riffs.
At certain moments, it was clear the young artist is still cutting her teeth as a live performer, but her effortlessly airy stage presence captivated fans.
Between her grunge-induced lyrics and Courtney Love-inspired screams, she sunk into a natural and smooth musicality.
With songs about everyday angst and 30-year-old men unable to satisfy a women's sexual appetite, the performance signals a new musical direction for Jackson.
To close the show, Jackson pulled out the boot-straddling shrimp and gave a thank you to fans who came out for her official SXSW performance.