Jess Glynne, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, review: Slick performance illustrates her cross-generational appeal

Her voice can be showstopping: more than large enough to fill a venue more used to hosting orchestras than soul divas

Last year Glynne became only the second British female solo artist to have five number one singles in the UK

"If anyone's having a 'Why Me?' kind of day then this song is for you," says Jess Glynne before launching into her track of that name, one of many on her debut album about the aftershocks of a bad break up. In the (mainly female) crowd, a sea of iPad-sized phones appears, their cameras trained on their heroine.

Even if you have never heard of Glynne, the 26-year-old Londoner's music is difficult to avoid: her upbeat, soulful R&B-tinged songs are currently being well worn by the playlists of virtually every UK pop music station. After rising to prominence as a featured artist on several number one singles, her first record I Cry When I Laugh hit the top of the charts last year despite a lukewarm critical reception.

Based on this performance in the Scottish capital, it is easy to see why. Glynne's fanbase is wide, ranging from very young teens to the retired, and they greeted the end of every song in her 75-minute set with a roar fit for a football stadium.

This cross-generational appeal explains why last year Glynne became only the second British female solo artist after Cheryl to have five number one singles in the UK. It helps that some of her songs are undeniably catchy and bear simple messages about not letting life get you down: "Don't Be So Hard On Yourself" and "Hold My Hand", which she saved until the end, had the crowd dancing in the aisles of the upper tiers.

Growing up, Glynne has said her sonic influences included Sam Cooke, Destiny’s Child, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Etta James. Her voice can be showstopping: more than large enough to fill the cavernous classical surrroundings of Edinburgh's Usher Hall, which is more used to hosting orchestras than soul divas.

Strong as it may sound, it is a voice which almost failed her at the crucial moment. Last summer she was forced to pull out of several big festival slots, including Glastonbury, after undergoing surgery on her vocal chords which could have resulted in her being unable to sing at all. For three weeks afterwards she was banned from making a noise, forced to write things down in text messages to communicate.

For all the energy of most of her material, Glynne's best songs are her simplest ones, which allow her voice to take centre stage. "My Love" and "Take Me Home" are pieces of pared back, honest songwriting and reference the late Amy Winehouse, who she covered last night with an uncanny impersonation of "Tears Dry On Their Own".

It remains to be seen whether Glynne can reach her heroine's status. Despite an energetic backing band and a set of shimmering silver tinsel, her live show sometimes felt as if she was simply going through the pop star motions. The only real piece of audience interaction came when she paused to encourage the crowd to vote for her to win a Brit award via Twitter: an awkward moment in an otherwise slick production.