MUSIC
Jacob Collier | Djesse World Tour ★★★★
Margaret Court Arena, December 13
Four brightly coloured trees glowed on stage and amped up a festive mood in the air, as Jacob Collier bounded into view wearing loose-fitting multicoloured pants and a radiant orange jacket.
Multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier performs on stage at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne during his Djesse World Tour on December 13, 2025.Credit: Richard Clifford
The lanky 31-year-old Londoner barely stopped bouncing about in his bright yellow Crocs for the next two hours, as his five-piece group shifted from silky jazz grooves to funky beats, classical flourishes and Collier’s self-styled gospel harmonies.
In the 345th and final performance of his epic Djesse World Tour, Collier frequently thanked the audience and showered affection on Melbourne, where he originally played in 2018 – the same year he released the first of four albums in the Djesse series.
Along the way, he’s won seven Grammy Awards, been hailed as a modern-day musical genius, and collaborated with the late composer Quincy Jones and Coldplay.
Original compositions Wherever I Go from Djesse Vol. 4, and Heaven (Butterflies) from Collier’s new and relatively stripped-back acoustic guitar album The Light For Days were hugely popular among the sold-out crowd.
Jacob CollierCredit: Richard Clifford
It’s anybody’s guess how legendary folk duo Simon and Garfunkel might feel about Collier’s deconstructed, spikey version of their 1970 song Bridge Over Troubled Water, but it typifies his bold approach to re-interpreting the classics.
A wonderful medley featuring Queen’s anthemic We Will Rock You, Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World, and The Beatles’ Blackbird featured the best example of Collier’s renowned, multi-part crowd harmonies, complete with joyous communal chirping.
In solo mode, inventive vocalist/guitarist and Hiatus Kaiyote frontwoman Nai Palm brought oodles of good cheer and cool vibes to her opening support slot and relished this hometown performance.
Delivering a heartfelt farewell to Melbourne, Collier shared a group hug with his bandmates, and closed out his remarkable Djesse phase with a rousing rendition of Queen’s Somebody to Love.
Reviewed by Martin Boulton
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