Jae Stephens makes music for heartbreakers.
That much was true for the Los Angeles-based pop and R&B singer during her Lollapalooza debut Saturday on the BMI stage, where she sang odes to keeping a roster of men for options — and loving and leaving without regard.
“Which one should I choose today? Switch ’em out like shoes today,” she sang on her single “SMH,” with a sly smile to the delight of the crowd, who erupted when Stephens brought out Chicago’s very own Shea Couleé to snap into fierce choreography alongside her.
Songs like “Him&Him&Him” had a bubbly lightness reminiscent of SWV’s 1998 classic “So Into You,” though Stephens’ was a little less tender — “I never save their numbers, just here for the summer,” she sang while popping on stage. And her song “Precious” had a bounce that conjured images of Ciara.
In response to the loud cheers for her, Stephens appeared to get emotional onstage, before clicking back into stunt mode.
Stephens and two backup dancers hit their marks, dedicating choreo to each song while Stephens kept singing without a hint of sounding winded, as if she trained at the Destiny’s Child academy for pop’s next big star.
In reality, Stephens, 29, has cut her teeth in the music industry and as a performer, releasing several mixtapes and writing songs for the likes of Jennifer Lopez.
Clocking in at just 30 minutes, Stephens felt deserving of a larger stage, longer set time and more hearts to break.