Photos by: Kevin Rawls

Ella Mai turned Houston-area Sugar Land’s Smart Financial Centre into an R&B haven on August 5th, balancing intimate vocals, sleek visuals, and a catalog built for singing along.

Returning three years after her Heart on My Sleeve tour stop, the South London singer gave H-Town a warm, emotionally charged night on the Do You Still Love Me? Tour. The night opened with the Mississippi southern belle, Girlfriend, easing the R&B lovers into the night with her single ‘OG’ from her 2026 album, Honey Water. Girlfriend proudly represented the Dirty South and her love for Houston. Reeling the audience in, she took the crowd down a nostalgic sing-along to Tamia’s “So Into You” cover before moving into one of her top singles, “Can’t Explain It.” She followed with the sultry vocals from her singles “Sticky Situation” and “Your Love,” before ending her set with “Emergency.”

Keeping the sensational vibes going, London singer-songwriter Ama opened her set with an intimate alternative single “Tried Up.” She described a push-and-pull dynamic with a previous lover before diving into a more direct, moodier R&B performance with “Be For Real” from her 2026 self-titled album Ama. Turning up the heat, Ama served a flirtatious performance filled with sexy confidence and desire for “Holding Back,” making a seductive invitation for lovers to act on their mutual attraction on a string melody and an early-2000’s club beat. Followed by her 2021 single “Trust Nobody,” which embodies the message of guarding your heart and peace when vulnerability has no safe place to land. In a common and relatable scenario, Ama made it known that a fake, disingenuous “friend” trying to slide out of the “Friend Zone” to shoot their shot never had a chance. A standout moment closing out her set, Ama paid homage to North London in a nostalgic acapella, detailing her roots, identity, and personal growth.

The opening acts built suspense, charging the atmosphere with an electric anticipation for headliner Ella Mai. Instrumentals swelled throughout the venue before the drapes slowly parted, revealing the star of the night center stage on a sleek, modern white lounge chair, illuminated by a beam of light. Around her, a garden-inspired set framed her live band consisting of drummer Jermaine Poindexter, guitarist DJawaun Diggs, keys arranger Josh Isaac, bass guitar and synth bassist Jamahl Smith, with supporting vocalists Bryson Camper and Taylor Green. As slow flickering lights moved in time with snapping percussion, Ella Mai opened with “There Goes My Heart,” filling the venue with knocking bass and vulnerable vocals, opening the audience’s hearts to an emotional R&B evening. This was just the beginning of her treat to Houston.

She rocked the stage with “100,” “My Mind,” and “Hearts on Deck.” Performing from her EP 3, Ella Mai tore the stage down with “One Of These,” sampling the

notorious drum beat from Cee Lo Green and Timbaland’s 2003 single, “I’ll Be Around.” An instrumental intermission set the scene for another chapter of the night. Crashing cymbals, guitar riffs, escalating melodic keys, and deep bass breakdowns echoed throughout the venue. Ella Mai took the crowd back to her Heart On My Sleeve era. Taking the crowd even further back, Ella Mai sang from her DJ Mustard-produced CHANGE EP track “10,000 Hours.”

Afterward, the lights turned low, casting Ella Mai in moonlike imagery for an authentic, stripped-down performance of “Naked.” The passionate Scorpio then ushered in a new era with captivating instrumentals and a blue-and-green dreamscape behind her for “Luckiest Man.” Her set continued with newer material, including “Might Just,” “Tell Her,” “Outside,” “Somebody’s Son,” and “Bonus.”

Of course, Ella Mai could not leave H-Town without performing “Boo’d Up,” her RIAA Platinum, 16-week No. 1 R&B/Hip-Hop breakthrough hit. Eight years later, the song remains a classic: not a single person sat down, and the entire venue sang along like a church choir. She closed with powerful performances of “Trip” and “Little Things,” naming Houston her favorite Texas tour stop and leaving love back in the atmosphere.

Ella Mai’s performance resonated because she never treated the show like a routine catalog checklist; everything was intentional and passionate. Her smooth, controlled vocals gave the newer material the same emotional depth as her fan favorites, allowing the audience to reflect on their own ideas of love, longing, confidence, and vulnerability. By the end of the night, the connection between Ella Mai and Houston felt less like an artist-to-fan transaction and more like a long, deep conversation among friends.