TJ Davis - Live Sonic R Soundtrack Concert - Sonic EXPO 2024

About 2 weeks back, Sonic EXPO Dallas had a very rare concert event on saturday evening, where TJ Davis herself, the original 1997 lead singer for the Sonic R soundtrack, performed the entire OST live.


THERE IS NO AUDIO ON THIS VIDEO FOR THE FIRST MINUTE, AFTER THAT, IT WORKS FINE. JUST SKIP AHEAD!

There have been a few video recordings online of this event, but this one (which is not mine, btw) by far has the best audio of any versions where you can hear TJ's singing the most clearly. I attended this concert in person as part of a press group for the event, but I figured an event as cool as this one deserves its own thread, especially here in Sonic Retro since Sonic R was the tail end of the retro era. Overall Sonic Expo Dallas was a mid sized, but quickly growing con with a lot of good guests showing up, and this was absolutely a highlight for the weekend!

This isn't the only time TJ has come back in person recently, but it's the only time she's sang the entire OST live. Last time was Sonic Symphony London in late September, with composed Richard Jacques also showing up...


Overall, she does an excellent job. As a solo singer doing a live performance, her singing isn't an exact match for the OST, but it's very close, and she still sounds excellent all around even 27 years later! And at a few points where it's different, she does some cool very improvising and clearly loves doing it. Most notable is the new additions she does for the end of "Work it Out". The entire audience was singing along with her for much of the concert, as one would expect, and the room was near full to capacity for this one.

For those who would love a remastered 2024 version of the Sonic R OST, consider this the closest thing to it we've had so far. If SEGA wanted to get her back to do it, I'm sure she could absolutely do it in a studio setting with top notch mixing.

Edit: Per another tip I've been given, TJ had one more rather rare live performance that's still on tape, from 2008. Only a bit of it is online, but you can hear it here.