Manchester-born singer-songwriter Lusaint will headline at Olympia’s newly restored Pillar Hall this Saturday (14 November). Her show launches a festive run of live jazz, soul and R&B that takes the West London landmark all the way to New Year’s Eve.
Lusaint has racked up more than 250 million streams worldwide and has performed alongside RAYE, Tom Grennan and Michael Kiwanuka. She is known for her smoky vocals and her fusion of jazz, soul, blues and contemporary pop, and is one of the UK’s most exciting emerging artists. Her Saturday night show will be at Idalia, Pillar Hall’s Michelin Guide-listed restaurant. It gives fans a rare chance to hear a voice made for big stages in a remarkably intimate setting.
Her performance is the centrepiece of Live at Idalia, a new programme of Friday and Saturday night shows that brings British and international talent to the venue in the run-up to Christmas. London-born singer and pianist Jordan Jackson opens the season the night before, on Friday 13 November. She has played the EFG London Jazz Festival and Crazy Coqs and opened for Incognito and Omar, and she returns on 19 December.
Imaani performs on Friday 4 December. The Incognito vocalist and 1998 Eurovision runner-up had a UK Top 20 hit with Where Are You? and has worked with Gloria Gaynor and Beverley Knight. Glasgow-raised Georgia Cécile follows on Saturday 12 December. She won both UK Jazz Act of the Year and Vocalist of the Year at the 2022 Jazz FM Awards and has toured with Gregory Porter. Rising London singer-songwriter Amethyst, who has been supported by Jamie Cullum and BBC Radio 1Xtra, plays on 11 December. Mari Songs, the resident performer at Annabel’s, plays on 18 December.
The year closes with a New Year’s Eve special featuring Jordan Jackson and New Orleans-born soul singer Acantha Lang. Lang’s debut album, Beautiful Dreams, reached No. 3 on the Official UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart. The £175-per-person dinner includes three courses and a glass of bubbles, and celebrations run until 1am.
The building has its own history. Pillar Hall was built in 1886 for concerts, balls and exhibitions. Restaurateur Des Gunewardena, founder of D3 Collective and former CEO of D&D London, has reimagined the Grade II* listed hall as a 30,000 sq ft destination for dining, drinks and music. It is the first hospitality opening in Olympia’s £1.3 billion regeneration. In the 1960s and 70s the area hosted Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, and Live at Idalia aims to bring that musical spirit back for a new generation.
Idalia recently won at the 2026 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards for its maximalist interiors of marble columns, soaring ceilings and lush planting. Executive Chef Samantha Williams and Executive Pastry Chef Lorena Tommasi lead its modern British menu, which features dishes such as lobster linguine and Sicilian pistachio cheesecake. After dinner, guests can head downstairs to Pepperbird, a hidden 50-cover speakeasy with burgundy banquettes and antique mirrors. Selected late sets play there from 9.30pm.
Regular shows start at 7.30pm.Tables can be booked at pillarhall.co.uk/idalia. The nearest station is Kensington (Olympia).
