Live Review: Jason Derulo Talks Dirty in Perth
By Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
Jason Derulo, 23rd of September 2026 – The Last Dance World Tour at the RAC Arena
In under 60 seconds…
Jason Derulo is one of the decade’s most prominent contemporary artists, with a discography spanning 17 years. Like the performers who came before him and those he has since influenced, he pulses with energy that’s rated beyond PG. The stage is packed with dancers wearing high-cut, thong-style bodysuits with minimal coverage across the back, and delivering high-impact choreography. The stage is hotter than the tickers to the upcoming Grand Final. Go Freo!
Away from his family-friendly television persona, Derulo reveals a more provocative alter ego in a performance that feels like a scene from a teasing nightclub. As he performs, he moves in precise synchrony with a troupe of sensual, energetic dancers. The chemistry on stage generates so much of steam, that it delivers a Vegas-style burlesque on steroids.
However teasing the dancers may be, Derulo remains the centre of gravity. With the power, agility and stature of a sprinter, he draws the dancers towards him and commands the stage. After all, the artist, who has sold more than a quarter of a billion singles and records since 2009, is both a formidable vocalist and poetry in motion. On The Last Dance tour, – named after the last EP release, Derulo celebrates almost twenty years of stardom.
And yes, he sings bloody well live as well while doing all of the above.
Here is a closer look at how the night unfolded.
At 8.30 pm, the show began with a dramatic spoken introduction that set a dark, defiant tone.
“January 1, 2025, the Year of the Snake… They thought they could kill me in silence. They mistook my patience for weakness. They only saw the parts of me that were easy to bury, the version that died. But death was just the beginning. What died in the shadows was not the end. The kinder version of me is gone. The old me was sacrificed, and from the darkness, something unbreakable stood up. They became the fire that made me…”
Indeed, framed by the Year of the Snake, the monologue casts the show as Derulo’s rebirth. Like a snake shedding its skin, he leaves behind the kinder, more vulnerable version of himself and emerges as a stronger, seemingly unbreakable alter ego. Those who tried to silence or undermine him have not destroyed him. Instead, they have fuelled the fire behind the commanding figure about to take the stage.
Darkness awakens into an inferno.
Too Sexy for Me began with Derulo standing high at the back of the platform as pounding beats were punctuated by bursts of fire and smoke that filled the stage. Dressed entirely in black, he settled into the choreography before joining the dancers on the main stage. Their movements were seductive and suggestive yet controlled. The female dancers circled Derulo like an amorous force, sometimes in groups of five. Their outfits resembled revealing gymnastics costumes, but with bare bottoms and nude fishnet tights and glossy black thigh-high boots completed the futuristic loo. There were more bare backsides than at an adult cabaret, and the spectacle was steamy enough to leave the crowd needing a breather.
Flames erupted in time with the beat, adding to the sultry atmosphere. Under the lights and amid the relentless movement, sweat poured from the performers as the intensity rose. The choreography frequently used deep bends and provocative poses.
The male dancers delivered choreography reminiscent of a gymnastics floor routine, combining Michael Jackson-style kicks with twisting somersaults. They moved through a stage packed with props without ever losing momentum or precision.
As for Jason, if rhythm is a catalyst, then Derulo is the dancer. His twirls and spins are as fluid as a ballerina’s, almost as though he’s gliding on skates. After all, the American performer is a trained dancer, with a strong technical foundation and professional choreography experience dating back to childhood.
We see elements of jazz, hip-hop, and street dance reflected throughout the work of his crew. Trained in Florida and New York, Derulo worked as a choreographer before becoming a recording artist and also performed in theatre productions. That background is evident in the confidence and range he brings to the stage.
The choreography is tight and precise, sustaining both high energy and strong visual impact. Even the most athletic sequences feel polished rather than chaotic.
When Wiggle arrives, the movement becomes increasingly intense and high-impact, just as the title suggests. The number develops like a scene from a dance film, with the choreography driving a clear visual storyline against the digital backdrop. It feels cinematic, explosive, and carefully staged.
But we mainly came for the singing, and Derulo delivers with control and brilliant timing as he shifts between high-energy choreography and more emotive vocal moments. His breath control remains impressive during the most demanding movements. Naturally, he appears to move between fully live and mixed vocals during the intense dance numbers. High-energy hits such as Wiggle, Swalla, and Tip Toe blend live singing with backing tracks to accommodate the choreography. In these moments, the focus is on rhythm, spectacle, and interaction, particularly with the dancers.
By the time Ta Ta Ta begins, we have entered “Derulo’s Jungle”. A huge digital sign dominates the screens and appears to rise upwards, while lush plant imagery fills the set. The dancers, dressed in leopard-print outfits, cluster closely together to complete the wild, immersive scene.
Derulo’s more sensitive side emerges during It Girl, Complicated, a remix of Avril Lavigne’s smash hit. The set also includes crowd favourites such as Take You Dancing and Airplanes, keeping the arena engaged as the show moves between polished pop spectacle and more intimate moments.
One of the night’s favourite moments comes during Savage Love, when Derulo performs two versions: the familiar studio arrangement and a slower interpretation. The faster version brings a reggae party atmosphere to RAC Arena. It is followed by a stripped-back rendition in which he sings the ad-lib “You can love me, girl”, a variation heard in some live acoustic arrangements. As Derulo riffs and adds extra lines, he turns the song into a showcase for his vocal agility. His soaring falsetto fills the arena during the latter, bringing the house down and giving the audience one of the night’s clearest displays of his vocal range.
Derulo is known for reshaping his songs in acoustic radio performances, slowed-down TikTok versions, VIP lounge sets, and occasional tour arrangements. Here, the beat of the slower version is stripped back, and the tempo is nearly halved, allowing him to sing fully live. The improvised ad-libs, including “You can love me, girl”, feel hypnotic. His floating falsetto is utterly brilliant and delivers a genuine goosebump moment as Derulo rips this tank top/
Derulo again proves that he can truly sing at the highest notes during the introduction to Don’t Wanna Go Home. He performs with sensual restraint, adding another ad-lib and reaching into a high falsetto as his voice echoes across the arena. On the screens, his silhouette appears in dark shadows, beside that of a woman – all played against a vivid red backdrop. The moment is sensual, stylish, and visually striking, as if we are watching a scene from 007.
Derulo embraces the crowd with The Other Side, sustaining the sense of connection before the show surges into its final dance-heavy stretch.
We then enter the “Derulo Volcano”, an even more dance-driven set that begins with You DJ, I’ll Drive. By this point, RAC Arena feels like the biggest nightclub in the Southern Hemisphere, with the crowd moving as one beneath the sweeping lights. Phones lights were waving like creatures of the night.
The pace remains relentless through Breathing, leaving us huffing and puffing along with the performers, before the entire arena erupts for Talk Dirty. It is a fitting peak for a show built on rhythm, movement, and spectacle.
The massive night closes with Want to Want Me, followed by the final number, Mi Chico and by then, the night has attained a multiple pleasure.
It is an energetic finish to a production that showcases Derulo as a dancer, vocalist, and consummate pop entertainer.
One of Derulo’s biggest fans, 24-year-old Shania Samuels, arrived at 9 am and waited in line with a sign that read, “My dream is to meet Jason Derulo.” After the show, she summed up the night in one word: “Legendary.” We couldn’t have said it better, Shania!
Jason Derulo is touring across Australia with his final stop is in Adelaide (25 September) and Auckland (27th September). Tickets are avaible from TEG Live
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank On The Map PR, TEG Live and Jason Derulo for the media accreditation.
Setlist – Jason Derulo – Perth – The Last Dance World Tour 2026
Sexy For Me — Nu King (2024)
Wiggle — Talk Dirty (2014)
Acapulco — Nu King (2024)
Whatcha Say — Jason Derülo (2010)
Marry Me — Tattoos (2013)
Ta Ta Ta (Remix) — Bayanni ft. Jason Derulo — Single (2023)
Mi Chico — Nu King (2024)
Swalla — Nu King (2024)
Komasava — Diamond Platnumz & Jason Derulo — Single (2024)
Tip Toe — Nu King (2024)
It Girl — Future History (2011)
Complicated — Nu King (2024)
Ridin’ Solo — Jason Derülo (2010)
Feeling Good — Nina Simone cover (1965 original)
Spicy Margarita — Nu King (2024)
Take You Dancing — Single (2020)
Jalebi Baby — Tesher x Jason Derulo — Single (2021)
Airplanes / Get Lucky — B.o.B / Daft Punk mashup
Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) — Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo — Single (2020)
Savage Love (Slow Version) — Alternate version (2020)
Don’t Wanna Go Home / Shots — LMFAO & Lil Jon cover
In My Head — Jason Derülo (2010)
Love Tonight — Shouse cover (2017)
The Other Side — Tattoos (2013)
LET ME BE — Nu King (2024)
Cheyenne — Everything Is 4 (2015)
Breathing — Future History (2011)
Trumpets — Tattoos (2013)
Talk Dirty — Talk Dirty (2014)
Want to Want Me — Everything Is 4 (2015)
Mi Chico — Nu King (2024) (reprise / closer
About Sheldon Ang Media: Sheldon Ang, photojournalist, writer and the founder of Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to over 250 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, Iron Maiden, RHCP and P!NK with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, UB40, Delta Goodrem, and Roxette. He has interviewed the late Ace Frehley (KISS), Suzi Quatro (Pic), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 100 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
