Impressive Session With Badu

Erykah Badu, the high priestess of hip-hop soul, has already captivated much of the pop world with “Baduizm,” her beautifully seductive debut album, which features a lulling mix of jazzy soul, Egyptian spiritualism and lyrics that speak on subjects ranging from reincarnation to cultural oppression.

On the album, which ranks among the nation’s Top 10 sellers, the 26-year-old Texas native’s voice recalls a litany of heralded soul singers from Esther Phillips to Chaka Khan, but Badu, remarkably, maintains a sound and style all her own.

On stage for more than an hour Monday night at the House of Blues, she proved that her album’s success is no fluke. Indeed, her voice has a strength and a range that the recorded versions of her songs--including the infectious hit single “On & On”--only hint at.

She opened her set subtly, weaving her way through the playful “Rimshot” before closing her eyes and singing the compelling “Otherside of the Game” with show-stopping verve, frequently holding a note for dramatic effect.

When she moved from her own songs to some remakes, including the Mary Jane Girls’ hit “All Night Long” and Roy Ayers’ celebrated “Searching,” she was even more engrossing. She made the songs all her own, showing off her dynamic range like a gymnast flipping through a floor exercise routine.

Even though it was 1:30 a.m. by the time Badu ended the set with her new hit single “Next Lifetime,” the audience would have been willing to spent another hour with her. Badu, the latest in a spectacularly gifted wave of soul singers that also includes Maxwell and D’Angelo, has emerged with breathtaking speed as the leader of the movement.