Fifth Harmony concert a tweenage dream

Looks are deceiving. Bea Miller can’t be many inches over 5 feet tall, but boy, can this teenager belt out the tunes.

The 16-year-old X Factor alum showed off a ripe set of pipes as one of the acts on Fifth Harmony’s Reflection: The Summer Tour Wednesday night at The Fillmore.

What’s her secret?

“I try to just chill out and focus and not think of getting out there in front of all those people,” Bea said before the concert. “And once I’m out there, I feel great. A lot of my family is here from New Jersey. Plus, when I look out and I see all those faces in the audience, they inspire me.”

Yes, lots of the screaming mouths belonged to tweenagers who can’t get enough of headliners Fifth Harmony, fellow X Factor-ers who have blown up in the last year or so with such pop songs as Worth It and Sledgehammer.

“They are just so awesome,” said Brianna LaFauci, of Pembroke Pines. The 14-year-old calls herself the all-female group’s “biggest fan.”

A surprise guest at The Fillmore was Flo Rida, who popped up on stage with Somebody singer Natalie La Rose. The two are friends as well as coworkers; the Dutch songstress signed a recording contract with the local rapper’s record label, International Music Group, two years ago.

“Put your hands in the air!” commanded Flo, pumping up the crowd even more than they already were.

Another performer was Jessie star Debby Ryan and her band The Never Ending. Ryan’s preparation routine consisted of “popping a Zyrtec,” to keep sinus issues at bay.

“We were just in Jacksonville, and my throat was getting itchy, but I should be OK,” said the singer/actress who is originally from Alabama.

As for Bea, big things are happening. Her debut album, Not An Apology, was released this week. Fire N Gold and Young Blood are probably the most recognizable, even for adults, because the powerfully catchy summer anthems are constantly played on pop radio.

No one is more aware of that fact than Bea.

“I mean, it’s so surreal to hear yourself. I had to kind of do a double take. Like, is that really me?”

The phenom’s dream collaboration: Ed Sheeran. “He is so talented,” said Bea of the British A Team crooner. “And he seems to down to earth and cool to work with. I hope he reads this article.”

MADELEINE MARR

This story was originally published July 30, 2015 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Fifth Harmony concert a tweenage dream."