Toward the latter days of Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles’ music with that duo began to become just a little too pop-y for traditional country fans. This is not to say much of what gets played on contemporary radio isn’t also too close to pop most of the time; but in Nettles’ case, with that fine country voice of hers, it was really starting to sound like a waste of some really good talent.

Nettles’ recent show at The Wiltern, as part of the Next Women Of Country Tour, found the country girl singing much more like a true country girl. She topped a talented lineup that also included performances by Brandy Clark, Lindsay Ell and Tara Thompson.

With a stage backdrop that sometimes resembled a fiery wall, Nettles opened with one called “Playing with Fire,” and also included Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” in the set along the way. She included a few Sugarland favorites along the way, of course, including “Baby Girl” and “Stay.” She was even joined by Richard Marx to sing a duet on his “Don’t Mean Nothing,” noting that this special duet is the kind of thing that could only happen in Los Angeles.

Backed by a band that included a steel guitar player right in the middle of the group, Nettles sang confidently and powerfully throughout the night. She didn’t talk a whole lot, and mainly stuck to focusing on the music. It’s not surprising Nettles has a second solo album on the way, as she was always the main front person, trumping partner Kristian Bush, with Sugarland. Not to knock Bush, but Nettles just always had the most star quality in that duo.

Although she’s never been a particularly spiritual artist, Nettles sang a sincere and convincing “Salvation Works.” With its line about how every sinner has a future, and every saint has a past, is always timely. It’s important for all religious people to remember these words; Christianity is all about God's grace, after all.

She may have sung some throwaway songs, like “Stuck Like Glue,” with Sugarland, but she looks and sounds like a much more serious artist these days – someone to be reckoned with. Her performance at The Wiltern should make her fans excited to hear the new music she’s been cooking up.

Maybe it took that separation from Sugarland to convince Nettles to get so much more serious. Whatever the cause, we can all be happy that Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves no longer need to carry the torch of wonderful female country music any longer. Nettles made it clear this night that’s she’s arrived.