New Jersey-born Adam Melchor opens the evening with a charming acoustic set. ‘Peach’ is a cute song about knowing you’re with someone who isn’t meant for you, but enjoying your moments anyway. His clear and powerful voice captures everyone’s attention, perfectly setting up the rest of the night.
Laufey glides onto stage in a dazzling pink dress to the delighted screams of her devotees. With a glittering array of lights as her backdrop, she moves into a fan favourite, ‘Falling Behind’, which lays out her journey as she moved from her home country Iceland to LA as a teenager. “Everybody’s falling in love and I’m falling behind,” resonates. Showcasing her many talents, Classically trained, Laufey performs ‘Beautiful Stranger’ with her cello, tipping her hat to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
Laufey takes a moment to encourage the crowd to make whatever music feels right to them. As an artist of a less conventional genre for her age, she felt pressured into not pursuing this style of music. However, her persistence is paying off, as only the week before she won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal. Laufey’s voice is the highlight of her music. It’s velvety and smooth and commands the complete attention of the entire room.
During ‘Best Friend’ she brings her twin sister, Junia, on stage, who accompanies her with a violin. A touching tribute to their relationship, it tells a story of two best friends who love each other dearly yet, still manage to drive each other insane. ‘Lovesick’ is another standout, where Laufey’s vocals are more powerful than her usual soft spoken style. It solidifies her versatility, and perhaps hints at her future direction.
She closes the night with Junia joining in on ‘From the Start’, followed by a two-song encore of ‘Letter to my 13-Year-Old Self’ and a cover of Mitzi Green’s ‘My Funny Valentine’. It finishes off this magical Valentine’s night, which the audience will remember for many Valentine’s to come.
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