Words by Haley Papeo | Photos by Joe Papeo
Laufey bewitched the audience at her concert on May 10th, 2024—mind, body, and soul. At the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House, she delivered a sensational performance on the last night of “Bewitched: The Goddess Tour” in North America.
The red velvety seats and intricate gold accents scattered throughout The Met Phil allowed the crowd to divulge into the soulful jazz that her music offers. Her stage was illuminated by glittery twinkle lights and color-changing LEDs which immersed the crowd into her world. A beautiful black piano sat centerstage, an orchestra quartet on the right, drumkit, and bass player on the left.
The 25-year-old singer-songwriter opened the show with ‘While You Were Sleeping’ a dreamy ballad. Similar to her next song —“Valentine”—a romantic uptempo song detailing her feelings on finding love. Laufey closed this part of the show with “Second Best”, a melancholic array of lyrics and string orchestration.
The singer then read a fan’s sign from the crowd, stating it was the fan’s birthday. Then, she signed an autograph, got a rose, and called the opening band, Wasia Project, onto the stage to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the fan and the lead singer of Wasia Project. After, Laufey and Wasia Project sang her song “Falling Behind” together.
Her jazz influences were apparent in the song “Dreamer”, an upbeat, euphoric song that utilizes an upright bass and her voice as the main instruments. She radiated positivity and a love of her craft throughout her performance.
Laufey, a classically trained cellist, plays the cello for “I Wish You Love” and “Beautiful Stranger”, the former, originally performed by Keely Smith. The instrument brought an intimate, cozy feeling to the show. String instruments were highlighted during the songs “Like the Movies / Misty” throughout the set list until “California and Me” ends, enhancing the emotions that her songs inflicted on the audience.
“Fragile”, was a bossa-nova-inspired song with flowing harmonies that cascaded into the next one, and sandwiched between the two songs of the tour’s namesake. “Bewitched” is the title track of her sophomore album, and “Goddess” is the second title track on the deluxe version, “Bewitched: The Goddess Edition”. Laufey unraveled herself to the audience – the song is raw and aching, detailing themes of idealism, the repercussions of fame, and anger.
Laufey’s songwriting showcased motifs of love, heartbreak, and yearning. All the more enhanced by her emotive performance, voice, and instrumentals. The second to last song was “Bored”, also from the deluxe album, which expressed feelings of becoming sick of an overzealous lover. The last song, “From The Start”, was an energetic crowd favorite. She brought her similarly classically trained twin sister, Junia Lin onto stage to play the violin, which was a perfect way to end the night.
Laufey’s lyricism and relatability were scattered throughout the set. The encore “Letter To My 13-Year-Old Self” was a prime example of her relatable lyricism, revealing different insecurities that she has about herself. She shed them all in a positive light, signaling to her predominantly young and female fanbase that her quirks make her into the performer that she is today.
Laufey is a show-stopping and mystifying performer who aims to bring a new generation into jazz music. The passion she showcased throughout her performance was apparent in most aspects of the show, such as the instrumentation, the atmosphere, her vocals, and her songwriting. Overall, it was a great ending to the electrifying run of “Bewitched: The Goddess Tour” in North America.
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TheWaster.com | Philly
5.13.24
