REVIEW: MAUDE LATOUR @ PARADISE ROCK CLUB 9/29
Review by Danielle Krantz (Photo Credit: Lola Lafia)
Selling out a showroom at the first stop on your first official tour is no easy feat, but American singer-songwriter Maude Latour proved herself as an upcoming superstar at Paradise Rock Club, Thursday Sept. 29. Performing songs from her new EP 001, which was released Thursday at midnight, Latour owned the stage and captivated the audience from her first song to her last.
Starting off the show with a bang, alt/pop artist from Nashville, TN, Maggie Miles set the tone. As she opened with her song “Indecent,” Miles’ strong vocals and clever lyrics told a story to the audience. Her band did not disappoint. A haunting piano accompanied her riveting voice and after just one song, she had the audience hooked. My personal favorite was “Asthma.” The dissonance and the lyrics really made the crowd go wild. I loved the lyrics and the guitar and Miles was a true pleasure to watch on stage. She is a force to be reckoned with so keep an eye out for Miles in the up and coming music scene.
Latour kicked off her What is This Feeling? tour with her song “Cyclone” to a crowd of people screaming the lyrics alongside her. Stepping out on stage next to a brightly-lit neon star, Latour sported a sparkly cropped shirt with a black bralette underneath and a matching water bottle. She told the audience it was her first time playing “Cyclone” and how excited she was for the tour. Her band matched her energy perfectly, owning the stage and working cohesively to provide a fine spun backing to her vocals.
The show’s atmosphere never faltered, even as Latour performed her new songs “001” and “‘Livin it.” I really enjoyed “001” as it sounded very different from her other discography. The song starts with an almost robotic sound, transitioning into lyrics that give an introspective look on exploration and self-expression, rather than focusing on love, like some of her other songs. Her audience was mostly college-aged folks, as Latour recently graduated from Columbia University herself. It seemed the audience really related to her lyrics, screaming along with each song she performed. Latour caters to Gen Z due to her clever and poppy lyrics and her “cool-girl” social media presence. One of my favorite lyrics is “maybe I’ve been lying to myself since last October / ’Cause I saw you ’cross the campus, and I wished it wasn’t over.” These types of lyrics is what made young adults fall in love with the artist, and she keeps on delivering them what they crave with her new EP, “001”
Latour was clearly born to perform and owned the stage with her confidence and charm. She involved the audience by splitting them in half and having them sing different parts in my personal favorite song by her “Trees.” A highlight of the show was when she performed her song “Lola,” as she talked about reproductive rights. The audience went nuts screaming her lyrics: “keep my girls protected, I’m turned on when I’m respected.”
Latour gave a clean, high energy show, with the lighting to match. Her energy never wavered, even as she gave an encore with “Furniture” and “Block Your Number.” Her clean, smooth vocals draw many comparisons to Lorde and although I agree, Latour continually sets herself apart from other artists as she rises in the music scene. Her strong fan base, talent and stage presence, all make Latour someone to watch for as the next pop superstar.