Review: LA Embraces Delilah Montagu With First Sold Out Show
☆ BY Faith Luevanos ☆
AS A PRE-EXISTING FAN OF Delilah Montagu and her craft, I was thrilled when I received the opportunity to see her perform her very first show since moving to Los Angeles. The show was held at The Morrocan Lounge, the perfect intimate setting for what was about to come.
When she arrived on stage, you could immediately feel her warm and inviting energy no matter where in the room you were standing. The audience packed in tightly, ready to be blown away by her artistry. She was accompanied by bassist Emily Retsas and drummer/vocalist Chloe Saavedra, two incredible women who truly helped bring the show to life.
Montagu began her set playing her acoustic guitar, strumming softly as she began to perform her first EP release as an independent artist, “The Bird”. From the very first note she sang, the audience was hooked. Her angelic vocals were captivating paired with her lovely band, so I was shocked when she told the audience that they had only two rehearsals prior to the show. That truly was a testament to how talented all of them are as artists.
The set was very lighthearted and playful in between songs, Montagu was very transparent with her emotions and humble, which allowed her personality to shine through her set. There were casual jokes and banter between her and the audience which allowed the wall between artist and fan to be broken and the venue feeling like a group of friends.
Throughout her set, she played songs from her new EP as well as older fan favorites. The setlist felt very personal to her, and she shared stories about some of the songs that impacted her the most. For example, she performed a beautiful song that was dedicated to the memory of her friend’s father which had the audience on the verge of tears (me included). There really was such a magnetic force surrounding Montagu as she performed, she made the crowd feel the moment that we were all in, almost as if we were frozen in the most peaceful moment in time.
For those who aren’t familiar, Montagu has worked with highly acclaimed DJ’s such as Fred Again.. and David Guetta. As she transitioned from her acoustic to her keyboard, she shared the story of how her infamous collaboration with Fred Again.., “Delilah (pull me out of this)” came to be. She happened to go out to a club with some friends one night and after a while, she realized she was having a terrible time. Feelings of anxiety took over from being in the crowd and all she wanted in that moment was to leave and go home. When she finally got home, she sat down to write about the emotions she was experiencing and the original song was born. She also shared how amazed she was by the fact that when she first wrote the song, she was going through feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Now, it’s a song that people dance to, hug their loved ones to, and enjoy in a completely different way.
She proceeded to sing the acoustic version of the iconic song, and the audience could immediately feel those raw emotions that are attached to it. Hearing the song on a much more intimate scale was a beautiful moment that I’ll never forget. You could hear members of the audience singing quietly, just enough to connect with Montagu but also giving her the space to sing to her fans.
As the show progressed and the night drew to a close, Montagu took some time to thank the audience and all her loved ones for being there. She stated, “I know I’m not receiving an award, but I feel like I need to say a couple thank you’s.” Her kindness filled the room as she thanked all the people that brought her to that very point in her life. It was a beautiful thing to witness her fans, family, and friends all there together in one room to share such a special night together. She performed two final songs after that, both a beautiful conclusion to end the most lovely night.
