By Chloe Morris
With a fantastic blend of comfort and country – Katy J Pearson is an artist you should really get to know. I was able to catch her enchanting performance at SWX, Bristol on the 29th of November, while she’s currently touring her recent album ‘Someday, Now’.
As soon as I arrived, anticipation filled the venue, the only kind that comes with a hometown show. I immediately noticed the calmness in the air which was unfamiliar.
This relaxed environment felt welcoming and inviting giving a sense that no matter where you would be stood in the room, Pearson’s performance would still be able to reach you.
After the incredible Dana Gavanski opened, setting the tone for the evening with a blissful journey through their impressive vocals, Pearson entered the stage. Backlit, she instantly captured the audience’s attention with the simplicity and smoothness of her voice – that was all that was needed to create a night to remember.
The evening was full of earthy and raw undertones, perfectly compelled by the ensemble, but the occasional upbeat trumpet played by the talented Freddie Wordsworth, broke the crowd into dance.
As the performance continued, the stage lighting beautifully reflected the delicacy of her performance creating a mystical and dreamy visual for you to enjoy.
Pearson’s great stage presence also shone through, and it seems to come so naturally to her, reflecting how truly comfortable she is being on stage with a guitar in her hand.
When briefly pausing to tune her guitar, she interacted with the audience and accepted a ‘lucky pebble’ from crowd member, Paul, who mentioned it was to help bring her ‘every success’. Moments like these truly make nights like these so memorable.
Her penultimate song ‘Tonight’ saw a final burst of energy and was a crowd favourite, most joining in with the lyrics. A couple in front of me embraced as they sang along, summing up the whole evening for me – Pearson’s performance was like a warm comforting hug, her voice is easy to listen to for hours and the upbeat trumpet makes you want to dance with joy.
Katy’s third studio album ‘Someday, Now’ was released earlier this year and was highly praised for its “sublime vocals and creative confidence” (Dawson, 2024).
If you’ve sadly missed the opportunity to see Pearson this year, she will be performing at in London at KOKO, on the 5th of February 2025 – a night you will definitely not want to miss.
Works Cited:
Dawson, N., 2024. Album Review Katy J Pearson – Someday, Now. [Online]
Available at: https://diymag.com/review/album/katy-j-pearson-someday-now [Accessed 3rd December 2024]
Alfie Dook