Matilda Mann is a superbly talented soft-voiced singer from west London. Her vocals are often reminiscent of Billie Eilish but with her own indie-folk-jazz spin. She has recently supported Dodie, Arlo Parks and The Staves, and has just embarked on her first headline UK tour, performing with a band for the first time. We were there for the opening night at Komedia in Brighton, a famous small venue, filled with an eager 300 or so crowd.
Matilda played 12 songs, selected from her three EPs, Because I Wanted You to Know, If That Makes Sense, her latest EP Sonder, and her latest release single “Four Leaf Dream”. Matilda has a wonderful lyrical skill in her songs, and her storytelling nature was clearly evident as she introduced almost every song with a little insight into the origin or meaning, which was really lovely to hear. The set also featured some new material, including “Nice” which Matilda told us is not a good word. If she’s asked how a date went and she replies ‘Nice’, its not a good sign. The lyric “I don’t like predictable, I swear I’ve done it all before, its… nice”. The song “Japan” inspired by binge watching “Gossip Girl” over lockdown, but instead of flying off to Paris, Matilda would imagine flying off to Japan. And the song “Glass Ceiling”, about a guy who dated a friend of hers and emphasised how much of a ‘feminist’ he was, but then ended it because she was “too independent”. Lovely storytelling of both real and imagined experiences, routed in her everyday life.
Highlights were the new songs, as well as “Lock Ness Monster”, “Doomsday”, “As It Is”, and Matilda‘s last song of the set “Bloom”. She is a very talented and endearing performer with huge potential.
Support came from Irish musician April, who had an infectious excitement on stage, and was great to watch. She is a very promising artist and clearly enjoyed by the crowd, particularly when her sequencer/drum machine had a technical glitch mid way though her last song, “ah, damn, that was the best bit”, laughing along with the crowd, very endearing.
Photos and words by Tony Palmer (@shot_by_tony).
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Keep up with April by following their socials: Facebook /// Instagram /// TikTok
