Rachael Yamagata 'Live' in Singapore
By Serene Ho
Despite nursing a bad cold throughout the whole show, singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata still managed to wow the audience with her affable personality and of course, her soulful and heartfelt croons. Performing together with a four man band, Rachael showed that she didn't need any fancy gimmicks or costume changes to keep the audience enraptured.
There was a song for everyone - songs for those about suffering from heartbreak, having secret liaisons with their lovers, starting a new relationship, and a song for those very much in love. In essence, in two hours, the dynamics of relationships were captured succinctly. While one might imagine it to be a quiet night with the piano as the main instrument, at interchangeable moments, Rachael also livened up the show by strumming and belting out on the guitar.
It was a treat as she gave new life and arrangements to each song as she poured her heart out on stage that night. Performing fan favorites like "Be Be Your Love", "Sunday Afternoon", "Over and Over", "Elephants", "Little Life", and "Worn Me Down", Rachael charmed the audience with her delightful girl next door persona, as she peppered her performance with little stories in between songs.
Stories such as how she "plagiarized" the opening for "Over and Over" from a trumpet-playing ghost she heard at 4am while up in the mountains recording, and how "Meet Me By The Water" was all about arranging to have a secret clandestine meet-up with a guy even though they were both attached - "only evil thoughts, but no evil deeds!" - as she very candidly professed to the audience.
With such gems, and together with the interaction and chemistry that Rachael shared with her band-mates, it made the whole show even more intimate, drawing close the bond between Rachael and the audience. There was much beauty in the emotions being evoked throughout the whole concert.
Her quirky nature also came forth as she generated much amusement and laughter while performing "Duet" which was originally sung together with American Singer-Songwriter Ray LaMontagne on her album.
Mimicking and humming Ray's part, this was in my opinion, one of the best performance from that night. Despite the slow contemplative feel of the song, it was quickly transformed to one that was spontaneous and fun as it evoked much comedic relief.
Ending off with her hit single "The Reason Why", there was a haunting hush to the whole concert hall as the first strains of "I think about how it might have been…." was sung. As Rachael's husky vocals soared, it was the perfect ending to a stellar concert that had been nothing but, full of heart and soul.
Setlist
Elephants
Be Be Your Love
What If I Leave
Little Life
Faster
Worn Me Down
Letter Read
Elephants Instrumental - Even So
Duet
Over and Over
Side Dish
Accident
Sunday Afternoon
Reason Why
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