British indie-electronic singer and multi instrumentalist Låpsley took the stage at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco last night to deliver a powerful and emotional performance that captivated an already attentive audience. Her ethereal vocals paired with ambient electronic beats to fill the air with memories of heartbreak, hope, and passion. At just 20 years old, Låpsley possesses a uniquely impressive capability of connecting with the audience. Her performance was raw and real: she laughed at herself, cracking jokes about how sweaty she got on stage. She gestured to her simple plaid dress, laughing about how she got “dolled up” for San Francisco. These personal asides showed she was just a person – a person with pipes that could bring the house down.
The first half of her set focused on her slower ballads including “Tell Me the Truth,” “Heartless,” and “Painter”, a song she wrote and released at the age of 17. Låpsley was accompanied by a percussionist and two synth players who were unsung heroes of the show. San Francisco was the penultimate stop on her Long Way Home tour, and the chemistry of everyone on stage was palpable. The heavy basslines delivered by the synth players were perfectly accompanied by piercing bells that sang through the theater, all helping to elevate Låpsley’s angelic vocals.
A standout moment occurred when Låpsley spoke about 3 key inspirations in her life: her mother, Joni Mitchell, and Kate Bush. She explained the influence they had on her and her sound before diving into a breathtaking cover of Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work” (listen here). The production throughout Låpsley’s show, which was based off of a tattoo of hers, remained relatively lowkey throughout most of the set before exploding into light for her final songs and encore performance. She closed her main set with “Station,” which was an absolute treat for the audience as they were able to see Låpsley’s musical prowess as she switched between two microphones with different voice effects, simultaneously looping her voice and harmonizing with herself. Låpsley sent the audience into a disco dancing furry with an encore of her hit “Operator” before closing with “Hurt Me,” affirming that she has undeniable talent and will continue to move audiences for years to come.
The first half of her set focused on her slower ballads including “Tell Me the Truth,” “Heartless,” and “Painter”, a song she wrote and released at the age of 17. Låpsley was accompanied by a percussionist and two synth players who were unsung heroes of the show. San Francisco was the penultimate stop on her Long Way Home tour, and the chemistry of everyone on stage was palpable. The heavy basslines delivered by the synth players were perfectly accompanied by piercing bells that sang through the theater, all helping to elevate Låpsley’s angelic vocals.
A standout moment occurred when Låpsley spoke about 3 key inspirations in her life: her mother, Joni Mitchell, and Kate Bush. She explained the influence they had on her and her sound before diving into a breathtaking cover of Kate Bush’s “This Woman’s Work” (listen here). The production throughout Låpsley’s show, which was based off of a tattoo of hers, remained relatively lowkey throughout most of the set before exploding into light for her final songs and encore performance. She closed her main set with “Station,” which was an absolute treat for the audience as they were able to see Låpsley’s musical prowess as she switched between two microphones with different voice effects, simultaneously looping her voice and harmonizing with herself. Låpsley sent the audience into a disco dancing furry with an encore of her hit “Operator” before closing with “Hurt Me,” affirming that she has undeniable talent and will continue to move audiences for years to come.