Can't believe Ingrid Michaelson finally finally came to Singapore =) Was looking forward to finally watching her show after a long day! And it definitely sparkled up my nights, with high notes, sombre cooing, and not to mention the tummy-tickling laughs she gave me from her witty jokes. Her confidence and comfort on stage made her a true star in her own skin, donning a curious looking outfit of stockings and boots, topped with a shirt that had a tail, and short shorts. " Those at the back, if you can't se, I'd just like to point out that I'm wearing shorts" she joked, just in case those at the back thought she was being skimpy! On the contrary. Her ukelele strumming came off strong, like a march, filling the auditorium with a full sound of her memorable melodies. I felt as though I had just been whisked off into a box of sound =D (pardon the blur photos, I really ought to get a proper camera :D)
Fun fact: Ingrid Michaelson has a degree in theatre, and used to be part of a comedy group. Shes a pro-comedian!
She performed songs from her old album and new one, perfectly hitting all the notes like a pro, keeping the hopeful vibe her music does by singing songs like "Do it now", "parachute" and "giving up. She also did one of my top favorites "corner of your heart", ending in a note that seemed to go on forever. DREAMY!
On stage with her was a brilliant set-up, backed by two talented female singer songwriters themselves, harmonising in perfect sync, and the guitars seemed to shadow each other, creating one same sound of perfect blending. Usually instruments can be heard singularly and separated, but they matched up so well! Donned in black and high heels, I definitely thought they were badass! =) Her two backups were Allie Moss,
checkout a song here, and Bess Rogers,
checkout a song here.
Living in New York, she narrated the story of how she'd take the train to Manhatten every morning to record her album and would b in a great mood, whilst others would look downright dreary and depressed, and recounted how one time, during winter and all bundled up in jackets, she was snuggled up with another girl in the subway because it was so crowded that they got squished up next to each other! and she was comfortably cuddling the other girl all the way. Finally when she reached her stop, she got off and wanted to say goodbye but the other girl had looked away. And so, in a time capsule, she shared a wonderful snuggle with a stranger. In contrast, a snobby teenager had 'accidentally' (Ingrid insists it was on purpose) knocked Ingrid's coffee out her mitten and onto the snow and she just felt so sad, unable to do anything about it, and ending up lying in bed thinking of the bajillion things she could've said or done, imagining herself as a superhero and towering threateningly over! HAHA but anyway, so instead of being nasty, why can't everyone just be nice to one another? So that's the story behind her song, "blood brothers". I guess another thing about Ingrid that I love, is that her music always has that tone of hope, like tomorrow's always going to be better. Another chance to try. =)
Here's the youtube, which i loved too, she dresses up as Marilyn Manson and Lady Gaga. Rather cool.
Ingrid wooed the crowd with her jokes, then seemed to jump right into her sad song "Ghost" just by flipping her hair, which she says gets her into her sad mood. Her ability to focus after telling jokes was amazing, delivering her song with such strong emotional zest, and fully conveying the melancholic messages of that song, hitting all the notes, and holding the pauses and keeping the audience captive. Then hops back into jokes on how terrified she was that the bubblegum-police were going to throw her in jail for popping gum, and imagined us Singaporeans with bubblegum addictions, rushing home to stuff ourselves with gum and when finally, frothing and foaming at the mouth and satisfied, we'd pass out happily haha! She even did some improvising on creating her own Singaporean song, complete with snapping of tha fingers and that *swagger, ending off with "Don't tell mama what you did". I couldn't help but roar with laughter.
Her husband Greg Laswell opened the show, playing both the guitar and the piano (what a talented, musical couple) although, according to Ingrid, she doesn't play the banjo in the corner while he does something else musical, they just, watch TV. here's a song by him,
click here. He also sang a song called "how the day sounds", which was about how a day can just be amazing when you're with someone special. he's pretty funny too, doing a cover, he says was of someone covering his own song where the song was slowed down, and he thought it sounded so much better! haha! and he did a super emo, slow version of "girls just wana have fun" which sounded serious, yet the familiar tune just can't be taken that seriously, so it was good. =) super sweet together they even did a duet called
"light in me", squeezing lovingly together to share a microphone!
She even foretold the future and notified us how she would pretend to go offstage and we'd clap for 30 seconds and shout for an encore before she'd come back onstage totally unprepared and totally shocked! So heads up, fifteen minutes later we roared again with laughter as she, Allie and Bess had fake-stunned-faces, saying how they were totally caught offguard and unpre- *starts strumming ukelele and dives into "be ok"!! HAHA a happy, cheerful song! finally ending (for real this time) with "the way I am".
I'm in such awe of her singing abilities, with such an amazing, soaring voice, as well as her songs. they're just so nice to listen to, and truly inspiring. And I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity if not for Kevin, so thanks Kevin! for the awesome seats! definitely chased my Monday blues away =)
