Live Review: Odette, Thando

Since the release of her debut single Watch Me Read You, Odette has made some serious waves in the Australian music scene. With a 56th placing in the 2018 triple j Hottest 100, a hugely popular Like A Version Cover of Gang Of Youth’s Magnolia and the release of her first EP, To A Stranger, it was only a matter of time before fans were granted the national tour they’d been craving.

The Brisbane leg of the tour kicks off at the cosy Black Bear Lodge on Friday night. Opening for the budding superstar is fellow soul singer and emotive lyricist, Thando. Preceding someone as talented as Odette is no easy task, but as Thando steps onto the stage, she exudes confidence and an infectious energy that squashes any doubts that this performance will be anything less than perfect. Launching into a soulful set list that shows off her powerhouse vocals and explores everything from love, to loss, to mental health, Thando wins over the tentative crowd instantly, urging them to "strip down their layers and allow their truest selves to shine". It can be rare to attend a gig where the opening act is able to create a real connection with the audience, but she does so with ease and purpose. Closing out her set with a spicy mash-up of Gotye and Kimbra’s Somebody That I Used To Know and Destiny’s Child’s Say My Name, Thando leaves the audience feeling empowered, raw and ready for Odette.

After a short but suspenseful interlude, Odette takes the stage and launches straight into synthy tune Come Close, followed by neo-pop anthem Lights Out. Making her Brisbane debut, she gives the animated crowd a night to remember, showing off the full effect of her impressive pipes and lyrical prowess with new ballad Wait For You and crowd favourite Take It To The Heart. Her band vacates the stage and the night reaches an emotional climax with a solo rendition of emotional hit Do You See Me. Played live, her already passionate and emotive album To A Stranger is given a new rawness that only elevates the poignant atmosphere and draws more than a few tears from the crowd. In a slight change of pace, she debuts a new song introduced as 'Charlie'. An ode to her best friend, she admits it is the happiest song she’s written to date. The tune is warm and nostalgic and has friends in the audience gooey-eyed and embracing. Nearing the end of the night, she performs the song that began it all, Watch Me Read You. A hypnotising fusion of spoken word and synthy pop, the tune is unlike anything else the Australian music scene has to offer. To round out what was an emotional rollercoaster of a set, Odette enchants the room with her celebrated Like A Version cover of Gang of Youth’s Magnolia, a piano rendition of The Cranberries’ classic Zombie and her own certified banger Fractured Glass.

Odette’s ability to weave emotion and storytelling into her music is a joy to experience live. The last six months have seen her go from strength to strength, and with the debut of two new songs tonight, there should be little doubt that the best is yet to come.