From performances in Columbia University classrooms to sold out crowds in the Bowery Ballroom, up-and-coming indie artist Maude Latour has stolen every teenager’s heart with her new music. Whether it be songs about longing for the rekindling of a love affair or stunning pieces of poetry applauding those who have learned to “keep on going,” Latour has something for everyone. I discovered her music in quarantine just two years ago, and have been yearning to hear her melodic voice live ever since.
As the clock struck 9 p.m. on March 28, an eager crowd of hundreds made the intimate atmosphere of Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom feel electric—and it was just the beginning. The band began blasting the first few measures of what we all knew as “Furniture,” one of Latour’s greatest hits, and a surge of excitement coursed through my body. When Latour finally took the stage, her high-energy, vibrant nature was palpable to the crowd. She truly connected with the audience in a way that many well-known artists can’t in large stadium tours. She popularly preaches on her social media how important she feels it is to “bring reflection, meaning, depth and sacredness”into the lives of her fans, and as she worked through her setlist, Latour found herself getting emotional during the performance when she realized how far she’d come. Tears welled up in her eyes as her shaky voice thanked the crowd for supporting her in all of her endeavors. As she collected herself, she described all of the emotions she was feeling: joy, fear, and pure happiness. So, she silenced the stage in an attempt to ground herself. The energy grew in the room. Her electric vocals juxtaposed with the deafening silence made the beat drop of her newest single “Headphones” hit harder. Latour described on her Instagram “Headphones” as her “love letter to music.” “It is an ode to following your divine light, and your inner voice. A dedication to the power of your imagination. It is the first step towards that long journey of learning who that inner voice is,” she shared.
“Superfruit,” a personal favorite of mine, caused the audience to erupt in a dynamic sea of room-shaking frenzy. The stage was suffused with neon pinks and blues as her microphone echoed her iconic lyrics: “Have I told you that I’m really fucking scared to die?” The bubbly tune mimicked that of a nostalgic ’80s pop song, and the audience knew every word.
She concluded her set with “Block Your Number,” a song detailing both the trials of cutting off contact with your ex and, more generally, the tribulations of modern love in the technological era. As her guitarist strummed their first chords, she urged the audience to lower themselves to the floor, and we followed her lead. The music slowly swelled to an all time high, paused for a moment, and soon the entire audience was jumping frenetically, surrounded by strobe lights. When the song finished, everyone murmured in anticipation, waiting for Latour to play the hit that put her on the map, “One More Weekend,” but her show had concluded.
Yet the crowd wanted more. We hadn’t heard her most emblematic song, and as the band began to exit the stage, the audience chanted “One More Weekend” over and over again until she re-entered the stage. The crowd went wild. As if we were all in a trance, the room screamed her most enigmatic lyrics that rocketed her to stardom: “I fell in love with how you emphasize your sentences, and I’ve got a crush on the shape of your name on my phone” in unison. Elated to hear this iconic track, the audience lost their minds.
I am thrilled to have discovered such a spectacular artist so early on in her musical career, and I know for a fact that Latour will make it big. Her poetic lyrics coupled with her artistic demeanor create the atmosphere of a laidback popstar who cares deeply for their fans and the world around them. As proven by her diverse skill set, Maude Latour is here to stay.
