The Mesmerising Debut of Paige Black
It begins with a single note drawn from the cello, silencing the sold out room.
Paige Black’s rich, heartfelt vocals fill every corner of the space, and in under ten seconds, she has the audience in the palm of her hand, unable to tear their eyes away even if they wanted to.
And no one wants to.
Pouring her heart out in her opening song, ‘Oceans Apart,’ you’d be forgiven for wondering if she’s peaked too early in her performance, however Black quickly proves she’s going nowhere but up. Normally a solo performer, it is an absolute pleasure to see Paige backed by a band, and putting her full attention and presence into singing the songs she has so carefully and unflinchingly penned. Where she might use a loop pedal playing alone, the harmonies built up and layered over between Paige, backing vocalist Bec Sykes, and guitarist Seb Szabo, would give Meg Mac a run for her money, and were completely, magically enthralling.
Moving into a self-described ‘angry song,’ Paige delivers an anthem to self-respect, ‘Deserve More.’ A common trap for singer-songwriters and solo performers is the slide into becoming balladeers, delivering one slow, heart-wrenching song after another. However Paige has proven her versatility as an artist with this fast paced, catchy song, that sacrifices none of its raw emotion and vulnerability in the process.
The transformation in Paige between when she is performing, and when she is addressing the audience is almost confounding. When she sings, neither she nor anyone else could possibly doubt that the stage is where she belongs, baring her heart and soul in every word, never a shaky breath or uncertain note. However when she addresses the audience, her nerves show, and she isn’t trying to hide them. Laughing, fumbling some intros, and making no secret of her surprise and delight at the sold out room, it’s hard to believe these two personalities are the same artist. But somehow, it works. The balance between intensely powerful performance and meaningful lyrics, and the conversational, complete lack of pretence in the way Black handles herself, creates a deeply intimate performance space. Transforming her songs from hits you might hear and connect with on the radio, to stories she is confiding in you as a friend.
A further expression of Paige’s artistic versatility is the content of her songs. Though she admitted that a number of the songs were about past relationships – or one in particular – her set was a perfect balance of love and life. Songs such as ‘Harder,’ and ‘Warrior Queen’ explored the difficulties of navigating the world as an adult, and a heart wrenchingly beautiful song dedicated to her sisters brought several members of the audience to tears.
There are so many words
But just no sound
And it’s taking me down
It’s taking me down
– Blind
Finally reaching the focal point of the night, Paige played her new single, and reason for the show, ‘Blind.’ It’s been described as moving, stunning, and soulful, with elements reminiscent of huge artists such as Adele, Meg Mac, and Odette, and reached number 5 on the Triple J Unearthed charts in its first week, but seeing it performed live brought the song to a whole new level. It’s almost impossible to believe this song was written in Paige’s Bendigo bedroom, but that always seems to be the way with truly good music. An introspection on the fallout of unrequited love, ‘Blind’ features Black’s signature raw, honest lyricism, paired with a melody that carries the emotion of the song just as effectively as the words themselves.
Its translation from production to a live performance left nothing wanting, and the emotion and raw power of Black’s delivery was completely mesmerising. The stacked harmonies and vocal belts landed perfectly, and the entire band was connected and unified in a way that made the performance all the more captivating and drew the audience even further in.
To call the night a categorical success would be an understatement; Paige’s performance was deeply moving, and like a first taste of something addictive – with hints of new music to be released this year, there is no doubt that next time around, she’s going to need a bigger venue.