Lafayette, Kings Cross- with its box-fresh feel and glamorous bathrooms- quickly fills up with a good-humoured, diverse crowd; checked shirts, Stetsons, boots, buckles and excited smiles filling the perfectly sized (albeit pit-less) space.
It’s absolutely rammed a good half an hour before a note has been sung; and after the audience warm up their vocal chords to Taylor Swift’s True Love, Sophia Scott, accompanied by guitarist, Sam and CJ on drums, comes out on stage and into our ears, eyes and hearts forever.
Glitteringly and excitingly clad in diaphanous sequins, Sophia asks “How ya doin’ y’all?” before starting her simply stellar set with ‘Boots, Jeans and Jesus’. Sophia may be slender but she has a great big voice- gorgeously full, rich and powerful. If the amazing sound system at Lafayette were to have gone down, we have no doubt that she’d have been able to easily reach people standing on the platform at Kings Cross station.
Song by song, she is unapologetically honest, telling us stories of mistakes, being lost, and being in love"
“I am so happy to be here” she tells us- and we believe her, the feeling being obviously mutual. Song by song, Sophia’s natural ability to connect with her audience feels serendipitous and as the music continues, we feel the infectious feeling of good fortune, convivial appreciation and bubbles of joy spread among us.
Raised in Colorado, Sophia tells us that ‘She Aint Me’ was one of the first songs she released in LA independently and the one that enabled her to move to Nashville (where she was born). Her personality shines through her lyrics; she shares her vulnerability through her stories and song by song, she reveals more of herself; gutsy, hugely talented, self-deprecating and passion-fuelled.
Tequila sharer, guitar player, and silky-voiced storyteller, Sophia Scott's musical excellence and technical ability are enhanced by her versatility."
Sophia shares that she is currently single for the first time in a long time (at least three quarters of the crowd quiver with excitement and possibility; she’s a beautiful human being after all) as she performs ‘You Problem‘; oh, those fabulous lyrics just get it exactly right! Song by song, she is unapologetically honest, telling us stories of mistakes, being lost, and being in love; when it all goes wrong… wasted time…
Everything about Sophia is sparkly- her personal, emotive lyrics are woven around effortlessly simple, sequenced chords, guitarist and singer Sam and CJ, percussionist, the perfect accompanists beautifully and effortlessly blending notes and rhythms with hers.
‘Watering Roses‘ signals a change of mood echoed by the stage lights which turn to red as she captivates us with her realisation that “I’ve been watering roses that aint never gonna grow…”; another stunningly crafted song featuring the catchiest of melodies, a perfectly suited middle 8 and emotion-filled crescendo and diminuendo used so effectively.
Yep, she's got some pipes; the tunes she writes showcase her undeniable specialness."
During the poignantly relatable ‘Lipstick on You’, she throws t-shirts out to the adoring crowd, before finishing with her self-proclaimed “new era single” ‘Wildflowers’. Inspired by a solo trip to a waterfall outside Nashville following her recent breakup, she describes how she baptised herself in the river and felt like she was “going to be ok”. The simplicity of structure of the song and the chords allow her truly fabulous vocals to soar over the top, shining in their lustrousness and amazing us with their complexity and skill.
Tequila sharer, guitar player, and silky-voiced storyteller, Sophia Scott’s musical excellence and technical ability are enhanced by her versatility. She is equally comfortable in both head and chest voice, transitioning seamlessly from tender pianissimo to emphatic fortissimo. Yep, she’s got some pipes; the tunes she writes showcase her undeniable specialness. No one is talking tonight, or even moving that much, as she shines up there on the Lafayette stage. We are all just enjoying listening to and being mesmerized by her glittering loveliness, and being part of her emotive, poetic, ultimately hopeful, and positive musical world.
Sophia Scott played Lafayette, London – 11th March 2024
