Live Review: Laeli @ ACM's Summer Live

Did London Grammar and Lana Del Ray have a lovechild? I think they might have and her name is Laeli.

The Dutch singer brought her husky voice and self-described "electronic organic" sounds to the Electric Theatre stage for ACM's Summer Live. I wouldn't call myself a huge fan of oxymorons (yep, I'm opinionated on something so mundane), but this one works for me. She sings to electronic music which she has made from samples of her voice and keyboard, with visuals of the sky behind her. That's a great dictionary definition for electronic organic if you ask me (and somebody did).

I'm going to ignore the elephant in the room that came in the form of a clothes line wrapped in wire. I didn't understand it then and still don't. Anyhow, she opens her set with 'Do You Know', a song addressed to someone from her past who treated her wrong, and her reflection on the situation. "Do you know this hurts for me… Or do you not care?" The pain can be heard in her voice and her movement across the stage seems like the only way to let her frustrations out.

I wouldn't call myself a huge fan of oxymorons, but this one works for me

Her songs are all personal, written about experiences in her life and the second song 'Myself' is no exception. What I love about it is that it shows the innermost workings of her brain. It's as if the listener is hearing her inner dialogue. "It's myself that never sleeps…  I’m suffocating in reality." Again her movement on stage keeps me engaged and I feel the weight of the insecurities that she's singing about.

"Tell me why, tell me why/Why does love always die, always die?" Her final song 'Why' features an intricate drum pattern balanced out by the sweeping keys. It shows off the power in her voice as she considers some poignant life questions.

Laeli hails from Amsterdam where she developed her sound while studying on a pre-conservatoire course. She's gigged regularly in The Netherlands and is beginning to build a name for herself in the UK. Her first single will be released this coming September and in the meantime you can find her on social media at the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laeliofficial/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlaeli/

Photographs: Rob Blackham