Louis Dunford is a North London singer songwriter that has the talent to bring you to tears with tortured but enlightening words. I cried in the crowd, full of people and it wasn’t because I was sad but because I felt understood.
The singer played songs he wrote from his own life experiences, struggles and loss that held meaning to others and not just himself. It was an odd feeling to have such a good time and be dancing around to a song about accidentally mistaking one drug for another and then be swaying to one that pulled on your heart strings and spoke to you on a deeper level. I loved it.
The whole performance drew me in, Louis Dunford is very comfortable on stage and talks to the audience in a familiar and humorous way but when it came to playing the songs that held a more serious and emotional attachment to him, he politely asked the crowd to please keep noise to a minimum, as there were a few that seemed to be making more noise between themselves than listening.
While he sang about very personal parts of his life, he would give us all a bit of background to the particular pieces before performing them and even explaining how it was hard to sing some, such as “Hello Depression” as laying his own mental health out for the world to see was difficult but knowing how it has impacted and struck a cord with so many others made him want to play it for us.
I was very grateful he did, it is my favourite song from the night and the whole room sang along with him, so I assume it was many others favourite too. It not only showed venerability but the strength that comes with overcoming and living with depression, it’s not about making you sad but showing how it is to live with and take ownership over it and not letting it own you.
“Angel” is the new single from ‘The Popham EP’ and it is a loving heads up to his home North London. Pride and euphoria flowed from Louis Dunford as he belted out a declaration to his life and to the people of the place he was born and raised in. It was massive hit with the crowd and we may not of been from London but we sang with all the enthusiasm and force right back to him.
Other songs had heart-breaking roots to them; two of which were about the death of friends and to see the emotions and hear them in a persons voice while they sing to you was both beautiful and sorrowful. A true artist makes you feel so many emotions whilst keeping the whole event enjoyable for you, taking you from tears to joy in just a few melodies and getting you dancing and reminiscing all in one night. I would happily cry to a performance by this amazing musical storyteller again and I will make sure to wear the T-shirt I bought after the gig for the next one!
Words by Wallis Brown for Grapevine Birmingham (https://www.instagram.com/wonderfulyou_xo)