Sophie Delila at the Jazz Cafe

Sophie Delila’s voice is hazy and soulful, her Parisian lilt a welcome addition to the sexy set.  She has clearly been influenced by jazz and blues, a number of her songs featuring a slower tempo with long, lilting notes. It’s not all music to sway to though, as Delila also covers a few popular songs such as Rihanna’s Diamonds, drawing vague comparisons with the vocals of Jessie Ware. 

Her newest album is called My Life Could Use a Remix and when she does take her own advice and enlists the help of her band and their Apple Mac it makes for some interesting results. In My Bed was a highlight and definitely one of the stronger songs. The thumping drums behind a chorus of higher vocals set it apart from the rest of the set, which on occasion did blend into one albeit pleasant sound.

Delila’s final song in the set was a stripped-back version where she experimented with a loop pedal (a long-time accomplice to acoustic artists such as Ed Sheeran and KT Tunstall). She layered her vocals cleverly, taking away the distractions of her band and allowing her breathy tone to shine through.  A highlight was the inclusion of bursts of Diana Ross’s Upside Down, which sat well alongside her upbeat soul sound. 

The performance is strong and confident, Delila clearly wielding control over her musical direction. While you couldn’t claim that she is creating anything fresh, her voice is undeniably good and the highlights of her set are worth making the trip out for (though maybe make sure you have a seat for the bits in between). 

Emma Marks

For further information and future events visit Sophie Delila’s website here. 

Watch the video for Bound to Fall here: