Lara Smiles at the Monarch

Lara Smiles – an up-and-coming singer from London – brings the heat back to Camden after the steep temperatures finally start to drop, pleasing the small but enthusiastic crowd. Drawing inspiration from a variety of genres, the artist has so far performed at some of the largest live venues and music festivals in the UK and America. Her gig follows in that success, winning the hearts and souls of the  audience right from the get-go.

The Monarch, a local pub famed for its daily live bands, musicians, comedy and quiz nights, is the perfect venue for a vocalist of Smiles’ calibre. Performing in the heart of Camden, the singer draws in a viewership consisting of both fans and regular customers. Only several seconds into And it Hurts, they start to nod their heads to the beat of the indie-pop inspired single, in which the frontwoman reveals her insanely powerful chest voice. 

But her skills are not limited to singing, as she demonstrates in an incredibly wide range of hits from different genres. In All for You the performer amazes the listeners with her mad solo skills on the guitar, and in Dictate Peace she shows she is just as comfortable with more difficult and dissonant chords – proof of her capacity as a songwriter.

As the artist moves through the six tracks she has selected to express her expertise, the audience’s response grows in enthusiasm. By the time she starts the crowd-favourite Zombie, her onlookers are clapping and yelling vigorously, denoting their new-born passion for a musician well-versed in electro, industrial, rock, pop and more. With a rendition of Coincidence, the vocalist finishes the gig with a gorgeous experience, providing the audience with an immersive melodic tune, another crazy guitar solo and a bass line attuned to the sound of her stunning voice.

Smiles is a singer, songwriter and musician of great talent. Those lucky few to have witnessed her short gig at the Monarch can attest to that – and will eagerly follow her career.

Michael Higgs
Photo: Hannah Smiles

For further information and future events visit Lara Smiles’s website here.

Watch the video for Coincidence here: