24 September 2019 (gig)
05 October 2019
With around 5 million listens on Spotify for two of Ingrid Andress's songs already, you have the feeling this intimate gig on a rainy night in London will not be repeated. Next time she's in the UK capital you feel certain it will be a larger venue. There is a genuine excitement around The Courtyard ahead of this show from one of America's rising stars. The merch stand is filled with Lady Like hats and shirts - the song that currently sits on Radio 2's A List - while there is excited chatter about meeting this singer and seeing her perform.
It's hot inside the venue but luckily Andress has come prepared and loses her jacket during an energetic and chatty performance. At one point she tells herself to keep quiet and get on with the music, while also revealing just how proud she is to finally have written a love song. Funnily enough, most of her songs are about love, but they have a rare honesty and capture life perfectly. More Hearts Than Mine is one of the year's best songs about how a family can be just as hurt by a break up as the individuals. This is performed with tender perfection, alongside tracks written for Charlie XCX (Boys) and Fletcher (About U), as well as a cluster of songs ready for her debut album. Both and We're not Friends are already out there, but the likes of Blue and The Stranger sound just as good.
There is a cover of Lewis Capaldi thrown in, as she gives Someone You Loved an impressive working over. Lady Like is set to be a girls night out anthem and she leaves it until the end, energetically throwing her ponytail around as the small crowd sings along. At those points of crowd involvement, Andress looks genuinely shocked. She shouldn't be. For those lucky enough to be here tonight, there is an awareness that being as up close and personal in future, will be much harder.
