Review of Alicia Moffet at MTELUS | Ravishing performance

For the launch show of his mini-album Intertwine, Alicia Moffet bet on a judicious sobriety, letting her voice always right and her skillful musicians shine. This concert at MTELUS on Thursday kicked off her very first indoor tour, which will take her all over Quebec.

It’s like she’s been doing this all her life. This is somewhat the case, since his first steps in the music world came early, with YouTube videos first, as a teenager, and participation in singing shows as well. But at only 24 years old, Alicia Moffet stands on stage like those who have been in the business for a long time.

We first felt the inevitable nervousness when the singer-songwriter appeared in front of a jam-packed MTELUS. She was moved when she spoke for the first time, to announce in particular that guests would join her, because for a launch, “we are not kidding”.

It was difficult to circulate in the room on rue Sainte-Catherine, where there were many young women, several young men (Moffet also welcomed the presence of “buddies who were forced”) and some influencers popular, former candidates ofDouble occupation and others.

The artist with the gold record (for the song lullaby) offered them a performance as well thought out as it was executed, directed by Alex Perron and whose musical direction was provided by the talented Gabriel Thibault (also on keyboard during the show).

Alicia Moffet’s vocal talent is remarkable, she and her microphone are enough to give a very good performance. But it was obvious Thursday that the arrangements (signed Gabriel Thibault and Richard Bynon), the musical direction and the performance of the musicians who accompanied the singer greatly raised the level.

On the instrumental side, it was impeccable and hard-hitting.

To wrap it all up, a vaporous, sober and efficient atmosphere: a little smoke, a simple strip of light in the background lighting up according to the mood, a few pirouettes in terms of the lighting at appropriate times. Nothing more was needed. Alicia Moffet has a beautiful presence on stage, she captivates. His songs, a pop that borrows from R&B and sometimes electro, are convincing.

A conquered crowd

She sang most of the songs in her repertoire (from her first album Billie Ave. and EP Intertwine). The crowd knew all the words. When she started Body High, at the start of the show, she herself was surprised by the ardor with which the spectators accompanied her to sing the first verse. Between each song, Alicia Moffet took a moment to talk to her audience, frank and funny in her interventions.

First guest of the evening, Zach Zoya joined her for the play Addicted. We then took out stools for a “little cozy vibe”, a “campfire no fire”. A very well-received acoustic medley concluded with the popular strangers. During Hard Feelingsthe spectators in the first rows all held up sheets of paper on which hearts were drawn.

Ryland James, who provided the first part, took the stage for a duo cover of hold-on, by Drake. Ontario’s Jamie Fine came next to Never Wanted This.

Later, Moffet presented another medley, this time built with songs she covered on YouTube in her early days. “If you remember that, you are veterans,” she said.

Later, we got an exclusive song, Didn’t Tryinspired by her recent separation.

For the song Skywhich marked the summer of 2020, FouKi joined Alicia Moffet for one of the highlights of the evening.

The show was also punctuated by a few slightly less effective moments. But one thing remained constant: the enthusiasm of the crowd. During the concert, the 24-year-old singer often thanked her. “We don’t show everything on social networks,” she said in the middle of the show. Right now, there are things that piss me off. But tonight, you’re all here and it doesn’t make sense. […] Thanks for coming. »

Instagram and TikTok get involved

It is on social networks that Alicia Moffet has mainly made herself known and the singer-songwriter with 430,000 Instagram subscribers has fully assumed her belonging to this universe.

It was therefore not surprising to see a canvas in the colors of the EP Intertwine in the MTELUS lobby. The decor, which served on the red carpet before the show, also seemed like an ostensible invitation to strike a pose and post the result on his social platforms.

Nobody seemed too surprised either when in the middle of the concert, the artist offered to film a TikTok video. It was a little strange to wait in silence for Alicia Moffet to grab her phone, give her instructions and set up her scene for a video covering the very popular Flowers, by Miley Cyrus. But the singer knows her admirers, most of the TikTok generation, and certainly suspected that they would be up for it.

Alicia Moffet knows what she’s doing and she does it well. This mastery of her art will surely take her far.

Alicia Moffet will be on tour throughout Quebec until the end of March.