Sunday night, I took the road less traveled— the 405 South to Santa Ana. Welsh singer-songwriter Jade Bird is rounding out her Open Up The Songbook Tour and her Southern California dates did not include Los Angeles. A shame really, as I believe Jade Bird is the new age of folk music, and LA deserves to see her before her imminent rise. Jade’s music runs the gamut of sad, furious, spiteful, jovially cruel, and unapologetically in love. I found myself enchanted by Jade’s writing in the wake of heartbreak in my own life.
I felt like “wow, this girl has seen it all, and she understands ME”. Imagine Taylor Swift with no filter. So, the hour-long trek to see my personal Heartbreak Messiah was hardly an effort. The Constellation Room is the smallest venue I’ve ever shot in. It was intimate— scarily so, I imagine for Jade. For the attendees, it was a dream come true. The performance had the aura of a small-town showcase but with the worldly talent and presence of a seasoned performer. Jade took the stage alone, armed only with a guitar and her legendary vocals— think the raw, gravelly tone of Joni Mitchell matched with the belting capacity of Hozier. And the quip-filled lyrics of a woman scorned.
Jade opened the show with “Uh Huh”, a sickly sweet pop composition that hones in on the new vitriolic girlfriend of a poor, unspecified sod. One of my favorite in Jade’s catalog. Jade explains that growing up, her parents were fans of rave music, and Jade’s interest in country ballads and American folk came as an act of rebellion. What resulted is a beautifully complex hybrid of her sharp wit married to the classic country ear-worms that brought acts like The Chicks to fame.
Alongside her more upbeat and rage filled anthems, ballads like “Something American” and “What Am I Here For” graced the setlist, the latter accompanied by supporting act Fairhazel. Jades ability to stretch her voice from a scream to a lullaby is a technical marvel that was not lost on the huddled crowd at the base of the stage, completely hypnotized by the ballads and roused by the hits (one older man in particular shouting “fuck yeah” after every. Single. Song).
Jade treated the Santa Ana crowd to peeks of her upcoming 2025 album— detailing her broken engagement and falling out with her father. Lyrically, this is Jade’s best work. Heart wrenching “Wish You Well” will be relatable to anyone who has seen a relationship sour between a parent, friend, or lover. I have always appreciated Jade’s transparency about her life and the inspiring moments of her songs. Regardless of my knowledge of the origins of her work, the ambiguity and stinging truth in her lyrics allow her catalog to still be brutally relatable.
Jade closes the show with “I Get No Joy” and a cover of Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”, both of which have unbelievably tongue-twisting moments of near rap (which Jade executed effortlessly). I feel incredibly lucky to have seen Jade so closely now. In my 6 years of listenership, I ebb and flow between wanting to keep her my secret, and hoping she reaps the success she so greatly deserves. For lovers of Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, First Aid Kit, Maggie Rogers…Jade Bird is the folk revolution from across the pond, and I’m sure she’ll be here to stay.
Words and photos by Dara Feller
FULL JADE BIRD AT CONSTELLATION ROOM PHOTO GALLERY:
