EDEN HUNTER: LONDON, UK - 14.12.21
Up two flights of winding stairs at the October Gallery in Holborn, an intimate and tucked away theatre space can be found. On wooden flooring and encased by bright white walls, at the head of the venue stood a lone black piano illuminated by yellows and blues. At 7pm on the 14th of December, the seats, with deep red covers that matched the hue of the curtains, began to fill with Eden Hunter supporters. Dressed in her merchandise and wearing smiles on their faces, they eagerly awaited her performance.
Once Eden had made her way to the piano, she took a seat and introduced herself, which prompted a round of applause from the adoring audience. The words of ‘Weightless,’ the first song in her stripped-down set, filled the room accompanied by the gentle glistening sound created by the piano. The colourful spotlights that illumined Eden, created a cinematic scene that would not look out of place in ‘La La Land’, the 2016 rom-com musical directed by Damien Chazelle. As she reached the chorus, Eden told the audience they needn’t be shy and invited them to join her. Prior to the beginning of the next song, ‘Won’t Let You Go,’ which Eden wrote in lockdown, she explained that this special show was taking her music back to where it started: at a piano before any production. She smiled as she sang, and her angelic voice left the audience astounded.
Eden’s performance also featured a cover. She elucidated that the song ‘Breathing Under Water’ by Emeli Sandé appeared on the first album she ever bought and was also the track to come on shuffle after her family listened to her debut single ‘Weightless’ for the very first time. Feelings of nostalgia were interlaced within this song for Eden, and it felt like an extraordinary moment shared with every soul present in the room that evening. Due to it being the festive season, a rendition of ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ graced the keys of the piano and the hearts of the audience. Eden’s elegant voice suited the Christmas classic flawlessly, and the sound of the faintly off-key audience participation brought a smile to every face.
For the closing three songs of the evening, Eden was joined by songwriter and producer Kaity Rae, who took her place at the piano. The first was titled ‘Everybody’, which was written to support the listener in feeling less alone. The lyrics comment on coming to realise there isn’t a single person alive that doesn’t have their own personal battles and challenges. For the penultimate track, ‘Twenty,’ Eden took the mic from the stand and, with grace, danced across the stage as she sang. Kaity’s delicate vocals complimented Eden’s, and the gentle harmonies instigated spines to tingle. The song to end the magical evening with Eden Hunter was her latest single, ‘Chance My Heart.’ She explained it was written to be an empowering and inspirational “you got this” song. The stripped-back version allowed Eden’s vocals to shine, and the audience had stars in their eyes as they watched in wonderment. It was a beautiful night and the memories that were created will always remain deep within the hearts of everyone present.
