3 Reasons You Should See Danielle Durack Live

When I saw Nashville-based singer-songwriter Danielle Durack was coming to NYC, and had a show at Rockwood Music Hall, I was all in.

Her recently released album, Escape Artist, is one of my favorites of the year so far, and I couldn’t wait to hear her perform songs from it live.

As the crowd filled in on the unseasonably nice March evening, and the house became packed, Durack hit the stage with a full band (guitar, bass, drums, piano). To say she didn’t disappoint would be an understatement. Not only did she thrill those who were already aware of her work, she converted the folks in the crowd who had come to see other artists on the bill.

Clearly, she is going to make new fans everywhere she goes, and with that in mind, here are three reasons you should see Danielle Durack live.

Her voice is wonderfully soft, and sweet 

Durack’s soft, warm vocals have a sweetness to them that’s incredibly endearing.

During her performance I wracked my brain trying to figure out who she sounds like, but there’s really no direct comparison.

Lisa Loeb, Norah Jones, Dido, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan … Durack’s vocals share qualities with each of these artists’ voices, but you still wouldn’t say she sounds like any of them. She is an original, and I realized it’s better to simply enjoy her voice than to try to find a vocal parallel.

She really knows how to set the mood 

In a hustle and bustle city that’s well known for the fact that it never stops moving, we all slowed down for 40 minutes when Durack performed. She controlled the pace of the evening, and created an environment as warm as her voice.

Midway through her set I turned to a friend, and noted that if Lilith Fair were to relaunch, Durack would be a perfect fit, as those are the artists who are her peers, and she’d win over the entire crowd within minutes.

There’s a raw honesty to her 

When Durack is on stage she’s wholly authentic, with a raw honesty that’s remarkable. The rawness isn’t in a lewd, or an in-your-face way, she doesn’t need to do that, and it wouldn’t go with the mood she sets. Rather, you discover that in her Vans, and baggy shirt, she is 100% herself at all times.

Whether she’s singing about a breakup, an old shirt filled with personal history (but not the shirt she was wearing … at least, I don’t think that was the case!), or the tragic loss of a friend due to suicide, she bares her soul for all to hear. The combination of her warm vocals, and intimate soul baring draws you in, as you can’t help but feel you aren’t just getting to know an artist, you’re getting to know the actual person on stage, and Danielle Durack is someone well worth getting to know.

For more Danielle Durack, and to see when she’ll be coming to your area, check out danielledurack.com.