On the 16 th May, London’s The Islington had a visit from the Nashville based country sweetheart Michaela Anne for her first UK headline show. Having been known for her storytelling lyrics and her honest yet witty song writing, Michaela showcased her talent through a range of tracks from her two albums and a sneak peak of her new material. Michaela kicked off her show to a warm welcome from the audience and immediately looked comfortable and at home on the Islington stage. Michaela and her talented band created a hometown country atmosphere in the room, filling it with incredible country music. Her sweet and angelic voice mixed with elements of classic, old school country twang, captivated everyone and drew them in from the first note. After interacting with the crowd, telling them a bit about her life and growing up with a military father, Michaela went on to perform Is This What Mama Meant from her first album Ease My Mind.
Michaela sprinkled both upbeat and heartfelt tracks into her set, showing the audience all the talent that she has to offer. Tracks including Bright Lights and the Fame, from her most recent album, gave the audience an urge to line dance in time with the honky-tonk country music. In comparison, her slower ballad-like tracks gave the performance a more intimate feel and had the audience swaying in time.
Michaela played one of her, not yet recorded, new tracks alone without the backing of her band, during which the audience had such complete focused attention on her that you could hear a pin drop. The intimate size and feel of the venue strengthened the connection between Michaela and the audience, allowing everyone to feel a part of the musical experience. Throughout the show, from the beginning until the end, the audience fully supported Michaela and cheered with all they had.
Michaela’s effortlessly beautiful singing voice coupled with her charming personality made it easy for the crowd to fall in love with her and enjoy a great night of country music. This first headline show was a great introduction for Michaela into the UK’s country music scene and the crowd at the Islington made sure to welcome her to London with open arms.